Ken Gingerich reflects on letting God use him — “despite some big cracks” — for more than 40 years ELKHART, Indiana (Mennonite Church USA) — Long-time Executive Board staff member Ken Gingerich of Albuquerque, New Mexico, retired at the end of June from his role as art director for Mennonite Church USA. Which roles and responsibilities have you held over the years? My first job out of college was to work for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in... read more →
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If you are not happy with the results below please do another searchBy Annette Brill Bergstresser ELKHART, Indiana (Mennonite Church USA/Mennonite Mission Network) — On Aug. 16, Jonathan Brenneman of St. Marys, Ohio, is beginning a one-year assignment with Mennonite Voluntary Service (MVS) in Elkhart, Indiana, as Partners in Peacemaking coordinator for Mennonite Church USA’s Executive Board (EB) staff. EB staff members worked with Mennonite Mission Network to create the new position as one way of implementing A statement of support for our Palestinian and Israeli partners in peacemaking, which the denomination’s Delegate... read more →
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Erica Littlewolf is from the Northern Cheyenne tribe of southeastern Montana and currently lives in Kansas. She works for Mennonite Central Committee Central States with the Indigenous Visioning Circle where she is committed to the work of decolonization, authentic relationship and healing. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and American Indian Studies and applies her schooling to social justice issues and how they affect Indigenous people. Erica is a member of the steering committee for the Women in Leadership Project of Mennonite Church USA. It is difficult being unmarried or single in the church. I first noticed... read more →
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Mariah Martin is currently a senior at Eastern Mennonite University where she studies nursing and plays field hockey. Though her home base is Greencastle, Pennsylvania, she recently traveled to Haiti with a professor and fellow nursing students to work alongside the organization Midwives for Haiti. She enjoys long talks, writing, rock climbing and anything outdoors. In the future, she hopes to pursue a career as a nurse midwife and eventually work overseas. “It’s hot,” she says. “It’s Haiti,” I answer. We trudge up the stairs, a few nursing students and a professor on the first day of work in our... read more →
ELKHART, Indiana (Mennonite Church USA / Mennonite Education Agency) — Mennonite Church USA leaders have outlined a process for proceeding with a voluntary independent outside investigation into responses by Eastern Mennonite University (EMU); Virginia Mennonite Conference (VMC); and Lindale Mennonite Church (LMC), Linville, Virginia, to abuse allegations against Luke Hartman, former vice president of enrollment at EMU in Harrisonburg, Virginia. In follow-up to the May 13, 2016, recommendation from the Panel on Sexual Abuse Prevention calling for an outside investigation into the matter, Ervin Stutzman, executive director of Mennonite Church USA; and Carlos Romero, executive director of Mennonite Education Agency (MEA); met... read more →
By Annette Brill Bergstresser ELKHART, Indiana (Mennonite Church USA/Mennonite Mission Network) — A six-week Sunday school curriculum — Returning Veterans, Returning Hope: Seeking Peace Together — can help small groups and congregations who want to explore how the church can play a part in the healing journeys of returning veterans. The materials draw on biblical reflection, the latest understandings of trauma and moral injury, and the experiences of veterans themselves. “We have long known that war affects not only innocent civilians but also those we ask to fight,” said Carolyn Holderread Heggen, trauma psychotherapist and creator of the “Transforming the Wounds... read more →
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Melody M. Pannell currently serves as assistant professor of social work at Eastern Mennonite University. It is her life mission to embody practical theology through the values and ethics of social work and encourage those that she serves to engage in a transformative journey of emancipatory hope in action and empowerment through holistic, therapeutic and restorative ministry. “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the... read more →
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Sent 2016: A gathering of Mennonites planting Jesus-centered communities, was the first gathering of Anabaptist-Mennonite church planters of its kind. Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Mission Network brought together church planters, groups testing the call, pastors, missiologists and conference leaders March 31-April 2, to explore approaches, best practices and the variety of perspectives that exist on church planting through an Anabaptist lens. This is the final post in our series from participants in Sent 2016. Byron Pellecer was born in Guatemala City where he began his faith journey in a local Mennonite church. His passions are lead pastoring, church planting and leadership development. He... read more →
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This is the fourth post in a series highlighting churches across Mennonite Church USA who were awarded the Peace and Justice Support Network’s Spread the Peace grant for 2015. The PJSN is a partnership of Mennonite Mission Network and Mennonite Church USA. Each of these congregations is working in different ways to spread peace in its community. Donna Minter is a licensed psychologist married to Bruce Brunner. She has three amazing adult stepdaughters, two fine sons-in-law and a 15-month-old granddaughter, Harper. She is a vigorous member of Faith Mennonite Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and loves life in the Twin Cities. When... read more →
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Betsy Headrick McCrae is pastor of Glennon Heights Mennonite Church in Lakewood, Colorado. She is married to Bruce McCrae, mother of two adult daughters, grandmother of two grandsons and eagerly anticipating the arrival of two more grandchildren in the very near future. Between church and family, her life is rich to overflowing. Several weeks ago I watched a video interview with Hassan Latif, founder of the Second Chance Center in Aurora, Colorado, and a good friend of our congregation. The Second Chance Center works with folks who are being released from prison to help them get back on their feet.... read more →
First national church-planting summit, Sent 2016, brings together diverse group of practitioners to encourage and inspire one another. [Español] By Danielle Klotz NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (Mennonite Mission Network/Mennonite Church USA) — Inspiration for courage and faithful obedience to God’s call flowed continuously at Sent 2016, Mennonite Church USA’s first national... read more →
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Rachel S. Gerber is the Mennonite Church USA denominational minister of youth and young adults and editor/creator of The Gathering Place, an interactive website for Anabaptist youth leaders for resourcing, networking and spiritual formation. She lives in Bloomington, Indiana, with her husband of 16 years and three young boys. I recently ordered, “Searching For Sunday: Loving, Leaving, and Finding the Church” by Rachel Held Evans. According to the back cover, Rachel “ … like millions of her millennial peers, didn't want to go to church anymore. The hypocrisy, the politics, the gargantuan building budgets, the scandals – church culture seemed... read more →
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Alyssa Rodriguez attends First Mennonite Church in Iowa City, Iowa, and works as a free health clinic coordinator, serving uninsured and under-insured populations while also learning the ins and outs of motherhood with her beloved daughter, Zulema. Beginning last summer, following the retirement of our co-pastors after 15 years of service, the church I belong to has been receiving assistance from an interim pastor. Part of his job has been to dissect our church’s identity as we prepare for new leadership. He has done this by taking surveys and questionnaires, as well as conducting focus groups and open meetings. One... read more →
[Español] By Janie Beck Kreider (Mennonite Church USA) — Mennonite Church USA Executive Board (EB) members, Cabinet staff and agency leaders gathered Feb. 11–13 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel near Chicago, Illinois, for the second meeting of the 2015–17 biennium. In addition to spending time in worship and prayer, the EB members passed a statement clarifying the meaning of forbearance, conducted a review of Mennonite Education Agency (MEA), discussed a proposal to create a new Racial Ethnic Council... read more →