Mosaic Mennonites

Missional - Intercultural - Formational

News

Lever and Kauffmann named to Denominational Ministry leadership roles

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Lee Lever has begun a new assignment as interim director of denominational ministry for Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership. He will lead a team of denominational ministers providing support and encouragement for conference ministers.

In his new role, Lever will work collaboratively with area conferences and churchwide agencies to equip conference ministers for their work with congregations. Lever and denominational ministry staff also oversee the pastoral call system, pastoral salary guidelines, resource packets for conference ministers, and more.

“Mennonite Church USA is on a journey of responding to God’s call for us to be a people of healing and hope; and we want to help area conferences as they provide connections and build relationships among pastors and congregations,” said Lever.

Nancy Kauffmann will join Lee Lever as a denominational minister for Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership, effective May 1. She joins Linford King, Phil Bergey and Iris de León-Hartshorn as denominational ministers responsible for building strong, churchwide relationships with Mennonite Church USA area conferences and their staff.

Lever began as a denominational minister with Executive Leadership in August 2007. He previously served for three years as associate conference minister with Western District Conference. He has served as pastor of Eden Mennonite Church in Moundridge, Kan., and Menno Mennonite Church in Ritzville, Wash. In 2005 and 2006, he also served as a consultant training congregational teams for Gospel in our Culture Network and Church Innovations.

Lever holds a master’s of divinity degree from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart, Ind., and a doctor of ministry in congregational development from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary, Evanston, Ill. Lee and his wife, Terri, are members of Faith Mennonite Church in Newton, Kan., and live in Moundridge. They have three adult children.

“I sense the Holy Spirit working within Mennonite Church USA in new ways, drawing us toward a renewed understanding of who we are and what we are to be about in the midst of changing times,” said Lever.

Kauffmann has served as a conference regional minister for Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference since 2000. Previously she served on the pastoral team of College Mennonite Church in Goshen, Ind., for 19 years. She also served for three years on the student services staff for the former Mennonite Board of Missions and taught youth ministries courses at Goshen (Ind.) College for four years.

Kauffmann is part of a pastors group that has been reflecting on the nature of missional leadership. She is grateful for the opportunity to be part of the denominational ministry team and explore what it means to pray for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. “God is calling us to keep this question central in our lives no matter where we are serving,” she said.

Kauffmann holds a master’s of divinity degree from AMBS and a doctor of ministry degree from Claremont (Calif.) School of Theology. She and her husband, Joel, live in Goshen, Ind., and have two adult children. Kauffmann is a member of the College Mennonite Church in Goshen.

Goshen students spend spring break building cultural bridges in the nation's capital

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It wasn’t a week on the beach for seven Latino and six Anglo students from Goshen College during spring break the last week of February. Instead, it was an intense week that involved learning about other cultures and doing service in Washington, D.C., as they spent time with the bilingual Mennonite congregation, New Hope/Nueva Esperanza.

New Hope meets for worship in a rented school auditorium in Alexandria, Va., praising God in English and Spanish. On Feb. 22 the sermon was in English, with Spanish translation available. Sometimes the reverse is true. Pastors Kirk and Marilyn Hanger lived in Mexico City for 10 years as church planters. They and others provide human bridges in this vibrant, diverse Mennonite congregation of Latinos, African-Americans and Anglos. After church, Anglos in the Goshen group were introduced to the delicious Mexican stew, posole.

First-year student Ben Baumgartner’s favorite part of the trip was hearing stories from members of the New Hope congregation. Church members fled civil war in El Salvador and the Congo. They have struggled with abuse, deportation, language barriers, drug addiction, prison and mental illness. But all have been touched by God’s grace and healing.

Sophomore Hector Varela was especially impressed with the multiculturalism he saw in the New Hope congregation and “the faith and perseverance that keeps a small church together.”

Service projects for the week were arranged by former Goshen student Brian Waidelich, who was an intern at New Hope in the summer of 2008 as part of the college’s Ministry Inquiry Program, and decided to stay on for an extra year. The Goshen group served in elementary schools, a thrift shop, the Washington Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) volunteer house and a social service agency for senior citizens. Sophomore Francisco Gallegos especially enjoyed teaching Spanish plurals to third graders in a bilingual school while their teacher attended an emergency meeting.

The group – led by Tamara Shantz, assistant campus pastor, and Becky Horst, associate registrar and grants coordinator – also visited the MCC Washington office and an international development bank that specializes in assisting small businesses worldwide. During a free day in the city, they took in the Holocaust Museum, Washington monument and many other sites.

The Goshen College Center for Intercultural Teaching and Learning sponsored this bi-cultural service trip to foster intercultural understanding and relationships. “After our first meeting on campus, I wasn’t sure this group would be able to come together and enjoy each other. But the common experiences of the week really helped that to happen,” Horst said.

By the last evening, a Latino student was playing – and winning – Rook, a popular card game among Anglo Mennonites, and Anglo students were learning how to salsa dance.

MCC Philadelphia and Kingdom Builders intiate building project

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Mennonite Central Committee’s (MCC) Philadelphia office, in partnership with Kingdom Builders Anabaptist Network of Greater Philadelphia, has launched a new renovation and construction project this month for the various Anabaptist churches and ministries in Philadelphia.

Dan Umstead, a Spring City, Pa., resident and recent Eastern University graduate, will serve the Kingdom Builders and MCC Philadelphia office for the next two years as their building project coordinator. Dan is an experienced volunteer construction team leader and jobsite foreman. He has worked in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina and in the Dominican Republic.

J. Fred Kauffman, MCC Philadelphia Program Coordinator, explained that this building project started very quickly beginning with a discussion of the needs of many churches and ministries in Philadelphia and an inquiry on available positions with MCC from Dan. “In a period of about a month we went from nothing to enough work to say let’s go,” said Fred.

Along with immediately taking on the role of building caretaker at Franconia Conference Related Ministry Philadelphia Mennonite High School (PMHS), Dan is also scheduled to work on renovating Philadelphia Praise Center’s basement to add a kitchen, renovating Oxford Circle Mennonite Church’s new building, renovating Vietnamese Mennonite Church’s fourth floor, helping a newly developing Ethiopean church purchase and renovate a building for their congregation and working with several city-based Anabaptist community ministries to assist in renovating the homes of community members in need.

In addition Dan will solicte and coordinate volunteer groups to assist him in the renovation and construction projects. He is making a wide appeal to all local church groups, including youth groups on up to older groups, to come and spend a week or so with him in Philadelphia building and renovating in these projects. In the future Dan will also be holding construction and home improvement workshops open to all insterested and a Friday Elective Service Learning class for PMHS.

The congregations employing Dan have already committed funds toward the project and Fred was very excited to note that Kingdom Builders and MCC Philadelphia has already received more than half of the money needed to fund this initiative. The project’s biggest needs now are tools, a pick-up truck and volunteers.

For more information on contibuting to this project or volunteering contact Dan Umstead at dumstead@mcc.org or 610-574-2959.

New leadership named at EMU and AMBS

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EMU Names New Provost
A 1979 honors graduate of Eastern Mennonite University will return to his alma mater as the new provost.

EMU President Loren Swartzendruber announced that Fred Kniss, currently of Chicago, Ill., will assume the second highest administrative post at the university on July 1, 2009.

The provost gives overall guidance to the undergraduate and graduate academic programs of the university as well as Eastern Mennonite Seminary, various auxiliary programs and the Adult Degree Completion Program.

“We are pleased that a person of Dr. Kniss’ experience is prepared to join the team at EMU,” Dr. Swartzendruber said. “He has demonstrated a long commitment to Christian higher education and to scholarship in our kind of context.”

Kniss is chair of the department of sociology at Loyola University, Chicago, where he has been a faculty member since 1991. During his tenure he was interim dean of The Graduate School at Loyola, 2004-05, and graduate program director the sociology department, 2000-04.

“EMU is well-positioned to face the challenges and opportunities that confront higher education,” said Dr. Kniss. “We have a clear and attractive mission, with smart, innovative faculty and staff who are not afraid to try new ideas and programs. I look forward to working with faculty, staff and students to build a dynamic community of learning, rooted in Anabaptist values, training the next generation of global citizens to serve and lead,” he added.

Kniss was a double major in sociology and philosophy and religion at EMU. Following five years of service in Kenya, he went on to earn MA and PhD degrees in sociology from the University of Chicago.

His professional activities and associations include: chair-elect, American Sociological Association Section on Sociology of Religion; Association for the Sociology of Religion; and chair, publications committee, Association for the Sociology of Religion. He is a member of the editorial board of the “Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion” and has been associate book review editor and associate editor of the “American Journal of Sociology.”

Kniss is a member of the American Sociological Association, Midwest Sociology Society, Society for the Scientific Study of Religion and the Religious Research Association.

He is married to Rosalyn Myers Kniss, associate administrator of clinical laboratories at the University of Chicago Medical Center and a member of the EMU class of 1977. They have two children – Michael, a 2006 EMU graduate, and Stephen, an EMU sophomore. They are members of Chicago Community Mennonite Church.

EMU Appoints Jantzi Interim Dean
Vernon E. Jantzi does not stay retired long. The professor emeritus of sociology at Eastern Mennonite University is serving part time this year as coordinator of a feasibility study for the proposed Center for the Study of Abrahamic Traditions at EMU. The Center would provide a setting where practitioners and scholars belonging to the three Abrahamic faith traditions – Judaism, Islam and Christianity – could collaborate in research, training, learning and relations that further peace, just development, security and wholeness in North America and in the rest of the world.

Beginning July 1, 2009, Dr. Jantzi will serve as interim vice president and undergraduate academic dean for the 2009-2010 year at EMU. He succeeds Dr. Marie S. Morris, who is completing her ninth year in the position.

The appointment was announced by Dr. Lee F. Snyder, interim EMU provost.

“Many know Vernon Jantzi as an accomplished faculty leader, an esteemed professor, scholar and servant of the church with extensive international involvements,” Dr. Snyder said. “We’re pleased that he is available to take on this transitional role.”

Jantzi’s administrative and academic experience include serving seven years as director of EMU’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding; two years as chair of the General Education and Curriculum Development committee and chair of the curriculum review committee for one of the Southeren Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) re-accreditation self-studies.

His international involvements include serving as director of Cornell University’s program on worker-owned and managed enterprises in collaboration with the Instituto Tecnologico de Cartago, Costa Rica and serving in Nicaragua for three years as director of the ALFALIT national adult literacy program. In New Zealand, Jantzi assisted in the founding of peace centers at two universities. He also serves on the bi-national board and executive committee of Mennonite Central Committee.

AMBS Interim President Announced
The appointment of George R. Brunk, III, as interim president for Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary was announced by Ray Friesen, chairperson of the AMBS board, on Feb. 19. Brunk will begin his assignment on July 19 and serve until a new president begins, a tenure Friesen anticipates will be six to twelve months.

Brunk was vice president and academic dean of Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Harrisonburg, Va., from 1979 to 1999, after serving as acting dean for two years. He continues as professor of New Testament at EMS and has taught occasional courses at AMBS. In addition, he has served in numerous leadership positions in the Mennonite Church over the last 30 years. He holds a Doctor of Theology degree from Union Theological Seminary in Virginia and a Bachelor of Divinity degree from EMS. He was ordained to Christian ministry in the Virginia Conference in 1964.

“The board is pleased to have George Brunk join the administrative team at AMBS,” Friesen said. “We believe this early announcement and the unique gifts Brunk has will bring a sense of stability for the seminary community, donors and constituency through this time of transition while we also manage the effects of the economic downturn. We ask the church to pray for the seminary and its leadership team during this time.”

Brunk said, “I am honored by this appointment as interim president of AMBS. The seminary is a leading educational institution for church leadership formation in the Mennonite tradition. My hope is that my acceptance of this role will symbolize the common mission we share between our Mennonite Church USA seminaries, as well as among all Mennonite educational institutions. AMBS is on a good course, and I am committed to hold and strengthen that course during this transitional time.”

Brunk is married to Ruthann Miller Brunk and has two adult children.

J. Nelson Kraybill, president of AMBS since 1997, announced his resignation in September. He will end his assignment at AMBS in July and will pursue other ministry opportunities.

A search committee is seeking a new long-term president for AMBS, to begin sometime in early 2010.
In reflecting on the interim appointment, Jantzi said, “EMU has fostered a lot of creativity in recent years. I’m looking forward to helping us move forward in that spirit amid the stress of current economic realities.”

Care & Share expands its gift card program

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The Care & Share Shoppes’ are delighted to present to their customers the opportunity to purchase gift cards which can be used in the Clothing, Variety and Furniture Shoppes. Proceeds from these shoppes benefit Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) which is a relief, development and peace agency of the Mennonite and Brethren in Christ Churches.

These gift cards will be replacing the previous paper gift certificate program. Customers are encouraged to redeem their paper gift certificates by December 31, 2009, whereas after this date they will no longer be accepted.

Sarah Bergin, Executive Director of the Care and Share Shoppes, explained the benefit of these cards. “Your gift card purchase helps many. First, the person you give it too will benefit from a huge selection of high quality merchandise in our shoppes, where your dollar buys much more than if you were shopping at a new retailer. Second, the money spent at our shoppes then becomes your ‘gift to the world’ as MCC uses these funds to assist others.”

“Many people are often surprised to learn that 25% off MCC’s funding supports those here in the United States,” continued Sarah. “Customers and those that donate to our shoppes should feel good knowing that MCC does a remarkable job finding non-profit partners to facilitate our donated dollars in the most effective manner.”

The increasingly popular monthly half-price sale will now be on the third Friday of each month – the next one on March 20. Shop from 10am till 8pm, all items in the three Shoppes are half of the ticketed price with a few exceptions and must be removed the day of sale.

The Care & Share Shoppes have been serving the local community for over 32 years. The Shoppes are centrally located; 10 miles from Doylestown, 10 miles from Quakertown, and 8 miles from Lansdale. Local shoppers benefit from the availability of low cost, high quality items. Donors contribute to the recycling and conservation efforts that affect the broader community in positive ways. Volunteers become part of a special community which embraces service above self. The funds raised for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) provide resources and aid for those in need, in North America and around the world.

EMU at Lancaster presents weekend on spirituality

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During the first weekend in May, Eastern Mennonite University at Lancaster will partner with Sunnyside Mennonite Church to host “Ancient Christian Paths, Contemporary Lives” led by Frederica Mathewes-Green.

Frederica Mathewes-Green is a nationally known speaker and author on Christian spirituality. Her work has appeared in such diverse publications as the Washington Post, Christianity Today, Smithsonian, the Los Angeles Times, First Things, Books & Culture, Sojourners, Touchstone, and the Wall Street Journal. She is a regular columnist for the multifaith web magazine Beliefnet.com, and she writes movie reviews for National Review Online and Christianity Today Movies.

The weekend of events is scheduled for May 2-3 and includes a morning and afternoon session on Saturday and a Sunday morning service. All evetns will be held at Sunnyside Mennonite Church in Lancaster, Pa.

Registration is required. For more information and online registration visit  emu.edu/lancaster/seminary