Mosaic Mennonites

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MCC and MDS collect more than $700,000 U.S. for Amish

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AKRON, Pa. — Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) have collected more than $700,000 U.S., or about $800,000 Cdn., for the community affected by the Oct. 2 shootings at an Amish school in Nickel Mines.

MCC and MDS are transferring 100 percent of these contributions to a Nickel Mines Accountability Committee comprised of seven Amish community members and two non-Amish community members. The committee will apply the funds to needs that result from the shootings, including medical and counseling services, extra living expenses for affected families and long-term disability care.

MCC and MDS agreed to accept contributions for the Nickel Mines Accountability Committee in consultation with Amish community leaders and will continue to do so until Oct. 27. These contributions should be designated for the “Amish School Recovery Fund.”

In an Oct. 10 statement, the Nickel Mines Accountability Committee thanked the many people who have contributed in the wake of the shootings.

“We, the people of the Nickel Mines community, are humbled and deeply thankful for this outpouring of love,” the committee stated. “Each act of kindness, the prayers and every gift, small or large, comfort us and assure as that our spirits will heal even though the painful loss will always be with us.”

Tim Shenk is a writer for MCC communications.

FMC’s Claude Good receives Distinguished Service Award

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HARRISONBURG, Va. – The Alumni Association of Eastern Mennonite University honored two of its graduates Sunday, Oct. 15, for their work in reflecting the school’s vision, mission and values.

Claude Good of 275 Dock Drive, Lansdale, a member of the graduating class of 1954, received the “distinguished service award,” during the Sunday morning worship service of homecoming and family weekend.

The annual “distinguished service” award seeks to recognize graduates who have demonstrated in notable ways the Christian service and peacemaking emphases of the university.

Good and his wife, Alice Longenecker Good, also a member of the class of 1954, lived among the Triqui Indians in Mexico for 25 years while translating the New Testament into their language.

With intestinal worms a major medical problem among the children they served, Good looked for ways to treat malnutrition caused by roundworms that can devour 25-30 percent of the food eaten by a child each day.

His investigations resulted in the “Worm Project”, a medical treatment that, for about two cents a pill, can eradicate most parasitic worms in a child for up to six months.

“We hope to have at least 12 million pills distributed by the end of 2006 in about 70 countries,” Good noted, adding a wish that his receiving the “distinguished service award” will “help publicize something that the world truly needs.”

As part of his work with the Worm Project, Good frequently addresses groups who might contribute financially; these audiences sometimes include school-age groups. His soft and easy manner, as well as his general appearances, has resulted in his being dubbed “Mr. Rodgers.”

Good continues to work with international students from the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, connecting them with families and churches in the Philadelphia area. He also has an international scripture ministry in the Souderton (PA) Mennonite Church where he and his wife are members.

Catherine R. Mumaw, also a 1954 EMU graduate and veteran educator from Corvallis, Ore. received EMU’s 2006 “alumna of the year” award during homecoming weekend.

Dr. Mumaw, a home economics graduate of EMU, returned to teach courses in that discipline at her alma mater, 1957-74. She earned a master’s degree in 1958 and a PhD in 1967 from Penn State University.

She was professor and chair of the home economics department at Goshen (IN) College, 1974-86, and served as associate professor in the Human Development and Family Studies department at Oregon State University, 1987-95.

Through OSU, she helped Bunda College of Agriculture in Malawi update their home economics and human nutrition programs and took part in a faculty exchange program with Avinashilingam Deemed University in India.

The award is presented annually to a graduate who has been recognized for significant achievements in their profession, community or church.

You can read more about Claude in EMU’s Crossroads article, available here.

Esh participates in Goshen College Gospel choir

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GOSHEN, Ind. — A Franconia Conference native is participating in Voices-n-Harmony, Goshen College‘s Gospel choir, during the fall semester.

Amanda Esh, daughter of Melvin and Linda Esh of Philadelphia, is a senior elementary education major. She is a 2003 graduate of Central High School and attends West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship.

Under the direction of Patrice Penny-Henderson of Elkhart, Ind., the choir includes Goshen College students, faculty, staff and community members of diverse ages and cultural backgrounds who sing to proclaim the power of God’s love.

Voices-n-Harmony is an associate choir of the Goshen College Music Department, Community School of the Arts and Multicultural Affairs Office.

Histand participates in Goshen College Orchestra

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GOSHEN, Ind. — A Franconia Conference native is participating in the Goshen College Orchestra during the fall semester, under the direction of Associate Professor of Music John Graulty.

Elena Histand, daughter of Steven and Bronwyn Histand of Telford, plays bass. The freshman collegiate studies major is a 2006 graduate of Christopher Dock Mennonite High School and attends Blooming Glen Mennonite Church.

The Goshen College Orchestra is a group that varies in size and repertoire, from chamber orchestra to full philharmonic dimensions. Formed in the 1950s, it has actively performed standard symphonic repertoire ever since. The group presents concerts of major orchestral works each semester. In addition, it accompanies the choirs, operas and student winners of the Concerto-Aria Competition.

More than 100 attend symposium resulting in new vision boldly opening doors to Christ-centered Mennonite education

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Over 100 people joined together to consider the future possibilities for Quakertown and Penn View Christian schools and Christopher Dock Mennonite High School on September 16 at Penn View’s Godshall Road campus in Souderton, PA. Out of this day of listening and hearing the steering team for the school’s GPS 2012 strategic plan initiative has adopted a vision statement, “Boldly opening doors to Christ-centered Mennonite education.” The vision emerges from the conversations and input of the symposium participants.

According to Sarah Bergin of Perkasie Mennonite Church, “It’s so great to be a part of a community that cares about our students, not just academically but spiritually. It was wonderful to be together as a group.” Parents, students, alumni, teachers, staff, pastors, conference leaders and community leaders were part of the day-long discernment that led up to the new collaborate vision for the schools. Noel Santiago, Franconia Conference Executive Minister, remarked “There was a lot of energy here with good focus and clarity. We still have the tough part of making it a reality.”

The ongoing work of GPS (Globally Positioned Students) 2012 will focus around four goals derived from the September 15 meeting. These goals include:
• Mission driven, action-oriented collaboration among schools, families, congregations and conferences
• Accessibility to Christ-centered Mennonite education in the tri-school area
• Exemplary Christ-centered teaching and learning within an Anabaptist/Mennonite worldview
• Cultivating a community recognizable by their impact as Christ-centered pilgrim servants building God’s kingdom locally and globally

Indonesian Mennonites and Muslims work together after earthquake

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By Jeanne Jantzi and Tim Shenk

Four months after an earthquake hit the Indonesian island of Java, Indonesian Mennonites and Muslims are rebuilding homes and forging new relationships across religious lines.

The May 27 earthquake claimed more than 6,200 lives and destroyed tens of thousands of homes in Java, Indonesia’s most populous island. Starting in October, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is sponsoring a project to build 100 earthquake-resistant houses in Java’s Pundong district. The project will involve and benefit both Muslims and Mennonites, and it follows a successful interfaith relief effort.

In the aftermath of the earthquake, Indonesian Mennonites organized Mennonite and Muslim volunteers to distribute aid, clean up rubble and construct temporary shelters in Pundong.

Sixty-two volunteers from an Islamic group joined more than 200 volunteers from Muria Christian Church in Indonesia and 32 volunteers from Evangelical Church of Java, which are Mennonite World Conference denominations. Eight MCC workers joined the effort as well. Together, the group assisted thousands of people and prepared sites to rebuild 100 homes.

The participation of the Islamic group was remarkable because it is a militia that fought in an armed conflict between Muslims and Christians on Indonesia’s Maluku Islands in 2000.

Pak Payilan Martowiyardjo, a Mennonite whose home was destroyed in the earthquake, said that the Islamic group “made peace by coming to help.”

“They cleaned our well,” Pak Payilan said. “They are people just as we are people. We weren’t afraid of them.”

The volunteers worked together, ate together and slept together in tents and in a Mennonite church sanctuary. They were organized by Mennonite Diaconial Services, an agency of Muria Christian Church in Indonesia.

Paulus Hartono, the agency’s director, said that community members marveled at the cooperation between Mennonites and an Islamic militia. Some asked, “How can this happen?”

The partnership began several years ago when Hartono befriended the militia’s commander by helping to mediate a conflict involving the militia’s radio station. Hartono is a member of Forum for Peace Across Religions and Groups, an MCC partner organization in the Indonesian city of Solo.

The commander then asked Forum for Peace Across Religions and Groups to organize conflict transformation workshops for militia members. The forum worked with Muslim and Christian facilitators from Duta Wacana Christian University’s Peace Center to plan the workshops, which more than 75 militia members have attended.

The objective of the workshops was to enable participants to become agents of peace in their communities and purveyors of wisdom in addressing community problems. When the earthquake happened, trust had built to the point where collaborative peace work in the form of helping others was possible.

Hartono overheard one Muslim volunteer explain to a community member, “This works because we want to have good communication. … We want to do something we can be proud of. Now we can give something to the community.”

Another Muslim volunteer told Hartono, “Thank you for this disaster response program. We know now that the Church and Christian people are not like we thought before.”

Mennonite Diaconial Services is organizing the MCC-supported project to build 100 houses in Pundong district. Builders will be hired from local communities and Indonesian Mennonite churches. The recipients will be 45 Mennonite families and 55 non-Mennonite families, most of whom are Muslims.

Priority was given to families whose homes were irreparable, people who lost family members in the earthquake, widows, orphans and households with small children. Many of the families contributed to the project by salvaging building materials from their ruined houses, such as bricks, tiles and timber.

Jeanne Jantzi is an MCC country representative for Indonesia. Tim Shenk is a writer for MCC communications.

Freed serves in Youth Venture

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ELKHART, Ind. (Mennonite Mission Network) ¾ Janelle Freed, of Collegeville, Pa., served in Youth Venture June 27-July 17 in Colombia. She is the daughter of Debbie and Ron Freed and attends Salford Mennonite Church.

Youth Venture offers youth between the ages of 14 and 20 the opportunity to serve for one to four weeks in July or August. While serving in the United States or internationally, assumptions about the way the world functions are challenged as participants discover and exercise their gifts. Participants see in a real way, that God’s love and concern for the world extends far beyond anything they’ve imagined and begin to explore missions as a possible lifelong commitment. Youth Venture seeks to capture the imagination and passion of youth and young adults to invest their lives in bring healing and hope to the world.

Mennonite Mission Network is the mission agency of Mennonite Church USA and envisions every congregation and all parts of the church will, together, be fully engaged in God’s mission sharing all of Christ with all creation.

More information about Youth Venture is available online at service.mennonitemission.net

Provident Bookstores including Souderton Center location sold to Ohio-based chain

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On Monday, September 25, the Joint Executive Committee of Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada ratified the decision of the Mennonite Publishing Network (MPN) Board to sell the Provident Bookstore chain to Berean Christian Stores. The sale will be effective at the end of October 2006.

Berean, a Christian bookstore chain based in Cincinnati, Ohio, has 17 stores located in the mid-west and western United States (Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Arizona, California). The chain has been in business for more than 70 years. The addition of the four remaining Provident stores (three in Pennsylvania—Lancaster, New Holland, Souderton—and one in Wooster, Ohio) establishes a growth platform for Berean Christian Stores to expand into the eastern United States.

The four stores will continue to serve their customers with a wide selection of Christian books, music, and other resources. Berean has expressed their desire that Provident staff continue to provide leadership and service in the stores.

Ron Rempel, Executive Director of MPN, indicated that “We have been favorably impressed with the vision and leadership of Les Dietzman, CEO of Berean Christian Stores. The resources and expertise of the Berean organization will enhance the historic strengths of the Provident Bookstores.”

The Provident Bookstore chain has been an important part of Mennonite Publishing Network. However, in today’s challenging retail environment, the Board and executive staff of MPN judged that continued success of the stores would be enhanced by Provident becoming part of an organization that shared a compatible vision and had the retailing and financial resources to invest in the bookstores.

This sale enables MPN to focus on its core mission of publishing books and resources that witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ from an Anabaptist perspective. Most MPN material will continue to be available through the former Provident stores and through other bookstores across the country.

The proceeds from the sale enable MPN to eliminate the more than $3 million in debt remaining from the financial crisis approximately five years ago.

“We are grateful to the many individuals that have contributed and continue to contribute to the ministry of Provident Bookstores,” said Phil Bontrager, MPN Board Chair. “May God continue to bless them during this transition and as they continue to serve in this ministry.”