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New Mileage Rates Announced
As of July 1, the Internal Revenue Service increased the business mileage rate by
8 cents. The new rate for mileage reimbursement is 58.5¢ per mile and is effective
July 1 through December 31, 2008. You can view the IRS notice at http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=184163,00.html.

Upcoming Retreats at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center
Laurelville Mennonite Church Center in Mt. Pleasant, PA is pleased to offer the first annual Music and Worship Leader’s Training Workshop, September 12-14, 2008. The weekend will include corporate worship as well as in-depth training for music leaders, worship leaders, dramatists, scripture readers and visual display artists. Emerging and experienced leaders are encouraged to come together.

Laurelville is also featuring its first-ever retreat on spirituality and the visual arts October 24-26, entitled Beyond Words: Imagining a Visual Spirituality. Designed for artists, pastors, and lay-people, this retreat will include visually-focused worship, workshops, open studio space, and conversation. Come to participate and to receive. More information and brochures are available at http://www.laurelville.org/program or call 800-839-1021.

Zimbabwe call for intercession
Mennonite World Conference (MWC) is asking congregations to be in prayer for the country of Zimbabwe. MWC is sending a deacon couple and calling for two days of prayer and fasting, June 26 and 27, as Zimbabweans face a tense run-off election on June 27. For more information and to view specific ways to be in prayer, visit www.mwc-cmm.org and look under the Resources tab for the news release.

Dear Friends:

We received word this past Saturday that Kenneth Seitz, Sr., age 91, passed away in Harrisonburg, VA. Kenneth served for many years as a missionary to Mexico for the Franconia Mission Board, 1958 – 1978. He was among the first of Franconia’s missionaries to Mexico and is highly regarded among the Mexico churches as a founding and “father” leader. Kenneth pastored in Virginia prior to going to Mexico and after his return he pastored at Line Lexington Mennonite in Franconia Conference. In his later years he retired to Harrisonburg, Va. where he also served as a chaplain for a few years. Kenneth died on Friday, June 6, 2008. His funeral was held Tuesday, June 10 at Mount Clinton Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, Va.

In 1937 Kenneth married Grace Hebner from the Plains congregation, who died this past December. Kenneth & Grace farmed and raised their family in the Lansdale area until Kenneth went to college at Eastern Mennonite University in the early 1950’s. Kenneth was a rather stern disciplinarian in his early years. He was also a learner and in his later years he grew to become a gracious, kind, and non-judgment person. We extend our love and thanks to the three sons and three daughters and their off-spring who follow after.

Noah Kolb
Pastor of Ministerial Leadership
Franconia Mennonite Conference

June Prayer Gathering
You are invited to the June prayer gathering on Saturday, June 14, at the Mennonite Conference Center, 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. This will be a unique opportunity to hear from Amish brothers from Montana and Idaho who will be visiting this area. Brother Ben Girod is a bishop in the Amish community there and has been a leader in the Anabaptist Swiss-reformed reconciliation process. Ben carries a burden for spiritual renewal and unity in the Anabaptist community.

Thursday Pastors’ Breakfast
The next Thursday Pastors’ Breakfast will be held at the Mennonite Conference Center on Thursday, June 19 from 8 – 10 a.m. Christina Alderfer, Administrator of the Agape Prayer Ministry School, will be speaking. The Agape Prayer Ministry provides an organized, thorough approach to healing based upon forgiveness. Come to learn more about this ministry resource for your congregation. This will be the last Pastors’ Breakfast until September. A continental breakfast will be served. Please register for this event by June 16 by contacting Melissa Landis.

Learning Community Forming
A Learning Community called “Deepening the Spiritual Lives of Congregations and Leaders” is being formed and hopes to begin meeting in the fall of 2008. Some of the goals of this group would be: learning to “be” instead of just “do”; nourishing intimacy with God as part of discipleship; not just finding God for others but for ourselves as leaders, too; dreaming with other leaders in our congregations how deepening spiritual growth might happen in each of our settings; letting our missional journey lead to a deeper spiritual journey. Both pastors and lay leaders are invited to be a part of this group. If you would be interested or would like more information about this learning opportunity, call Dawn Ruth Nelson. For general questions regarding Learning Communities, contact Walter Sawatzky.

Notice of Closing
The Mennonite Conference Center will be closed on Monday, June 23. Staff will be attending a Conference Board meeting held during the day at Lakeview Mennonite Church in Susquehanna.