MENNONITE BIBLICAL SEMINARY M Historical Library VIuhh No. Date Received Book No. M^2 Donor Fond Accession No 3.?^ 3. This book should be returned at the end of 2 weeks; otherwise a rent of 2 cents a day is asked for each additional day. TheMennonfte 3145 Benham Avenue Suite 4 Elkhart, IN 465 1 7 Phone: 800-790-2498 AnnaGfeTheMennonite.org www .ThcMennonitc.org Nov. 12, 2014 Colleen McFarland, Director of Archives and Records Management Mennonite Church USA 1700 S Main St Goshen, IN 46526 Dear Colleen, We are pleased to know that Mennonite Church USA has received a grant to digitize the print files of Gospel Herald and The Mennonite. You have our full permission to digitize all issues of The Mennonite and make them available for free, with full-text access. Best wishes in this important endeavor. Sincerely, Anna Groff Interim Editor The Mennonite This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. The Anabaptist Mennonite Digital Collaborative, coordinated by staff at Mennonite Church USA, Goshen College, and Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, is working with Internet Archive to provide digital copies of this title. Please seek permission from the copyright owner if your use of this item is not permitted under the license. D igitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/details/mennonite197792wieb The Bible comes out of the life of people who knew themselves to be children of God. It describes their experience with the promises and fulfillments, the burdens and upholdings, the sinfulness and forgiveness that constituted life in God's presence. It points to the way of life, the ethos, that emerged in response to this experience. To the degree that we know ourselves to be children of God, heirs of these people who preceded us, we listen to the stories of the Bible, in spite of their distance and strangeness, as part of our story. Abraham and Sarah (or, as they were known at first, Abram and Sarai) were people who changed their story. More precisely, they were people who cut themselves off from the story that was given them so they could live out a new one. The Bible tells only a bit of their beginning story, so if we are to sense something of how they began and what they left behind, we must piece it together from little clues still remaining in Scripture or derived from other sources. The story of Abraham and Sarah began, as all our stories do, with a family and a tradition. Sarah shared t: same lineage as Abraham, for she wi his half-sister as well as his wid Scripture traces their ancestry throuji, nine generations — from Shem, son : Noah, to Terah, father of Abraham a I Sarah, Nahor, and Haran. This wa£i solid beginning that provided a stroij basis for their knowing who they wci and what their lives should be. Their early story also points toji religious connection. Scripture asal ciates them with two cities which wJ cultic centers for the moon god Sin. 0/ is Ur in the southern valley of n a Living newst5ry Ralph R. Sundquist, Jr Leave what you know and go to what you do not know. I uphrates River system, where Abra- j am and Sarah were born, and the other ;i Haran in the northern part, to which iiey moved. At Ur a seventy-foot tower ad been erected to honor Sin, and in [aran a temple was dedicated to his Worship. i Further, both Abraham's niece Mil- !ah (later his sister-in-law) and Sarah erself bear names associated with this alt— Sarah with Sarratu, the moon Goddess who was the consort of Sin, and Hilkah with Malkatu, the regional jianifestation of the goddess Ishtar. 1 In the early story of Abraham and arah, then, there must have been an :quaintanceship with this lunar cult nd possibly an allegiance that included he worship of Sin and Sarratu and 'lalkatu. This possibility is supported by a |!;miniscence that appears later in the fible. Joshua, as he recognized the jpproaching end of his life, called the pople together to remind them of the ! pginning and course of their story. Long ago," he said, "your forefathers lerah and his sons Abraham and Nahor, Ived beside the Euphrates, and they prshiped other gods" (Josh. 24:2, |eb). I But this is only the beginning of the ory of Abraham and Sarah, the part Iiat was destined to become no part. Ipmehow, in ways that are not ex- |ained, the familiar gods with their miliar promises and demands gave ay to a God who promised them eater than they had dreamed and :manded from them more than they id ever been called to give. [Bit by bit this God, the Lord Yahweh, ired away from Abraham and Sarah a identities that were setting the tline of their story. Closer and closer the center of their lives he cut until ne of their assurances remained. Leave your country, he said, the lleys and streets you have walked, the iple among whom you have lived, the 's you have worshiped. Leave your , Ired, the persons with whom you e your long ancestry and the daily ersation of your lives. Leave your I ,t's house, the family in which you ve grown up, the people who nourish d comfort you, who depend upon you ■ their own sustenance and satisfac- ns. Leave all these people and places d things that are dear to you and go to and I will show you. Leave what you ow and go to what you do not know. \nd, said theLord, "I will make of you ;reat nation, and I will bless you and ike your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and by you all the families of the earth will bless themselves." This promise is so glorious as to seem irresistible. For Abraham and Sarah, however, it was assurance unfulfilled, the speaking of an alien God about a distant future in a far-off land. The demands, in contrast, called for imme- diate risk, for irreversible actions and tangible losses. But the decision was made, and a brief sentence ends one story and starts another: "So Abram went, as the Lord The Lord who had first revealed himself to Abraham and Sarah in Haran was a Lord who kept on revealing himself — whose ways were not clear and easy, but filled with uncertainty. The road to be taken was not known, and the resting places brought not confirmation of old securities, but revelation of new possibilities and change. At Shechem, Bethel, Hebron, Beersheba, and elsewhere — shrines of the gods of the land — Abraham stopped to worship. In each case he neither destroyed the shrine nor entered into its cult. Instead he accepted it as a place The life of faith was a life of being open to new possibilities and of making decisions and taking actions while still encumbered with human weak- ness and sinfulness. had told him." This is the new beginning that meant a new way of life for Abraham and Sarah. The Bible tells us nothing of Abraham and Sarah as they struggled to decide what story they would live. We can only assume that for them even more than for us the cutting of roots and ties was painful and anxious. Nor does the Bible tell us what event or power persuaded Abraham and Sarah to give up their accustomed religion in order to entrust themselves to a God they hadn't known. Yet they put their old story behind them and set out to live a new one. We must be careful not to think of this outcome as the happy ending of the story and to look upon Abraham and Sarah as hero and heroine who had completed what needed to be done. The author of the New Testament Letter to the Hebrews provides perspective by reminding us that "by faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place which he was to receive as an inheritance; and he went out not know- ing where he was to go" (Heb. 11:8). The new story of Abraham and Sarah is a story of faith in the Lord Yahweh. It describes the way of life of people who lived by faith, and it shows the riskiness of this way of life. To live by faith is to live with less than full knowledge and with only the beginnings of transforma- tion in one's life. Abraham and Sarah were given neither the full understand- ing of their God and his will nor the strength and courage for living always at their best. What they were given was faith. holy to the Lord, not driving out the other gods but absorbing something of them into the understanding of his God. All along the way the Lord revealed something new of himself, some new risk for the faith of Abraham and Sarah. This risk extended to the decisions to be made, the actions to be taken. The story shows that Abraham and Sarah, far from being consistently courageous and upright, were often weak and wayward. A fearful Abraham, for example, was capable of turning aside an imagined threat to his life by denying his marriage to Sarah and permitting her induction into the pharaoh's harem. Again, Abraham and Sarah, doubting the promise of a son of their own, could seek one through Sarah's servant Hagar, then, when Ishmael was born, turn against the mother and the child and drive them away in an act that was not only unfeeling, but also contrary to the laws of the people of the time (as shown by documents from Nuzi in upper Mesopotamia). Still later, both Abra- ham and Sarah could laugh in disbelief when a son again was promised to them in their old age. So the life of faith was a life of being open to new possibilities and of making decisions and taking actions while still encumbered with human weakness and sinfulness. There were other testings, of course, other failures and actions of faithfulness, too. The son Isaac was born as had been promised, and Sarah and Abraham died in the land to which they had been led. The story, however, has not ended; it goes on still with its rp E MENNONITE risk and fulfillment, its instances of weakness and faithfulness, its blessings still to come. What is the way of life of people who live by faith? How is the ethos of Abraham and Sarah transformed into ethics for our lives? Surely Abraham and Sarah cannot serve as models for us. We cannot look upon their behavior as our example. Our cultures are so separated by time and space, by custom and possibility, that we cannot possibly imitate their lives. In addition, their moral behavior itself, even by their own standards, is so deficient as to provide no reliable guide. What is important, then, is not how Sarah and Abraham are good examples, but how their story touches upon our story. This touching occurs in two ways. First, our stories as individual Maynard Shelly They came from Asia. We don't know their names or the name of the country from which they came. Just 300 words in the second chapter of Matthew's Gospel cover their brief appearance on history's stage. They did their thing and went away. We call them wise. How good to be wise! How good to be wise and to be able to bear rich gifts! And they came from Asia! Does that make sense? Is this the Asia of our missionary letters? Is this the Asia of the Vietnam War and the Bangladesh famines? Asia has come to mean backwardness, poverty, and primitiveness. But wisdom? Does Asia really have anything that good? Does it have anything good enough to honor our Jesus? Asia doesn't ring the bell these days. But it wasn't always so. Matthew could people bear similarities to their story and distinctions from it, so the stories touch at different places and in different ways for each of us. Our very individu- ality is affected. Second, our story as a people of faith is simply the most recent part of their story, for we live in continuation of their faith, still con- fronted by ancient demands, still hoping for blessings yet to be granted. Our life together is at stake. What we do, then, is to look at our own story — our story as a people and our stories as individual people — and ask: What is new about our story? (What is new about my story?) What of our old story must we set aside for the sake of our new one? (What of my old story must I set aside for the sake of my new one?) And we look at our lives with the write about the wise men from the East. He didn't need to qualify or apologize. He knew everyone would understand. For everyone knew that when people came from Asia they would be wise, people who knew a good thing when they saw it. Even 500 years ago, Asia came on strong. That was the time Europe was all agog about the great things coming out of Asia, those lands around behind the Cape of Good Hope in places called India and China. People stood in line to buy even at a high price the muslin cloth, silks, and spices of India. Asia, so far ahead of Europe in its technology, made the rough goods of Europe seem crude by comparison. Books and lectures by travelers from Asia sold out fast. China, a nation far larger than all the little states of Europe put together, administered its empire same double focus: What is the Abr! ham or the Sarah who inhabits us? Ji what points do we discover our trust, what points our doubt, where oil strength, where our weakness? Wh are our risks, and what are our assu ances? Finally, we look at our situation, or world, and the people around us: Wh is called for in this time and place? Wh' do we do to respond to God's call in tl present moment? No doubt we find the answerii difficult and the answers unsettling, i we may experience the immediai touching of Abraham and Sarah's stoi upon our own. We bear responsibili for our story, perhaps for going o where we have not gone before. We lb a new story in response to the God wl calls us to faith. with an expertise that dazzled the Wef So wonderful and desirable were I achievements of Asia that Euro] strained for more and more contact. It was while Europeans were oj trying to find a shorter route to Asia th; they stumbled across a plot of re' estate they called America where thi called the people they met Indian; America disappointed them becau! they really wanted Asia. So, for centuries, Europeans lived the shadow of Asia's greater glorifl They could claim superiority only in o| field. Europeans were Christians, an Asians were only pagans or infide: Only in the field of religion daw Europe's people boast. Asia ran off wi all the blue ribbons in technologf wisdom, politics, and science. How times have changed! The who scene has flip-flopped. Space travij ) Once they were wis THE MENNONITE seeks io witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian tellowship within the context ol Christian love and freedom under the guidance ol 'he Scriptures and the Holy Spirit, ll published weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton, Kans 671 14, by the General Board ot the General Conference Mennonite Church Secojj class postage paid at Newton, Kans 671 1 4, and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions: In U S. and Canada, $6 00. one year, $1 5 60, two years, $23 00, three years; foreign. 58 50 per yl Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg. Canada R3P OM4 Business office: 722 Main St . Box 34 7, Newton, Kans. 671 14 Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Box 34 7, Newton, Kans 671 4 JANUARY 4, 191 imputers, airplanes, and automobiles e all products of western genius. emocracy, perfected in European and Hmerican institutions, is the form of livernment to which all nations aspire lid claim to practice whether they do or |)t. Without aid and inspiration from le West, everyone in Asia would still : riding oxcarts. ,But who is winning the religion 1 veepstakes? Christians are sure their jfith is still the purest. But if we'd count le votes of the less committed people in He West, we'd see the once-despised eastern religions coming up fast in their claims for attention. The final verdict isn't in, but it is clear: the supremacy of Christianity is now under fire. So, things do change — especially after 500 years and after 2,000 years. But when those wise men from Asia came to worship Jesus, their tribute set the pace. Ring the bells! Sound the trumpets! Listen to what the leading intellectuals, scientists, and statesmen have to say. It is Jesus, God's Son, by the vote of this board of experts, three to none. Jesus belongs to Asia. This does not mean absolutely. Asian ways differ from ours. A new religion does not always take the place of the old — it just moves in and takes what it can. So, Hinduism, for example, has become a museum of almost all the world's religious moods and modes from nature worship and idolatry to mysticism and spiritualism. Ramkrishna, one Hindu sect (or denomination), has enshrined Jesus as one of its deities and sincerely worships him. At Christmas, Ramkrish- na celebrated Christ's birth with festivi- ties common to Christian communities everywhere. From this we learn that the worship of Christ in the East can sometimes be a worship given by people on their own terms and in their own ways. Even here the people of the East teach us. What is done openly by Ramkrishna in Asia happens undercover in other places. The Christian church has been at times a gallery of superstition, spiritism, na- tionalism, materialism, and other cults. Only when this is not so, can we say that the Christian way is a better faith. Those wise men from Asia showed us the uniqueness of the salvation with which God saves us. When God acts, he acts through people. God presents himself in the stream of human history. This is incarnation, the Christian under- standing of the way God acts and reveals himself. Other religions reveal themselves through dreams, mysteries, visions, and human moods that rise and fall with the level of our blood sugar. Those wise men were really astrolo- gers up to their armpis in mystery. They examined the stars to find God, and though they found him, we do-n't follow their example any longer. They saw God working from a control panel that operated the stars. Is God really tied down with mechanics and more inter- ested in confounding us with signs and puzzles than in meeting us? Let's affirm that God acted supremely in Jesus Christ. John and Paul, some other really wise men, give us the explicit word. "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father" (Jn. 1:14). "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself" (2 Cor. 5: 19). God still acts to redeem people. He works in our world. Here where we live, where we wash the dishes and go to market, he draws us toward himself. Those with faith in their eyes see the things that he is doing. jHE MENNONITE 5 News Paul's Porch provides a roof for young men Temporary housing for young men is the purpose of Paul's Porch in Columbus, Ohio. Named after the Apostle Paul, who did a lot of traveling himself, Paul's Porch is sponsored by the Neil Ave. Mennonite Church in Columbus and staffed with volunteers from the congre- gation and three full-time volunteers supplied by Mennonite Board of Mis- sions, Elkhart, Indiana. "The reasons guests are in need of a place like Paul's Porch are varied," said voluntary service worker Dennis Book. "Some are simply traveling and have been for some time. Others have been evicted from their apartments. Some are suffering from acute emotional or fami- ly problems. Most are unemployed." Occasionally guests attend church, and a number of guests have returned on a regular basis in the evening to talk over a cup of coffee, Mr. Book said. "We feel good about establishing ongoing relationships with people who seem to have no one else." Paul's Porch reopened last June 21, located in a house next door to the Neil Ave. church building. For a number of years, the second floor of the house, owned by the church, had been used for emergency housing by a group based at nearby Ohio State University. Then it was closed and the program reassessed. "Some church members thought the building should be used for Sunday school classrooms," said Mr. Book. "Others felt that, due to the previous heavy usage of the facility by persons with lodging needs, it was important to continue reaching those people in a creative way." The latter opinion prevailed, and the church "began a two-months renovation project that resulted in a nine-months effort." Now twenty-two volunteers from the Neil Ave. congregation work two 4-hour shifts a week at Paul's Porch together with the three VS workers: Dennis Book, Kaye Hostetter Book, and Ivan Emke. "This kind of direct involvement, coupled with the initial support of extensive renovation of the facility, has established a deep sense of congrega- tional ownership and commitment to the growth of the project," said Mr. Book. Paul's Porch is open to men ages eighteen to thirty, seven nights a week from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. Referrals come from other social service agencies in town between 5:00 p.m. and midnight. Guests may stay up to three nights. Staff members assess the immedia needs of guests, suggest temporal labor locations or where to find free < inexpensive meals, sometimes provit transportation, counsel, help people g on welfare, or just listen. "We don't initiate Bible study i prayer, but often in an informal w; have a chance to express what Chri and the church mean to us," said M Book. The house has seven beds in tW|, bedrooms plus a bed in the staff room, lounge, and a bathroom. Linens art beds were donated by Ohio Mennonii congregations. Bread, peanut butte coffee, tea, and soups are provided 1 the local congregation. Since opening last June, Paul's Porq has housed about twenty differel guests per month. "Community reaction and support fl the project have been good, and we fe that the project is meeting a pressiri need in a time of high unemploymeij and broken relationships," conclude Mr. Book. The Neil Ave. Mennonite Church is member of both the General Conferencj Mennonite Church and the Mennonit Church. Involve congregations, says MMA More congregational involvement was strongly supported when Mennonite Mutual Aid's mandate was reviewed in a retreat November 19-20 in Chicago. Fifty-seven people, representing Mennonite conferences and agencies and MMA, joined in the study of MMA's thirty-year history and its future. Major input for the study came from C. J. Dyck, professor at the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana, who spoke on "The theological basis lor mutual aid"; Howard Raid, professor at Bluffton (Ohio) College, on "The philosophical basis anil concept lor mutual aid"; Harold L. Swart/.en- druber, MMA president, on "MMA: The first thirty years"; and Dwight Stoltz- fus, MMA field services director, on "MMA serving the whole congregation." The major ideas to which the group said MMA should give more attention included: — more congregational involvement, including more active and qualified mutual concerns representatives. — financial counseling and assistance programs. — retirement. — expansion of mutual aid into a global dialog. — development of a loss-ol-income program. — mutual aid services to the twenty- five to forty-five age group. — simplifying of present health pro- grams. — informing the conferences better about MMA's services. — development of programs to en- courage improved life-styles. — strengthening support for MMA congregational health improveme program (for lower-income congreg tions). Among the General Conference repr sentatives at the retreat were Elbe Koontz, Newton, Kansas, Western Di trict conference minister, and Te Stuckey of Newton, General Conferenc business manager and treasurer. General Conference representative on the MMA board of directors ai William Dunn, Normal, Illinois, chaii man of the board; George Dyck, Newto Kansas; Fred Lehman, Berne, Indian Howard Raid, Bluffton, Ohio; a Arden Ramseyer, Smithville, Ohio Gordon Funk from Newton, Kansa helped with group process. i: JANUARY 4, 1 1 Nennonite school helps family of slain teacher j ope Secondary School, formerly the Mennonite Secondary School, in the occupied rest Bonk town of Beit Jala held a benefit basketball game in November to raise Joney for the family of Khader Issa Nimmer. Mr. Nimmer, a civics'teacher at the ' :hool in Beit Jala, was killed in July 1976 in prison by a fellow inmate while serving ■four-year sentence for alleged security crimes against the State of Israel. The lme with Sir Zeit University raised more than $1,000 for the Nimmer family '■rough small private donations. Mr. Nimmer's arrest and death left his widowed ' other and his brothers and sisters without support. "Concern for Khader and his Amily was extremely widespread," commented Paul Quiring, MCC director in I rusalem. "The ideas and hopes which Khader stood for clearly live on in his iudents, friends, and others who knew him. The response to the benefit game is a inflection of their continuing concern." etter to president asks pr amnesty, no B-1 bomber letter asking for unconditional am- asty for all Vietnam War-related fenders and for stopping production the B-1 bomber has been sent to nited States President-elect Jimmy arter by Harold Regier, secretary for jace and social concerns for the eneral Conference Mennonite Church. The letter urges Mr. Carter "to broad- i your promise of pardon for [draft] sisters to an unconditional amnesty r all persons who for various reasons 'e being penalized for their actions iming directly out of the Vietnam-era 'aft, military service, and antiwar itivities. . . . These include not only •aft resisters, but also military desert- s, civilian protesters, former Ameri- ins now citizens of other countries, and the more than 500,000 men given less than honorable discharges." Mr. Regier continued, "for the sake of healing these war wounds and provid- ing compassion for the great many living American victims of this unfortu- nate war, we ask that you declare an unconditional anmesty." The letter also "affirmed your reti- cence to endorse the B-1 bomber." It mentions the buildup of military hard- ware and nuclear weapons as a threat to human survival. "We ask that you scrap the life-threatening B-1 program and that these resources be used for life- enriching people programs. "This is an opportune time to set a new direction, to determine new priori- ties and policies that are more in harmony with the commitment both you and we have to the Christian faith and its teachings of love and justice and peace," Mr. Regier wrote to Mr. Carter. Baptist, Jew warn against religion in politics In a postmortem on the 1976 elections in the United States, a Baptist religious leader and a Jewish rabbi have warned that drives to establish a "religious test" as a qualification for public office violate the U.S. Constitution and are contrary to the American tradition of religious liberty. James M. Dunn, Baptist General Convention of Texas, and Marc H. Tanenbaum, American Jewish Commit- tee, cited especially those right-wing evangelical groups who had cam- paigned to elect "Christ-centered" can- didates on national and state levels. The "vote-Christian" movement, they pointed out, had been organized by "a loose coalition of organizations with common goals and interlocking directo- rates." Among these, they listed the Christian Freedom Foundation of Wash- ington, D.C.; Third Century Publishers of Arlington, Virginia; the Christian Embassy of Washington, D.C.; Campus Crusade for Christ; and Intercessors for America. Mr. Tanenbaum said Third Century Publishers, in its latest news bulletin, had expressed satisfaction with the fact that twenty-one of fifty-four "Christ- centered" candidates had won. The rabbi denounced the concept that non-Christian believers, nonbelievers, or even Christians with a different religious commitment were less quali- fied, trustworthy, or patriotic. Mr. Dunn warned that "we must guard against those subtle political- religious movements that would make religion the handmaiden of a specific political ideology. "The insistence that candidates for public office seek the language of Zion, pass a 'born-again' test, or meet the demands of a right-wing questionnaire is not in the tradition of religious liberty as understood by Baptists or Jews," he declared. Mr. Dunn noted that the intrusion of religion into the political picture had been a subject of discussion in the 1976 report of the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission, which had stated, "Christianity is not limited by or tied to any one form of political party or even any one form of government." It had also called on Texas Baptists to reject attempt to "baptize" any particu- lar political philosophy. The two men spoke at the annual meeting of the American Jewish Com- mittee's national executive council. HE MENNONITE 7 Thirteen Latin Christians appeal to North Americans Thirteen Christian leaders in Latin America, five whose names are not identified because of the dangerous situation in which they live and work, have written an open letter to their sisters and brothers in North America. In a three-page communique, the signers urge solidarity in the struggle for basic human rights under repressive regimes, appealing to North American Christians to recognize the impact of United States policies beyond its own borders. The letter concludes with the follow- ing paragraphs: "Friends and fellow Christians, it is time that you realize that our continent is becoming one gigantic prison, and in some regions, one vast cemetery; that human rights, the grand guidelines of the gospel, are becoming a dead letter, without force — and all this in order to maintain a system, a structure of dependency that benefits the mighty privileged persons of always, of your land and of our land, at the expense of the poor millions who are increasing throughout the width and breadth of the continent. "For this reason this open letter seeks to be the lamentation or the outcry of those who now have no voice in our America, because they are buried in the volcanos, in the rivers, or in the cemeter- ies; because they are rotting in prisons or concentration camps; or because they languish in incredible conditions of malnutrition and misery. This letter seeks to be an anguished, fervent call to your conscience and to your responsi- bility as Christians. "If in the past you felt it to be your apostolic duty to send us missionaries and economic resources, today the frontier of your witness and Christian solidarity is within your own country. The conscious, intelligent, and respon- sible use of your vote, the appeal to your representatives in the Congress, the application of pressure by various means on your authorities can contrib- ute to changing the course of our governments toward paths of greater justice and brotherhood, or to accentu- ate a colonialist and oppressive policy over our peoples. In this sense you must ask yourselves if you will or will not be your brother's keeper in these lands of America, from which the blood of millions of Abels are clamoring to heaven. "We, between tears and groans, are interceding for you, in order that you may respond with faithfulness to the historic responsibility which as citizens of one of the great contemporary powers and as disciples of Jesus Christ it falls on you to assume." Signing the letter were Sergion Arce, moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Cuba and rector of Evangelical Theological Seminary, Matanzas, Cuba; Plutarco Bonilla, rector of Latin Ameri- can Biblical Seminary, Costa Rica; Augusto Cotto, rector of Baptist Semi- nary of Mexico; Secundino Morales, Methodist pastor in Panama; Tapani Ojasti, general coordinator of the Lu- theran Church in Costa Rica; Jacinto Ordonez, executive secretary of the Latin American Association of Theolog- ical Schools; Antonio Ramos, bishop of the Episcopal Church of Costa Rica; and Saul Trinidad, director of the extension program of the Costa Rican Methodist Church and pastor of the Peruvian Evangelical Church. Mennonite Health Assembly plans March convention C. Everett Koop, surgeon-in-chief at Children's Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will address the opening session of the Mennonite Health Assem- bly March 5-9 at the Ben Franklin Hotel in Philadelphia. Mr. Koop, also professor of pediatric surgery at the University of Pennsylva- nia, headed the medical team which in 1974 successfully separated Siamese twin baby girls. Mr. Koop's address, "The sanctity of life: Challenges and alternatives," will deal with his concern about the' directions in contemporary thought on human life, especially relat- ed to abortion and euthanasia. The Protestant Health and Welfare Assembly opening celebration and theme interpretation is at 8:30 p.m., Sunday. The theme is "Christ's love — Keystone of the caring community." Concurrent denominational and general PHWA sessions continue Monday to noon Wednesday. Mennonite Health Assembly mem- bership is made up of persons from all Mennonite groups involved in church- sponsored health and social welfare programs, including administrators, chaplains, nurses, and other interested persons. Persons not on the MHA mailing list may write for registration and program information to Luke Birky, Mennonite Health Assembly, Box 370, Elkhart, Indiana 46514. Brethren leader is part of WCC peace program Planning sessions January 18-22 i Geneva, Switzerland, to launch a ne1! World Council of Churches acticj program against militarism and th armaments race will be moderated b H. Lamar Gibble. Mr. Gibble, who is peace and intern; tional affairs consultant for the Churc of the Brethren, Elgin, Illinois, is one < three representatives from North Amei ica recently named to the WCC's Com [ mission of the Churches on Internatior al Affairs. The sessions, Mr. Gibble pointed oui i|t are to implement decisions made at th, L WCC's fifth assembly held in Nairob I Kenya, in 1975. On the agenda is a worl; t consultation on militarism to be held is Hi the fall of 1977. Dates and place have no. ti yet been determined. "The churches of the world need ti k come down hard against the armamenti Id race," insisted Mr. Gibble, "becausp years of negotiation between the Unite||« States and the Soviet Union, for exarajl pie, to get missile-for-missile reduction i of armaments, have not really given ifm world more security." New mission structure approved in Bolivia An executive committee which includei s nationals has been organized to diregjl the Mennonite mission program neafll Santa Cruz, Bolivia. In November leaders from each of thf'n local churches met at the Mennonitik Central Committee center in Santa Cruktt to elect two representatives on thfli newly formed executive committeil Elected were Hugo Ribera of Las Carnaii sa and Asterio Salazar of La Crucena^t They will work on the committee witll two MCC representatives, Gerald Mum|fc aw and Lois Amstutz, and two mission} aries, David and Sara Letkemann. The Bolivian mission program wa formerly directed by the missies workers and two or three MCC people Among those cooperating in thi Bolivian mission are theCommission oif Overseas Mission of the General Con) ference Mennonite Church, the Mennoi nite Board of Missions of the Mennonitf Church, and the Argentine Mennonit} Mission Committee. David and Sara Letkemann servtt under the Commission on Overseas Mission of the General Conference!! David was pastor of the Pleasant Hil Church in Saskatoon formerly. 8 JANUARY 4, 19711 }an conscientious objectors be citizens? ,7iUiam Janzen lany Mennonite Central Committee iorkers talk of the enriching experien- ! s that come to them as a by-product of j eir work. One such experience came to je recently in a conversation with ;iorbjorn Jensen, a Jehovah's Witness. I The occasion for the conversation was < three-hour trip to a law office. We 'anted to make arrangements to appeal 'ruling that the Citizenship Appeal inurt had made against Mr. and Mrs. Insen last April. They had applied for limadian citizenship. The judge had I scribed them as a good family, but he i d ruled that their stand as conscien- : pus objectors made them ineligible for i izenship. "The Jensens had planned to take this I ling to a higher court, but the costs of j ing so led them to decide against it. jpwever, since the ruling had serious i plications for Mennonites and lethren in Christ and other conscien- ces objectors, MCC (Canada) decided i the September meeting of the execu- te to assist the Jensens in making the ■peal. The 120-mile trip from the Jensens' ■m near Belleville, Ontario, to the vyer's office in Toronto, allowed for Is pe leisurely exploration of the way w understood nonresistance, how we tljd come to it, and why we held to it. jie said, "We believe that we belong to tabther kingdom and therefore we want II be as neutral as we can in the conflicts rl ween the kingdoms of this world. mese earthly kingdoms will soon pass I ay. They will be overcome by Christ i we want to work for him and not !h carnal weapons." ilDoes your desire to be neutral in the iljiflicts between the kingdoms of this J rid mean that you do not believe in dnocracy or value the freedoms that it divides? Do you not have some con- cerns about communism?" I asked, pi We do value the freedoms of democ- la y," he said. "We treasure them very nHich. Without them we could not do our )m aching. But we would not go to war M democracy. If we had to live under niMimunism, we would try to do as we mJhow. We would obey the government iiwhatever ways we could. But our pnljalty would always be limited. God sti priority. And if they put us in prison rii illed us, we would try to accept that, H t 1 What about other forms of political and social involvement? There are ways of supporting our society without going to war; indeed, sometimes I think that the best ways of working for the good of other people do not include going to war for them. What do you think about that?" I asked. "Oh," he said, "we do support our society. We pay our taxes. We try to do our jobs as well as we can. We try to help the communities in which we live, in various ways. And if there was a war here and some soldiers or other people were injured near our homes, we would do all we could to help them. But if you are thinking of politics we do not go for it. We do not vote, nor do we run for political office. That just takes up time and leads us away from the primary task of preaching the gospel." "Let me then ask you about our peace witness," I said. "Mennonites tend to believe that the position of not going to war leads to a general opposition to war. Therefore, when governments spend large amounts of money on the weapons of war, we believe that we should try to let them know that we are against it. We have not done much of this. But we try. What do you think about that?" "Things like that are good," he an- swered. "I have nothing against them. They should be done. But their value is limited. In the temptations of Jesus, Satan offers the kingdoms of the world to him. Satan could make that offer because in a sense they belonged to him. To think that the right kind of political involvement will take them out of Satan's grasp and transform them into God's kingdom is mistaken. Politics at best is a game that people play for their own pleasure. At worst it is Satanic. What the government people do with our tax money is really up to them. We want to preach the gospel. We believe that we are the ones who preach the true gospel and we feel that our energies should be given to this." As we neared our destination, he had some doubts about our endeavor. Earli- er, he had expressed gratitude for MCC's intention to help. Now he talked of "these strange lawyers." "For them it is probably just a job; and it will cost money. Is it right to spend the money of your honest and hard-working people in this way? I can live without being a citizen," he said. The two lawyers, one of Protestant background and the other of Jewish faith, had long been interested and sensitive to the persecution of religious minorities. They had also done their homework. They pointed out that it was not certain that an appeal could be made. The law did not provide a right of appeal. But they were willing to make an attempt if we wanted them to. After considerable discussion, we said yes. On the way home, Mr. Jensen talked more favorably. "Those lawyers were really good people," he said. "You could just feel their deep humanity. And I really want to thank you and your people for being so helpful in this matter." The questions about the legal status of conscientious objectors that this case raises have not been settled at the time of this writing. MVS restructures in Philadelphia The support group for the Mennonite Voluntary Service unit in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been expanded to include representatives of more Menno- nite agencies in the city. Charles Neufeld, associate director of MVS, said the unit had formerly served under the direction of the Crossroads Community Center board. Most volun- teers have been assigned to the center. The new structure, which took effect in September, brings together in the advisory committee for the unit repre- sentatives of the community center, the nearby Second Mennonite church, the Fairhill neighborhood, the MVS office, and possibly from the Germantown Mennonite Church and the Philadelphia Mennonite Council. Mr. Neufeld said the broader support committee would allow for more flexi- bility in service involvement for the volunteers. Philadelphia is one of more than twenty locations in the United States and Canada in which Mennonite Volun- tary Service has personnel. Mennonite Voluntary Service is an arm of the Commission on Home Ministries, an agency of the General Conference Men- nonite Church. Most volunteers serve a one- to two-year assignment in such areas as housing rehabilitation, day care, and community organization. f\\l MENNONITE Words ffl deeds Mennonite church leaders representing Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Somalia, Sudan, and the Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, Salun- ga, Pennsylvania, met in Nairobi, Ken- ya, recently to lay plans for coordinat- ing the efforts of Mennonite churches in eastern Africa. Until this year, the Eastern Board's office in Nairobi had served a coordinating role. Now the churches themselves have taken action to have their own regional office. Bishop Zedekia Kisare, chairman of the com- mittee, said the office, in addition to assisting the churches in working together, will serve as a liaison with other Mennonite agencies throughout the world. The committee plans to meet twice a year. Projects currently under discussion are leadership training, mission outreach to Mozambique and Djibouti, and ways to strengthen a witness to Muslims. The first humanitarian aid to Kampu- chea (Cambodia) by any U.S. private organization since the war ended in April 1975 has been sent by the Ameri- can Friends Service Committee. Over one ton of medicines, valued at $12,000, was sent to help alleviate a dangerous shortage of drugs to fight malaria. About 90 percent of the adult population is reported to be affected by the disease. The shipment was sent under a license issued by the U.S. Treasury Department last summer. The Bethesda Mennonite Church (GC) and the Mennonite Brethren Church of Henderson, Nebraska, recently cooper- ated in a meat-canning project forrelief. The total project amounted to 58,581 pounds of beef: 14,840 cans of beef chunks and 4,620 cans of broth. To encourage expression of public opinion on the peace issue, the National Council for a World Peace Tax Fund is launching a campaign to help taxpayers send messages to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service with their income tax returns and to elected officials. "We are urging people to express their individu- al views," said Delton Franz of Wash- ington, D.C., chairman of the council, "but we have also prepared cards addressed to IRS and elected officials for those who wish them." The cards are designed especially for conscientious objectors and carry the following mes- sage: "I oppose paying taxes for war. Give me a legal alternative. Support the World Peace Tax Fund bill. It would allow conscientious objectors to have that portion of their taxes which would normally go for military purposes used instead for peace projects." Packets containing five income tax cards can be obtained from the National Council for a World Peace Tax Fund, 2111 Florida Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008. Contributions may be sent to cover the cost of printing: 25 cents per set, ten sets for $1.00, $9.50 per hundred, $85 per thousand. A cooperative effort of the Canadian International Development Agency, the government of Saskatchewan, Menno- nite Central Committee, and the govern- ment of Swaziland is providing a grant of $40,650 to the Swaziland Ministry of Education's Schools Agriculture Panel. The money is being used to buy a truck to transport building and curriculum materials to primary and secondary schools, to prepare agriculture curricu- lum materials, and to support an MCC volunteer working on development of curriculum and audiovisual materials. An effort to help people on Haiti's central plateau develop their communi- ties has begun with cooperation from Mennonite Central Committee, the Mis- sionary Church, its associated national church, and the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee. The communi- ty development effort emphasizes an integrated program of agriculture, ap- propriate technology, preventive medi- cine, and nutrition. Haiti's central plateau was chosen because of its less mountainous, large fertile land area and the limited amount of community devel- opment already in progress there. It is near Grande Riviere du Nord, where MCC has operated a program since 1959. Recent visitors-in-residence at Asso- ciated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana, have included Esther Lloyd-Jones, educator and writer from Columbia University; Howard Hersh- berger, Hesston, Kansas, businessman; and Milo Shantz, St. Jacobs, Ontario, businessman. The 1977 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, to be observed January 18-25, will focus on the theme of hope in Romans 5:1-5. Sculpture for Advent The Rainbow Boulevard Mennoni Church in Kansas City, Kansas, one] three congregations comprising a Shaj ing Community in Rosedale, used metal sculpture by Arlie Regier (si above] as one of several visual foe) points during its Advent worship ser ces in December. The advent celebrati piece, weighing eighty-five pounds ai| standing five feet tall, was created l| Mr. Regier to involve the congregatkj in the expectation of the peace and joy Christmas. Untitled, the work is co structed of brass, copper, stainle steel, and chrome, which reflect the Jig of twenty tapers and candles. Placed the midst of the congregation, rathl than at the front of the sanctuary, tf sculpture reminded the worshipers th they are involved and participating the Advent services instead of beilj spectators. Members of the congreg tion could see each other mirrored in t two mobile chrome disks that are part the sculpture. The church also usi banners and bulletin covers created I the members of the congregation durii Advent. 10 JANUARY 4, 19)fi J f\ family affair in Indonesia ie following interpretive article was n-itten by Dan Nickel, Mennonite Aethren missionary in Indonesia work- Ig with the Muria Christian Church in Jdonesia, which is a member of Menno- B e World Conference. Ihy is the family so strong in Indone- li? One reason is that the churches (induct Pekan Keluarga, or "Family Jnphasis Week," each year, usually in fptember. The Muria (Mennonite) I nod has urged this on its local l urches as well. •One church in Jakarta conducted its Ipetings in the homes, a different one ||:h evening. Beginning with husband- I fe relationships, they moved to par- ts' responsibilities toward their chil- m, children toward parents, and nily responsibility to the church and nmunity. In all sessions the whole lurch family" was together in one ice. The small membership and the loor-outdoor style of living in Jakarta ide this possible. On Saturday eve- lg the Pekan Keluarga culminated in a rathon sharing session including ich praise and prayer. \nother church in Jakarta arranged | a picnic as part of its Pekan lluarga. Half the fun is getting there, i people, young and older, piled into lursery school teen 4-year-olds in Freeman, South kota, are attending a nursery school med last September by Freeman nor College. "he school provides a laboratory ining center for college students •oiled in the early childhood curricu- i and also provides a service to the cs rounding communities, according to i! san Yoder Graber, director of the li ly childhood education careers pro- el m at the college. il forking as staff at the school are the , 3 college students who will complete il ir training in the early childhood nj ication program this spring. In addi- bi i to their experiences at the nursery ri ool, they will receive practical expe- in ice at the Markham Day Care Center, oi rkham, Illinois, and at the United i / Care Centers, Sioux Falls, South a cota. m it the Freeman nursery school, chil- i n meet at the Bethany Mennonite ! cFamilyf ^ocus the backs of camper-style trucks and took off for the mountains. A few private cars were used as well. Reaching the summit after following the switchback road through a moun- tainside of tea gardens, the caravan descended to the picnic site near a semiactive volcano. The truck driver in the lead tested his brakes on the first curve and found them insufficient to control. As he gained more speed, he apparently decided to ditch. Nosing into a high bank, the truck turned on its side and slid to a dusty halt on the gravel shoulder. One girl received deep cuts to her left Church from 9:00 to 11:15 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. The day begins with group time, when the theme of the day is introduced and discussed. A story or music may be part of group time. A midmorning lunch may introduce the children to new foods. During the free play which follows, children may choose such activities as paints, clay, a workbench, unit blocks, a housekeeping area, tunnel, balance beam, and toys requiring small muscle manipulation. When weather permits, outdoor play follows. One of the most important functions of nursery school is to help children deal with problems, said Petrea Preheim, director of the nursery school. The nursery school staff tries to help children solve problems, but does not solve problems for them, she explained. When children are frustrated or angry, the staff tries to get them to express what they're feeling and what they arm as the canvas wall tore to shreds in the skidding. The driver suffered sim- ilar cuts to his right arm. Other injuries were more superficial. The whole church family stuck to- gether, getting the injured to a nearby public health center. The center was not busy, and while people were getting treatment, continuous prayer and praise were offered in smaller and larger groups. Twos and threes went to the bedsides to encourage the injured with their presence and prayer. Lunchtime rolled around. The picnic site was only a five-minute drive away, but nobody suggested going there, not until the health of the injured people was known. Instead, a buffet was set up in the lobby of the public health center, and the church family proceeded to eat potluck to the background of continued expressions of concern. As the injured emerged one by one, they joined us at the buffet, and our appetites picked up. The picnic was held later. There on the grassy slopes near a big tree, the church family sat to hear yet another lecture in the Pekan Keluarga. The discussion which followed was filled with suggestions of what it means to practice body life in the church, the family of God. want. And they try to make the children understand they can't always have what they want. "You have to be firm with the chil- dren," said Ms. Preheim, "but you must let them know that you care about them. They can sense any phoniness." Attendance at nursery school also provides an opportunity to discover any learning disabilities the child may have. Goals for the nursery school children include their development of a good self- image, a wholesome attitude toward their bodies, a good start toward reach- ing their potential, and a positive attitude toward teachers, school, and learning. The FJC nursery school is governed by a seven-member board. Four of the members have children in the school, and three do not. The board is advisory to the Freeman Junior College Board. Erwin C. Goering, Freeman Junior Col- lege serves Freeman youngsters i, z MENNONITE 11 Record Workers Curtis Berkey has been appointed to a one-year assignment as consultant for native American affairs in the United States to MCC U.S. Ministries. He is a 1974 graduate of Eastern Mennonite College and has served as an MCC volunteer at the Institute for the Devel- opment of Indian Law (IDIL) in Wash- ington, D.C. His assignment will be part time in addition to his studies at Catholic University Law School, Wash- ington, D.C. William E. Dunn, executive vice- president of Mennonite Hospital, Bloomington, 111., has been elected to the Illinois Hospital Association board of trustees. He is serving as chairman of the board of the Mennonite School of Nursing and is a member of the board and past chairman of the Bloomington Normal School of Radiologic Technolo- gy- Maries Preheim, Goshen, Ind., has been appointed associate professor of music at Bethel College beginning in the fall. He will be coordinator of the music education program, codirector with Walter Jost of the college's choral groups, and private voice instructor. Mr. Preheim taught at Dakota State College, Madison, S.D., in 1972-75 and then joined the Goshen (Ind.) College faculty in choral music. Vorn Ratzlaff, Winnipeg, has been appointed executive director of MCC (Manitoba) effective in spring after the end of the college school year. He is replacing Arthur Driedger, who has held the position for 6V2 years. Mr. Ratzlaff has been instructor of philoso- phy and church history at Mennonite Brethren Bible College, Winnipeg, for the past eleven years. Fremont Regier has been appointed director of agricultural education at Bethel College beginning in the fall. In addition lo teaching courses in Bethel's associate in ai ls program in agriculture and business, Mr. Regier will serve as the liaison in cooperative efforts with Hesslon College in agriculture and coordinate a join! Kansas Stale University-Bethel agricultural pro- gram. Mr. Regier has served in (he Rural Christian Development program in Zaire since 1965, returning to Ihe LIniled Stales in 1976. Berkey Preheim David H. Suderman of North Newton, Kans., will beginjan. lasstaff personin higher education for the General Con- ference. Mr. Suderman will join the Commission on Education staff in Newton, Kans., half time to strengthen relationships between local congrega- tions and church colleges. He will also help congregations understand what happens to young persons who go away to college. Mr. Suderman, a native of Hillsboro, Kans., graduated from Bethel College, North Newton, and received graduate degrees from George Peabody College for Teachers in the field of music. He taught at Bethel College from 1936 until his retirement this past June. During that time he served as chairman of the Humanities Division and later as chairman of the Fine Arts Division. He taught choral music, voice, music edu- cation, and music history. Published A bibliography of Mennonite history books is available free of charge through Faith and Life Press, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. The annotated biblio- graphy, compiled by Cornelius J. Dyck of Elkhart, Indiana, lists forty-six book suggestions for church libraries, con- gregational leaders, and church school teachers. The preparation of Ihe biblio- graphy was a project of the heritage committee of the General Conference Mennonite Church. Th(J good nens Bi bio, the Bible in Today's English Version, has been released by the American Bible Society. II is Ihe first translation of the Bible in the English language to be produced by the society. The new Bible is expected lo break previous records with the first press order totaling 1.2 million copies, Ratzlaff Suderman Calendar Feb. 4-9 — Council of Commission! Newton, Kans. Feb. 25-26— Conference of Meniv nites in Saskatchewan annual sessionf Hague; speaker, Helmut Harder Apr. 14-17, 1977— Central Distrii Conference annual sessions, Calvaf Church, Washington, 111. May 4-6, 1977— Mennonite Medi Council annual convention, St. Pa) School of Theology, Kansas City, Mo| July 28-Aug. 3, 1977— General Cofl ference triennial sessions, Bluffto* Ohio Central [an. 16-20 — Bible conference, Ro\ noke Church, Eureka, 111.; speaker. Ii Erland Waltner, Gerald Studer, Jol Drescher Northern Jan. 16-20 — Interterm study on I Book of John, Bethesda Church, Hendel son, Nebr.; speaker, Bertha Harder Western Feb. 5 — Bluffton College alumni reu} ion, Camp Hawk, Newton, Kans. Feb. 6-8— Bible lectures, Bethel Crt lege, North Newton, Kans.; speaki) Kalyan Dey Help wantcv Openings between January and September 19 Twenty child-care workers; fifteen housj r rehabilitation workers; fifteen community Sj \ vice workers; two apartment house manage two lawyers; three medical workers. Plan ahe It's not too early to apply. Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 12 JANUARY 4, 19 ■a etters irticle with answers par Editor: Thanks for "My reflections | out stepchildren" (November 30, B76, issue). i II appreciated it because it was an jticle with answers (as opposed to jeginning to face the issue" or "work- 3 toward a solution"). I felt the swers were ones that the author had jnd from her relationship with God i d that they were biblical. This is the kind of article that I look i'h one with concrete biblical guidance liative to life situations and relation- Jliips with man and God. Again, thanks. I ill M. Zoschke, Box 1, War road, Minn. "1 763 Dec. 3 tease-fire for liberators fljiar Editor: I was among those who Agonized" about the family at Wichita if ovember 30, 1976, issue). The lectures w Letha Scanzoni left me somewhat '■raid. It seemed that she was encourag- tm husbands and wives to be mainly iincerned with their own fulfillment. Imere were strong "liberation" over- 1 ties. wrlow can I be reprogrammed from the !«)! school of gentleness toward those djman beings which God made so [Hautiful and attractive — to me at least? v\ dear brother, perhaps having for- Itten that we should treat everyone '4 pally, opened the door for one of the Inale participants. His gentle gesture lis not accepted. I was not able to catch I r remarks sufficiently to repeat them ™w. I thought, Be careful to learn — here 1 Wichita, at least — as quickly as (J ssible. You have to adapt in order not ilflhurt others by similar behavior. ■Next day I was in real trouble. A \ >man was sitting next to me. Her name jinded so familiar. Should I ask piiether she was the wife of someone I few of? She might be offended by the -i-iumption to be someone's wife and In a truly liberated, self-fulfilled Ms. iiirhaps phrasing my question some- )| uat differently would help. 31 Is in perhaps your "fsband?" Well, he may also be a Unrated person in her view. ■How in the world can I find out? I Vjuld like him to know in a personal I y that I have learned to appreciate him through his work. I may not have this chance again, if she is indeed his wife. "Are you perhaps somehow connected with in ?" That shouldn't hurt anyone. "Yes." That was all. I was lost again. "Why do you ask?" Hurrah! I made it! "Well, I have read his articles in different papers. I really appreciate his work and ideas. He is doing an impor- tant job." Reaction: "I will let him know." With that, the conversation came to an end. I don't think I had a chance to relate my feelings in a meaningful and person- al way. Too bad. I didn't want to hurt, but the price I had to pay seemed very high to me. Is this what I have to sacrifice for the sake of liberation? It may sound overdone, but it was an agonizing experience. Mel Schmidt's sermon on Matthew 14:22-23, entitled "What made you lose your nerve like that?" reminded me again that faith really means walking on the water. This is the challenge to all of us. Is it necessary to employ the coercive means that secular society is using in order to deal with continuous adjust- ments taking place in the church? Could we not expect these changes to come about by Bible study, prayer, and sensitivity to the leadership of the Holy Spirit? With this in mind, I propose to all "liberation martyrs" a cease-fire in favor of the preservation and streng- thening our families are so much in need of. I am looking forward to our triennial meeting in 1977, focusing on the unify- ing aspects of the family. Erwin Cor- nelsen, 107 East 58 Ave., Vancouver, B.C. V5X 1V7 Nov. 19 Christmas in retrospect Frieda Schrocder The Christmas tree stands bare, Robbed of its glistening tinsel And its angel hair. Cupped in my hands is a shiny ball So fragile and so light that, did it fall, Its loveliness would shatter at my feet. I gaze at it in fascinated wonder And see reflected there the children's faces, Their eyes more beautiful than stars And all the shining things that hang upon the tree, Their faces fragile like the lovely ball, So beautiful to see, so quickly shattered By trembling hands that let it fall. Slowly and carefully I put away The shining object of my thoughts, Wrapped in layers of tissue paper And left snugly in a box. How can I wrap those lives In cotton wool and keep them safe, Keep them from breaking in the falls of life? If I could wrap them in my love To cushion all the blows, Secure it with my prayers, would they be safe? Yes, I will put my love around them, Tied up and knotted with my prayers. Then, like the ornaments snug in their boxes, I'll put them in God's care And leave them there. iTj E MENNONITE 13 Thaddeus Horgan An unusual stone engraving can be seen on the Rockefeller Center building in New York. The center is located at Fiftieth and Fifth, one of the busiest corners in the world. The ancient mythological gods of arts, crafts, and industry are all there on the walls. Atlas, muscles taut with strength and pain, bears a groaning expression as he carries the world on his shoulders. Just around the corner is the unusual engraving. It stands out in its own peculiar way because it appears so tiny in this mammoth canyon of stone giants. Unlike the other engravings or the atmosphere, it depicts a man at rest, basking in his leisure and his peace. There in the midst of technology's and wealth's massive monument — that is really what Rockefeller Center is — is an image of the poor, simple, uncomplicat- ed saint, Francis of Assisi. He sits above a busy doorway on a usually noise-filled street. He looks peaceful and undis- turbed. In an arc that forms the outline of the engraving are birds in flight, but in flight toward him. Now that is unusual in New York. At first, the engraving seems out of place, or at least one might think it was some sort of countercultural declara- tion. Who put it there? And why? I do not know. Perhaps someone just liked Francis of Assisi and gave him a place there. Maybe the designer realized this saint, despite the image and legend, was as enterprising as any of the people who fill Rockefeller Center's halls, offices, stores, or malls. Despite Francis's popu- lar and apparently contradictory image (who would expect this gentle saint to be in Rockefeller Center?) I Ihink he belongs up there on the walls. Among the mythological gods of human achievement, he is the only realistic 14 JANUARY 4, 19? j oresentative of a truly human person. Francis of Assisi knew himself. He ew what life was all about. He related ?11 with people. He was at peace with )d. He was in harmony with nature. : was completely human and allowed -nself to experience kindness, love, d security. He dared to share these th others. He was enterprising and urageous despite adverse circumstan- s. He remained joyous! He had trials, jch pain, bad health, many disap- intments, particularly with the urch establishment and his first mpanions. We tend to forget that. Actually Francis was a blend of the my ingredients of life that we all perience. Because he was not crippled living as he pursued life, he is mewhat of a hero. He definitely longs in Rockefeller Center. He is a mbol of something we all need day— hope. Francis was an outstanding Chris- ;n. That is why there is so much legend ncerning him. He became what all iristians can become. And he did it so :11 that we have romanticized him ;ht out of reality. That is unfortunate, is like setting out on a trip and ciding that we will not arrive at our stination. To achieve any sense of f-fulfillment in our lives, both as lividuals and as the people of God, we ristians must arrive finally some- lere. Dur age has tried to convince Chris- ns to substitute things for the real pe we should have within. Christian th teaches that in Christ we have a w relationship with God. The gospel Is us how to express this relationship daily life. And God has given us his irit so we can turn to him constantly, )ecially when we fail, and continue to press our relationship with him by dng one another. We are truly the nily of God. It is so simple when scribed in words. .ike Francis, we can become distract- and seek our destiny where it can not b found. Commercials today promise ijj all sorts of messianic blessings and tiji lead us off course. Somehow it takes ■ time to realize that life is not fulfilled hi getting a big car. Like Francis, too, we | y sometimes be on the right course, It find ourselves using the wrong I ans. When he was first inspired to II new the church," Francis went into ij! brick and mortar business, restoring tilnbledown buildings. Later he learned lit renewal meant doing the gospel | th and for others. He fumbled a bit in fj i practice, but he was sure of one thing: his relationship with God was that of a son to a father because of Christ. He could always turn to God. He could always start anew. That was the basis of his hope, the source of his energy, and the ultimate reason for his persistent joy. We Christians can also have that joyous hope. We may find that difficult to believe because as Christians we are disunited. We are not exactly a model of hope for an agnostic or unbelieving world when we say theoretically that we are all Christians but then squabble because we are not one in fact. We can be one, though. Faced with our divisions, unity can still be our hope. We do not seek to be uniform, only at-one. In essence Christianity has to do with relationships: with God, with people, with creation. No one relationship is exactly the same as another, even within one family: wife and husband, child and child, brother and brother, sister and sister, and so on. A common bond of identity and a variety of love- expressions exist nonetheless among distinct individuals. God tells us through Scripture and the preaching of the church that he wants to be "at one" with all his creatures. In Christ he has brought about at-one- ment. He has entrusted his Word and sacraments to the church to help us grow in unity. We can be one as God's people. It is our hope, a hope that is gradually being fulfilled. We have many human obstacles to overcome, not the least of which is mistrust, the destroyer of God and divider of his people. Our hope has no reason to fail us, however, if we are intent on doing God's will. Our efforts make our hope credible: prayer, common social concern, doctrin- al discussions, sharing, and many other opportunities. This is what is so important — our hope can be a sign to all if we make it credible in practice. Another opportunity is at hand — the Worldwide Week of Prayer. If we choose not to be involved, we can be like the stone at Rockefeller Center on which the image of Francis is engraved. Millions pass it daily without seeing it. On the other hand, if we do choose to be involved, we will have to deroman- ticize the images many people have about Christians. They then will see our hope as their hope. Once people notice the engraving of Francis and become aware of the facts about life, then every time they pass by they will see the real message there — not one about arts or crafts or industry, but one about life. Contents Living a new story 2 Men from the East 4 News 6 Record 12 Letters 13 Christmas in retrospect 13 New hope from old images 14 The many meanings of church growth 16 CONTRIBUTORS Ralph R. Sundquist, Jr., a United Presby- terian minister, is a writer, consultant, and teacher. He lives in Hartford, Conn. Maynard Shelly, 624 Westchester Lane, Newton, Kans. 67114, is a free- lance writer. William Janzen is director of MCC (Canada)'s Ottawa office, Ottawa, Ont. Elfrieda Schroeder, Box 195, Kikwit par Kinshasa, Zaire, is a missionary in Zaire. Thaddeus Horgan is a member of the General Council of the Atonement Friars, New York City. Floyd G. Bartel, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114, is the secretary for congre- gational mission of the Commission on Home Ministries. CREDITS Cover, Strix Pix, Newville, Pa. 17241; 2, Harold M. Lambert, 2801 West Chelten- ham Ave., Philadelphia, Pa. 19150; 5, 14, RNS; 7, Paul Quiring, MCC; 10, David Regier; "Living a new story" is copyrigh- ted by A.D. magazine, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, N.Y. 10027, and is used by permission. The Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boule- vard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Tele- phone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main St., Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circulation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L. Ramseyer, 488 West Elm St., Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernaeDick,588SouthWestMapleSt., Dallas, Ore. 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kans. 67117; Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114; and Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46805. 31 E MENNONITE 15 The many meanings of church growth Floyd G. Bartel The term "church growth" has taken on special meaning in recent years. The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:6, "I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth." It is still God who gives church growth. Church growth begins with the Holy Spirit fulfilling the statement of Jesus "I will build my church" (Mt. 16:18). Church growth has taken on special mean- ing as a study discipline through the work of Donald A. McGavran, a former missionary in India. Mr. McGavran described his observa- tions of the overseas churches' growth or lack of growth as early as 1936. In the last twenty years, his studies have led to several books and the establishment of the School of World Mission at Fuller Theological Seminary. In 1972 it was decided to apply the research and study approach, first applied to overseas churches, to the churches in North America. Today the Fuller School of World Mission includes the Institute of American Church Growth. Church growth thinking is also touching Mennonite churches. During the past several years, a number of Mennonite leaders have attended church growth seminars conducted by Donald McGavran and Win Arn. A Consultation on Church Growth for Canadian churches was convened in Calgary during November of 1975. This was followed by the Bluffton Consultation on Church Growth in November 1976. Lack of church growth in the General Conference was an agenda item at the General Board executive committee meeting held in December 1975. The topic has become so popular recently at church conferences of various kinds that church growth seems to have become the new goal of the church. But is church growth our main goal? Our goal as a church is as it has always been — given to us by the Lord Jesus in the Great Commission. He did not say, "You shall grow." He said, "You shall be my witnesses," and "Go . . . make disciples." To ask questions about church growth means asking questions about our faithfulness to the Great Commission at home. One meaning church growth has for many is growth in numbers. Others emphasize quality of commitment rather than numbers. Ralph Winter suggests that to set qualitative growth over against quantitative growth is to pose a false issue. Jesus emphasized both. He worked with a small band of disciples and also ministered to the multitude. Church growth has many dimensions. Where the Holy Spirit is evident in the life of the church, there is growth in teaching, in fellowship, in witness, in service, in prayer (see Acts 2:42), and other ways. Many aspects of growth cannot be measured. Yet there is also measurable growth in numbers where the church seeks to be faithful in its mission (see Acts 2:41, 44). In my observations as a pastor, when a Mennonite congregation began to develop increasing interest in sharing the good news with its neighbors, there was a heightening of spiritual vitality which in turn was further enriched by the infusion of new believers into the fellowship. Another meaning of church growth forsome of us is fear of losing our Mennonite identity. This includes such important features as non- resistance, committed discipleship, and a strong sense of peoplehood. Some of us wonder, "Will growth cause us simply to become more and more like other churches around us?" We have been reminded often in recent years that our Anabaptist forebears emphasized the importance of discipleship. We are to be disciples. One purpose of our consultations has been to examine how church growth fits our heritage and our identity. We are rediscov- ering that the Anabaptists were also the reformers who reclaimed the Great Commis- sion for every member, that they not only emphasized being disciples, but making disci- ples, as the Great Commission says. That needs to be emphasized among us also! We are seeing some new evidence in recent years that the testimony of a vital peoplehood reflecting the Spirit of Christ draws people to hear and believe the gospel in our day even as it did in the early church (Acts 2:47) and in the sixteenth-century Anabaptist movement. Our consultations on church growth are helping us to see that we have been given more to share than we had imagined! The Mciiiioiiilc OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO MAN LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST f~S£:2 J ANUARY 11, 1977 iside this issue: ocus on TV— Why the fuss? Irom generation to generation iblT letween the lines lfWiy die fuss? Larry Keh. Some critics have sardonically suggest- ed that television's most prominent feature is its power to sedate. "Just because a lot of people look at it compulsively for hours on end, or at any rate like to have it on when they are around," says Malcolm Muggeridge, "does not necessarily prove that they are influenced by it other than superfi- cially." The British wit goes on to explain that of the many people who have told him that they saw him "on the telly," no one has so far ever so much as mentioned, let alone quoted, anything he said. So why the fuss? If TV puts people to sleep, is that not a blessing in an age in which insomnia is running wild and nervous tension is a constant worry? A few critics argue that not only are we dozing off under television's relent- less and repetitious onward drone, we're actually being made zombies as a consequence. Now, that's a more serious charge, wouldn't you think? — one that we should not take lying down. Jack Mabley, a Chicago tribune col- umnist, recently accused TV of being a bigger peril than the atomic bomb. He approvingly quoted a reader who made the following scathing analysis of television's addictive qualities: "Televiewing, in my opinion, is the narcotic that will one day have all of us zombies in the fullest definition of the word. People have become so fascinated by the medium that they no longer know how to converse, how to think, how to behave in public, and, like all dope addicts, have lost allegiance to moral values on which this nation was built." II that's the heart of the matter, I can hear some saying, the thing for Chris- tian people to do is to swear off the tube permanently. Ban it from the home and from the lounges of our church schools — and that will be that. Some families are following that route, but their number appears to be dwindling. Total abstinence is now rarely practiced. Banning the television screen from our living and family rooms may not solve the problem. Children from TV- deprived homes seem to have sundry and ingenious ways of finding friends who can provide them with seve( hours of illicit viewing every week.| few Hutterite colonies in Manitoba I discovering that even their we insulated communities are not capaf of protecting their young from l| electronic screen's allurements. Son| how their young men are finding ws of seeing "Hockey night in Canada" a! other favorite programs. Television can thus be an issue ea for families without sets. The questii which TV-less families must ask the* Does your television disrupt your meals, either by dictating when to eati by calling some family member to another room? This newest of the mass media tends to be a stimulant toward violence, greed, and other undesirable behavior. s| ves is, Should we ignore the medium Eiogether, washing our hands of its ejects because we don't have a set, or fbuld we provide at least some gui- cnce, knowing that our children will 1 ely get in some viewing sometime and s'neplace? !t must be noted that not nearly all ■tics are agreed that television is r rely an anesthetic and no more. They Iiuld concur that the broadcast indus- I tends to shape most of its program- ing for a target audience that seems eivays to be below average in intelli- fice and sensitivity. Its content rarely rles above mediocrity. But these ob- s' vers would insist that far from being a lere sleep-inducer, this the newest of I; mass media tends to be a stimulant t'vard violence, greed, and other unde- sable behavior. They are deeply con- c ned, for example, about what the •n'dium is doing to children. (TV wlence and its effect on youngsters vill be highlighted in a later article in 'tis series.) ' Here is a quick survey of what a few of tj' critics are saying in the religious I :ss: -Carol Miller [Christian heraJd, Oc- lier 10, 1976) listed ten questions ppple should ask themselves to see if ;I has gained the upper hand in their Hps. Among the queries she poses are 'tijse: "Does your television disrupt mir meals, either by dictating when to ; or by calling some family member to I'jther room? . . . Have you ever Rented an unexpected visit from a "];:nd because he interrupted your / wing? . . . Have you become tolerant ) language or vulgar behavior on the ; jhtronic screen that you once would ire considered shocking?" -John Stapert, editor of the Church i aid (May 2, 1975) and a psychologist ||h marriage counseling experience, /vpte: "When it comes to impact on f lily life, I've often picked on the soap || ras, because I think they're really l mful. Every one of them is filled with iwpicion and intrigue. . . . Everyone )|tty much expects infidelity." jji A.D. magazine's "Platform" series, firry Skornia (March 1976) charged: "I that never before have human iligs been battered, confused, de- wed, and conditioned to violence and wd as by commercial television . . . day. In selling the 'goods' of the Alerican way, private economic pow- ■J leave frustration in the wake. Our mlaph may read: 'We didn't know it Ivj; loaded.' " He recommends that "Cfistians stop watching exploitative programs and that they boycott the sponsors of such shows. — "Television is not only an invader, it is a robber," writes Betty Lundberg (The Wesleyan advocate, April 3, 1972). "Christians who talk long and loud on the evils of drugs are hooked on TV. . . . Not only is the furniture grouped around the set, but lives and living are dependent on television." — Deacon Anderson, an information specialist with a public utility company, takes a more philosophical view in Covenant companion (October 15, 1975): "It's not an easy thing for a body of believers born out of the 'readers' tradition — whose near-creed is 'Where is it written?' — to come to terms with television. ... It is particularly difficult to see television for what it really is because we usually see what we don't want to see on the newscasts, and the commercial content of TV runs the gamut from unwholesome to outright disgusting. TV is neither wholesome nor unwholesome. It is not radio-with- pictures. TV is to radio what a birthday cake is to a loaf of sliced white bread — some of the ingredients may be the same, but it's a different entity made from a different recipe for a different purpose." To make our response to television even more difficult, those programs which we hold up as models often have deficiencies, too. When it comes to wholesomeness, few programs would get a higher rating than "The Waltons." Yet Ralph Waite, a former United Church of Christ clergyman who plays the role of the father in this popular show, had this to say in an interview with Frederic A. Brussat [A.D. maga- zine, February 1974]: "Sometimes I feel it is a modest and fairly honest show that promulgates simple virtues. Then I have days when I think it is really of dubious value — seducing people into thinking that the family and life in America should be as it is for the Waltons. It lulls people into believing that there aren't any real changes or crises going on in society. I wouldn't recommend that this show become a model to use in raising children. . . . My own growing up had much more pain, confusion, chaos, and much more of everything of life than the Walton family has. If a child grows up expecting to step into a world like the Waltons', that person is going to be very angry at us when thirty years old. There are so many things happening today that the Waltons just haven't come near." So the reasons for fussing about TV are numerous. Some are obvious, others may be more difficult to see. A Meeting- house article Next issue: Beauty and the beast (Vio- lence and the children) I. EMENNONITE 19 The many generations of Mennonite farmers indicate that farm businesses have been successfully passed on with- in families. In fact, when parents could not pass on a farm to their children, it often became the major cause for migration to another country or to another area within the country. A major desire of the pioneer Menno- nite farm family was to provide a farm for each child. Mennonites moved in almost a straight line across the United States and Canada, seeking cheaper land on the frontier of the West. They were usually also motivated by the desire to be part of a Mennonite commu- nity. Thus in strengthening their fami- lies, they also strengthened the Menno- nite church. The Old Testament indicates some rather hard and fast rules about primo- geniture among Jewish families. This system provided for the eldest son to take over the family business. It also outlined the responsibilities to other members of the family. There was not much freedom of choice. If you were the eldest, this was your responsibility. It was expected and in most situations it was carried out. Studies of Mennonite farm succession in America indicate that the youngest son most often took over the home place. Older sons usually hired out, often to From generation other farmers, to earn money and develop management skills prior to renting and finally purchasing their own farms. The youngest farmed with his father usually until the father retired. A traditional ladder to owning a farm business was hired hand, renter, owner. Mennonites have engaged in business other than farming, mainly during the last generation. Farm succession has been thoroughly researched but pat- terns for other business succession are not yet established. Now is a good time for us to examine what is important for "succession." Family succession of any business is possible only if the size of the operation is manageable by the family. If the parents are "real promoters" and devel- op a large business, the chances for the next generation's "taking over" are almost nil. When one aims to build a business as large as possible, the problems of succession are com- pounded. A second area to consider is | training of those who are to take ovi the business. Today a great premium! placed on "freedom," often with accori panying frustrations. The heir mustfel an interest for the business and that 1 has a say in what goes on. He also need experience in the enterprise. Parens often want to give their children th which they never had, thus providing warped impression of how the businei world functions. Or another extreme! to require the children to work Ion hours at routine, boring tasks, thi killing any further interest in the open tion. Perhaps the most important aspeo of business succession are the valuj and attitudes of the parents. If the ch| aim is "empire-building," it may wi "turn off" the children. It is said th| anyone can be a millionaire if he \ willing to pay the price. But how can ti children cope with a large operation Tax problems and necessary operatii funds can discourage many buddi! businesspeople. After seeing the "priq paid by parents to build an "empirii many children decide that it costs tj much. What happens to our family life whi we give our "all" to make the businej go? How can we keep the business? "servant" and not "master" of our live! Howard D. Raid When is a business to the point where wecan a!so"live"as a family andasmembe of the church and community? jany Mennonites are first-generation j sinesspeople who have worked hard imake it survive, let alone grow. Can \< sense when a business is on solid bund? Must the business continue to bw for survival or is it necessary only i' our egos? When is a business to the int where we can also "live" as a nily and as members of the church Id community? When is the point in r operation where we say: "I will not en another branch or buy a larger jichine, but I will give more time to my lurch and family"? Or when do we say: I will use that money for this or that lurch project"? Our churches and iinmunities greatly need the skills and jilities that are so useful in developing pusiness. vlost of our activities are determined our ideas, attitudes, and values. Is r business a "way of life" that fits into 3 total life of the church and communi- ■ Agriculture once supported and stained the church. Farmers usually ed in a compact geographical area )und the church. They did not have i many contacts with people who held ferent values. There were no trade sociations or labor unions demanding kalty . All of the economic, social, and igious life centered around the church Timunity. Today's businesses all involve many to feneration organizations. What does this do to time, loyalty, and money for the church? In meetings of Mennonites, one usually knows what to expect and how to address the issues. Among non- Mennonites, one often needs to learn first how they operate. If the business tends to destroy church and community life, one is probably engaged in "empire building." Business succession makes sense only if one is committed to working diligently at also building the family, the commu- nity, and the Christian church. We should begin early to share the ownership of our businesses with the interested child(ren). By transferring early, we enable them to live in the community and take an active part. They will acquire the necessary skills while we are around to give counsel. Retirement will mean more for us and we will have time, energy, and skills for some kind of voluntary service. The federal tax laws encourage this early giving to our children. And the financial burden is lighter when transfer takes place over a longer period. Division of estates needs to be planned in fairness to all the children. This is essential if we wish to practice business succession and build the church community. Those children who are interested in the family business have a built-in opportunity to learn a trade and to learn how to work for a living. But the ones who will never share in the family enterprise should be assisted with an education to gain a marketable skill — a trade or a profes- sion. Then they, too, will be enabled to earn a living. To try and give each child an equal share of the operation is never fair to those taking over. They may have to liquidate the business to pay over the money. The family then loses the business, and the ones who were to take over may end up on an assembly line. The church community also loses be- cause the business may well go to nonsupporting owners. It is much better to help each child learn how to make a living. Christian businesspeople are inter- ested in more than "building an empire." They want to see their generation pass on a good heritage to the coming generation. Their business is regarded as a "servant" to strengthen the family and the church. hst the business continue to grow for survival or is it necessary only for our egos? H MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It is t>'j shed weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton. Kans 671 1 4, by the General Board ot the General Conference Mennonite Church Second- M postage paid at Newton. Kans 671 1 4. and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions: in U.S. and Canada, $8 00. one year; $1 5 50. two years, $23 00, three years, foreign, $8 50 per year El irial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard. Winnipeg, Canada R3P0M4 Business office 722 Main St . Box 34 7. Newton, Kans 671 1 4 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 347. Newton. Kans. 671 14 E MENNONITE 21 Harry E. Martens "I will make my will when I get around to it." That statement will probably ring in my ears for the rest of my life. I heard it repeatedly during my last seven years as an estate planning consultant. We don't have authentic statistics on how many Mennonite couples or single persons have written their wills. My observation over the years is that we are around the national average of less than 50 percent. This counts only those who by all standards should have a will. We are called to be good stewards of what God has given us. That includes making proper and thoughtful provision of our material possessions now for the time when we die. In Canada and the United States, this privilege is still available to us. Many people have never thought about wills. Several times I've had the experience that people started to shed tears when I spoke to them about the need for a will and the opportunity to designate a percentage of the estate to the Lord's work. When I tried to apolo- gize for offending them, the invariable reply was, "No, no, I am ashamed that we never gave any thought to the opportunity for saying thank-you to God for all he has given us. We are Christians and I cannot help but feel that Christ must be ashamed of us." A single woman died recently at age seventy. She never wrote a will because "she had nothing." It is another common statement made by both those who have little and those who have much. This woman had comparatively little. After all expenses, including administrative fees, attorney fees, and taxes (higher in this case because there was no will) were paid, the residue was $1,500. Because there were no close relatives, the state distributed this to over 100 heirs. The largest bequest was slightly over $16 and the smallest was 42 cents. A brief will written, signed, wit- nessed, dated, and residue after ex- penses designated for church causes could have extended this woman's witness beyond her death to help needy people see a new light of hope through Jesus Christ. If she had designated her estate to MCC for houses in Bangladesh, her seemingly small possessions would have paid for the building of six houses for refugee families returning from India. With this article, we are giving you a round TUIT. You can never again say that you have never heard about making a will. And we are trying to help you get around to it. An important and last testimony to the great love of Jesus Christ lor each of us can be written into our"last will and testament." It is a witness of our belief to members of the family, fellow believ- ers, and others who may learn about it. God expects of each Christian to have a program of systematic and propor- tionate giving, both of our annual income and of our accumulated posses- sions. The big test and the most impi; tant reason for having a will is to tas this opportunity and say thank-youfl God for what he has given me a| permitted me to use in my life. You anj| do this by designating a percentage I the Lord's work so that his love, t| gospel, can be "for all people" — throuji evangelism, Christian service, edul tion, and witness. Never underestim# what even a little can do, if God is w| it. To those who have already writtj their wills, I urge you to review the Tremendous changes have taken plel in the last ten to twenty years. We keji up to date on furniture, clothing, officu milking parlors, machinery, landsca ing, appliances, and cars. But maj neglect to see that their wills are upj date. Too often, we say that can wait \\ we get a round tuit. When you review your will or wh| you write one for the first time, here ill sentence you might include: "As | expression of my gratitude for i Christian faith and as evidence of nj faith in the future of the church of Jeaj Christ, I designate percent of I estate to . (chuBl causes or charities of your choice). II "Then there were motive, purport and desire, these three; but the m) The taxes I pay are not "my" Biey once I have paid them. It then )mes the responsibility of the gov- nent how it is spent; otherwise, each becomes personally guilty of every le of family, society, community, Paul says: "Then we would have to jut of this world" (1 Cor. 6:10) if we not to associate or interact or do mess with the people of the world, s prayed: "Not that thou shouldst : them out of the world, but that thou ildst keep them from evil" (Jn. 5). ) A person can become too con- ntious. That person needs to be I ected and not allowed to confuse the Hie fellowship. Surely there is some- g wrong with the person if he is e conscientious than Jesus; he dd not be allowed to confuse the le brotherhood. mean this to give light and not fire. I R. Baerg, Box 1540, Winkler, It. ROG 2X0 Nov. 20 I need to be divisive J MENNONITE 29 peaceful relations, that we ignore those of their citizens whom they wish to destroy. Our peaceful silence, not al- ways to be confused with genuine peacemaking, has already helped to destroy many. Listen to two hard- pressed Russian Christians appealing to the World Council of Churches (Gleb Yakunin and Lev Regelson in Religion in Communist lands, Spring 1976): "The persecutors of Christians are now extraordinarily concerned about their international reputation. They are trying very hard to prevent any possible protest. . . . "If Christians could overcome . . . egotistic indifference toward other people's suffering, they would find ways of promoting ... an international protest campaign against the persecu- tors. . . . "If every believer would send a letter of protest once a month to the persecu- tors, and if ... he would appeal ... to public opinion in his own country, he would undoubtedly diminish considera- bly the fervor of the enemies of Chris- tianity. . . . "One of the most horrible weapons in the struggle against . . . conscience is the compulsory detention of dissenters in psychiatric hospitals and the forceful use on them of barbaric methods of 'treatment' which impair their brains and minds. ". . . Prisoners in psychiatric torture chambers . . . know what it means to be abandoned. . . . They often ask them- selves whether they are not already in hell, at this very moment. For them heaven remains a vision just as for a thirsty man in a desert. Somebody must save them. . . ." Sadly, some "sophisticated" people question or actually deny these reports. When the Russian dissenter Andrei Sakharov received the Nobel Peace Prize, he said, "Peace, progress, and human rights are three indissolubly linked aims, no one of which may be achieved if the others are neglected. . . . "Detente can only be of lasting suc- cess if it is from the very beginning accompanied by unceasing concern for openness in all countries, . . . for the unfailing observance of civil and politi- cal rights by all countries — in short, if detente in the material sphere of disar- mament and trade is supplemented by detente in the spiritual, ideological sphere." Mr. Sakharov has also said: "Thou- sands of lively people [in the USSR], apparently satisfied with their lot, scurry about. . . . But . . . what is hidden is a set of human misery ... a million and a half prisoners [nearly three times the high U.S. percentage reported by Edgar Epp] — the victims of a . . . judicial machine that is the corrupt creature of the authorities and the local 'Mafia'. . . . "I am very fond of the . . . culture of my country. . . . But I feel it necessary to call attention to those negative aspects that are of basic importance . . . but that are passed over in silence by Soviet and pro-Soviet propaganda . . . great vio- lence . . . that western liberals failed to notice: some out of naivete, others out of indifference, and still others out of cynicism. "I am convinced that the defense of Soviet political prisoners and other dissenters, the struggle for greater humanity in places of imprisonment and for human rights in general, is not only the moral duty of honest persons throughout the world, but constitutes a direct defense of human rights in their own countries. But we often encounter a lack of interest in our misfortunes. After a visit to the Soviet Union by Harold Wilson, the British prime minister (to whom I had sent my usual appeal), I heard on the radio a placid commentary by a journalist who said Wilson could not allow himself to meddle in matters of human rights in the USSR, since these problems were basically of interest to 'rightest' elements, and he could not make common cause with them. . . . What levels of cynicism are possible! "... I fear that such things as a lack of information of the opportunity [!] to analyze it critically, faddishness (which is all-powerful in the West), the fear of seeming old-fashioned (especially to one's own children, as many frankly admit), a lack of imagination where the factor of distance is involved, and an inadequate notion of the tragic complex- ity of real life (in particular, life in the socialist countries) — that these things may lead, and are already leading, to . . . the dominant stereotype of the . . . intellectual of the West, with all his illusions and mistakes. Basically, how- ever, the majority of such people have an outlook that is high-minded. . . . And this permits me to hope that in the final analysis the western intellectual won't let the rest of us down. . . . "And the growth of leftist ideas must not lead to a weakening of the interna- tional defense of human rights . . . with the same standards for the Englishman ... the Russian . . . and the Vietnamese. "My wife's mother, who spent many years in Stalin's labor camps . . . has a close relative; who lives in France. . . . He once tried to find out from her wheth there was 'a particle of truth' in wh Solzhenitsyn had written. She cou only laugh bitterly. "In 1948 the Universal Declaration j Human Rights [signed by the USS1 proclaimed the international charactj of the defense of human rights." And in another work, Mr. Sakharcj wrote: "... I again appeal to a international organizations concernfj with this problem ... to abandon the. policy of nonintervention in the internj affairs of the socialist countries | regards defending human rights and manifest the utmost persistence." Let's remember that Jesus also refuse to put any "internal" affairs out bounds. Ronald Rich, Box 126, Nor; Newton, Kans. 67117 I Quotations from Andrei Sakharov I reprinted by permission of Randoj House, New York, New York, and a from My country and the world, Ij Andrei Sakharov, © 1975, and Sakhanj speaks, © 1974. Published House of the Lord, a short drama abo' the life of Hadewijk, an early Anabaptij in the Netherlands, has been publish! by Faith and Life Press for the Gener| Conference's Commission on Education The play, by Urie A. Bender of Waterlo Ont., concerns Hadewijk (pronound "HAH-duh-vike"), a sixteenth-centu' woman who became an Anabaptist ai was imprisoned for her faith. Copies; the play are available for $1.00 each frd Faith and Life Press, Box 347, Newtdj Kans. 67114. The play may not produced without written permissij from and remittance of $25 to Faith a| Life Press. 30 JANUARY 11, 18 feditation !jtween the lines I best part of our reading is sometimes done "between the lines." Usually we are lying a message, not only from what the speaker or writer is saying, but by c! ething he leaves unsaid. Reading between the lines may bring good news or bad, n in either case it may be more important than that which is plainly stated. I sus, who spoke the most important truths the world has heard, was often gaily eloquent through his silence. Ipr instance, he tells of a young man who went the wrong way, did the wrong 8 gs, and in the process lost his money, his health, and his self-respect. Finally, fin the end of the line, he returned home, and his father ran to meet him. fesus tells swhat the father said. Most parents, then and now, would express similar e iments. Too many fathers, however, would have said something extra, 0 ething strangely conspicuous by its absence in Jesus' story. The man left out little words that have been spoiling the homecoming of wayward lads for uries! riey are these: Where have you been? he Apostle Paul feared, as all sensible men do, that in relating personal dpriences he might be boasting. But some wonderful and important things had Opened to him which he dared not withhold. ■ ost of us find ample reason for retaining our humility — or returning to it — and |1 was enlarging upon this theme. He said: |f o tremendous . . . were the revelations that God gave me that, in order to prevent becoming absurdly conceited, I was given a physical handicap (thorn in the i) ... to harass me and effectually stop any conceit. Three times I begged the \ for it to leave me, but his reply has been, 'My grace is enough for you' " (2 Cor. -9, Phillips). t this point, there is something profoundly important left out by the great itle, and certainly it is the first thing most of us would have told, hat is it that he didn't say? 3 didn't divulge the nature of his impediment. And because he didn't, we find it Her to relate to him in our own afflictions. If he had said he was blind or deaf or Hp, only those persons struggling with the same problem would be able to find ti igth in his testimony. I S is comforting indeed to believe that my handicap may be identical with his. ■ he of Jesus' most profound sayings, recorded in Acts 20, reads as follows: "It is his blessed to give than to receive." I' lis, of course, means simply that it makes one happier to present a gift than to lime. A greater sermon than this can hardly be preached, although great numbers 1 pople have never discovered this truth for themselves. Some of them never will. I Mere are some who, having discovered it, tend to take a fanatical view. They fear I] by be wrong to accept any gratuities and stoutly refuse the gifts of others. What jaame, for these people cheat the givers out of well-deserved and probably much- ffejjied blessings. ire again, we should read between the lines. Jesus didn't say, "It doesn't make liappy to receive a gift." Rather, he inferred it does by stating that it makes one happier to give one. And he, of all people, earned the right to make that derful statement. He gave everything! is well for us to remember that, but we must never forget that Jesus proudly pted the gift of precious ointment from a certain woman who broke the aster box and poured the contents upon his head. l|made him happy to receive the gift. It made the woman happier than he to give •n't fail to read between the lines. Some of the greatest reading was never ten. Glen Williamson i Contents Why the fuss? 18 From generation to generation 20 TUIT 22 News 23 Record 28 Letters 29 Between the lines 31 Telecult: The newest religion 32 CONTRIBUTORS Larry Kehler, 440 Best St., Winnipeg, Man., is pastor of the Charleswood Mennonite Church. Howard D. Raid is professor of eco- nomics and business at Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio 45817. Harry E. Martens, 2508 Ottawa Drive, Elkhart, Ind. 46514, has retired from his position as central regional manager and estate planning consultantforMennonite Foundation. He is currently on a teaching assignment in India under the General Conference's Commission on Overseas Mission. Glen Williamson, 85 Titan Ave., Glad- stone, Ore. 97027, is a free-lance writer. CREDITS Cover, Strix Pix, Newville, Pa. 17241; 18- 19, CBC, Winnipeg, Man.; 20, Bob Taylor, 604 North Cook, Cordell, Okla. 73632; 21, Harold M. Lambert, 2801 West Chelten- ham, Philadelphia, Pa. 19150; 25, MCC; 27, Ernie Klassen, MCC; 29, Cork, Post- bus 2003, Heerenveen, the Netherlands. The Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boule- vard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Tele- phone: (204) 888-6781 Business and subscription office: 722 Main St., Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circulation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L. Ramseyer, 488 West Elm St., Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588South West MapleSt., Dallas, Ore. 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kans. 67117; Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114; and Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46805. h MENNONITE 31 Telecult: The newest relig Some say that the television culture has become today's religion. The TV stars are its priests, the networks are the denominations, the sets are the shrines, regular viewing is its form of worship, the ratings dictate its morality, and programs are its rituals. Every society has its institutions which assume the primary task of interpreting life, promoting values, and guiding life-styles. In our culture these have been the home, the church, and the school. Today, the average family spends few hours per week together. An individual averages less than two hours per week in church. Students may spend up to twenty-five hours a week in classes. Television sets are in over 99 percent of our homes in Canada and the United States. These sets are on an average of over six hours a day, seven days a week. In just two decades, the television industry has achieved almost total coverage in our homes. If television is a reflection of our culture, then we can forget about the medium and look beyond it to the actual problems. But if TV is becoming an institution or a religion, then we must examine it carefully. I believe that television is becoming an insidious countercultural force. At first, we regarded it as a luxury for the few and an entertainment vehicle at that. Like the printed page, the telephone, the radio, and the record player, we felt that it would be a focal point for awhile and then become absorbed into our culture. However, TV is a powerful communications tool that has become much more than recrea- tion or distraction. Through catering to ratings, it declares itself enfranchised to probe, expose, and publicize all those things which feed human curiosity. Sensationalism becomes a weekly challenge for scriptwriters. Sacred things which have never been held sacred by majorities come in for regular ridicule. Only one way of life pleases the television industry — money. Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount spoke of happiness resulting from an unassuming, modest, servant life-style. Compare that for a few days to a majority of TV commercials and the TV stars. Is there a remote possibility for reconciliation? Jesus taught that human life is created in God's image and is God's highest handiwork. Television programs "waste" scores of lives and degrade many more to feelings of being worthwhile not in their relation to God, but to the payoff in one game or another. Jesus taught that it would be better for a person to have a millstone hung around his neck and drowned than to hurt an impression- able child. Television assumes that all chil- dren can cope with adult violence, profanity, muckraking, sex, and other confusing expo- sures on the screen. The TV industry paints its own "plastic" images of what it means to become men and women, fulfilled, happy, and mature. If the telecult has taken over, the fault may be our own. While children eagerly responded to "Sesame St.," our Sunday schools refused to adopt more realistic ways of teaching. When people chose to watch TV instead of attending Sunday evening services, many churches discontinued special services rather than trying some alternatives. We Christians have been too quick to sit by while the television cult grew across our land. The vast tube wasteland is not without hope even today. One of the first things we must and can do is to recognize that TV is today's single most influential communications medium. We must learn how it functions and equip one another with the skills for evaluation and judgment. Secondly, we can make ourselves heard. Citizens' groups have effectively challenged the images of some network programs. Other groups have become involved in the prepara- tion and promotion of constructive alternative programming. The giant of TV can be equally powerful for good if we have the courage to harness it. But this newest religion will not go away of itself. The force of evil is always creative. We dare not ignore it. BW The printed index for the 1976 issues of The Mennonite is available to anyone who writes for it. Write Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. A handful of people still remember it. Women wore long skirts, worked hard at home, and dreamed of the right to vote. The small Pennsylvania farming villages of the Eastern District Menno- nites were quiet and sheltered from the larger winds of change. In 1911, these churches ordained the first woman Mennonite pastor in North America. Ann Jemima Allebach was born in 1874 to Jacob R. and Sarah Markley Allebach at Green Lane, Pennsylvania. Jacob was a long-time deacon at the Eden Mennonite Church in Schwenks- ville, a banker, a merchant, and a postmaster. His first wife died of smallpox, leaving three-year-old Har- vey, who later became an Eastern District professor and pastor. His sec- ond wife, Sarah, was a businesswoman and a founder of the Schwenksville Lutheran Church. She died in 1882 when "Annie" was seven. Annie was exceptionally bright and active. She wanted to become a busi- nessperson like her parents. Her father encouraged her to take normal school training at Ursinus College Academy. At age seventeen, she became the first woman teacher in Green Lane at the Middle Creek School. Ann communicated her love and enthusiasm to her sixty-four pupils. The astonished school directors offered her any school in their district for the second year! In her spare time, she introduced elocution courses at Darling- ton and Perkiomen seminaries. Ms. Allebach was baptized in the Eden Church at age eighteen. She dedicated herself to improving the religious training for youth. The Chris- Mary Lou Cummings tian Endeavor movement had been begun to strengthen the Sunday schools. Through W. H. Grubb, a family friend and the pastor at First Mennonite in Philadelphia, Ann introduced the move- ment to the Perkiomen Valley and helped to plan the first C E session and Young People's Convention of the East- ern District in 1893. Mary Laudenslager, a former church friend of Annie's, recalls how they used to ride to the C E programs with horse and buggy after the chores were done. At age nineteen, Ann began to chafe at the boundaries of a tiny country com- munity. She accepted a position to teach elocution and philosophy at the East Orange Collegiate for Women in East Orange, New Jersey, a suburb of New York City. For the next ten years, the Schwenks- ville Mennonites pretty much forgot about Ann Allebach. In 1903, Ann became the principal of the collegiate. Soon after, in the sell evaluation process common to people it their early thirties, she began to reexan; ine her goals in life. She had gone as fa as a woman could be expected to go i education. Was this her real gift? Wou! she ever marry and raise a family? > Like many women of our own gener; tion caught in a similar uncertaint Ann went back to school. In 1907, slj began studies at New York and Colun bia universities and later at Uniq Theological Seminary. She reported' earned BE, ME, AB degrees and d some work toward a doctorate. At NY where her fashionable friends called h|l "Anna," she was elected president of til Philosophical Society. She also becan vice-president of the 23rd Distri Women's Suffrage Club. In these years, the huge and preslj gious Wall St. Episcopal Church wi beginning to build "chapels" all overt!' city to provide social services to tl poor immigrants and city dwellet without jobs, food, and spiritual su! port. Ann was drawn to help in the Chap: of the Intercession on 155th St. SI found herself where she had alwaj dreamed of being — part of the businei world, with much activity and direl action in God's causes! Her enerjf exploded like popcorn! She established a large free kinds garten, a commercial school to teach ji| skills, a clothes bureau, and a month church paper, The intercession m good mother to our children and felt I most important thing I could give thj was to help them have a meaning faith. I felt the more I could learn how! teach children and bring them up so trj could have a good relationship withO and humanity, the better it would be them." Even when she entered Iliff, howev Marilyn was unsure that the pasto ministry would be her final goal. "When I started seminary, I told advisor, 'I'm a woman and a Mennor and there are only four Mennoij churches in the Denver area, so I red THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context ot Christian love and Ireedom under the guidance ol the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit published weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks In December at Newton, Kans 67114,bytheGeneral Board ot the General Conference Mennonite Church, S*(| class postage paid at Newlon, Kans. 671 14, and at additional mailing offices. Subscriptions: in U.S. and Canada, $8 00, one year; $1 5 50, two years, $23.00, three years; foreign, $8.5G^H Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg. Canada R3POM4 Business office 722 Main St , Box 34 7, Newton, Kans, 671 14 Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Box 34 7, Newton, Kant. 611 36 JANUARY 18, 11 Dt whether I can get a job.' " fter two years of study, Marilyn was id by a person from an area Menno- church which was looking for a or, if she were interested in that tion. That planted another seed and ilyn began thinking seriously of the oral ministry. len the Arvada congregation issued for her to become a copastor king part time with Peter Ediger. accepted that call and is working b half time. iring her first year at Arvada, in tion to completing her studies at she has been instrumental in :ing a neighborhood ministry, dng in conjunction with the King of y Lutheran Church, arilyn has some sense that she is a eer in the Mennonite churches — an ined minister who is also a woman. "I know some people see it as unfemi- nine, and that does kind of bother me because I do want to be feminine. But it's more important to me to be doing work that I'm happy with and that I feel called to do than for other people to see me as feminine. It's a higher value to me to be myself. As time goes by, I am getting more affirmation that it's possible to be feminine while participating in work that has been predominantly given to men. "I saw women preaching sermons at seminary and I thought, 'If they can do it, I can.' Marilyn feels that it is becoming easier because of the support she gets from people in the Arvada Church community who, as she says, feel "it doesn't matter much if you're different. What's important is that you're real and that you care about each person." the laying on of hands, Marilyn invited people representing her family, her ids in the community, all groups in the church, and the ordained ministers ent, to come forward and take part. t Marilyn sees her ministry in the Arvada community as vital and chal- lenging. "I just enjoy doing a variety of things and I think in pastoral work you really get that. You meet people in all spectrums of life and you can relate to people at all ages." She gets additional support from a group of seven Arvada ministers who meet regularly to explore what is happening in their churches and to them as persons. Marilyn explains, "We put each other on what we call the'hot seat,' where everybody asks you questions, but they're asked because the people care about you." She also feels that the experience is good for her family. She's close enough to home and her half-time schedule is flexible enough so she can be available when her children need her. "The kids share in my ministry. They've gone with me to visit our oldest member and they've gone to see babies when they're born. And on Sunday in church they get to be a part of the service." About Arvada, Marilyn comments, "It's an exciting church. I feel the Spirit moving here. I see things happening. A lot of things are waiting to be born here." Marilyn consulted several people before planning her ordination service to see what meaning they felt it could have. "One church member said to me, 'If you can celebrate you, then I'll be able to celebrate me.' Several people came to me after the service and said they felt that they had been ordained, too. That's what I hoped for. We need to celebrate each other and the milestones in our lives." Can uoe neorz tne pRopbets? I find it both amazing and frightening when I see the lengths to which some people will go to defend their position when they are convinced their interpre- tation of Scripture is the only right one. A church in California was filled with toys. It had singled out the verse "Except ye become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter the kingdom of God" and made a period of child-play compulsory for church members. Histo- ry reveals that a segment of the early Anabaptists suffered the same disillu- sionment and romped about on the floor like children. Such behavior usually harms only those involved. When it involves violence, the situation becomes more serious. Some early women who accepted an anesthetic to relieve the pain of child- birth were burned at the stake for avoiding God's curse upon them. Occa- sionally the newspapers report stories of parents who refuse to give a child medical attention because they believe God will heal the sick one. Sometimes the child dies unnecessarily. A news report that the Ku Klux Klan is marching in Kentucky in the interests of a white brotherhood brings to mind how fervently some Christians during the slave period used the Bible to support their right to own another person. President Dew of William and Mary College said in 1832 "that Christianity approved servitude, and that the law of Moses had both assumed and positively established slavery. ... It is the order of nature and of God that the being of superior faculties and knowledge, and therefore of superior power, should control and dispose of those who are inferior." Josiah Priest in the Bible defences of shivery explained that the curse of Noah upon Ham placed the entire Hamite race Katie Funk Wiebe (from which he believed the black race descended) under the liability of being enslaved to the other two brothers forever. And many Americans have accepted this theory to support the natural inferiority of blacks, even to the present. Frederick Douglass, an American slave who escaped bondage to become a leading spokesman for emancipation, later wrote in his autobiography that among the slaveowners, Christians were often the cruelest. He himself had witnessed "men sold to build churches, women sold to support the gospel, and babes sold to purchase Bibles for the poor heathen! All for the glory of God and the good of souls." And if these practices seem strange, it may seem equally strange to know that at one time women of the church were denied the right openly to support mission causes because church leaders did not believe that Scripture supported such activity. Some women had to become almost militant in demanding the privilege to send the gospel to children and women in foreign lands. The Methodist women pledged them- selves "to walk the streets in calico," if need be, to bring the message of salva- tion to overseas women. Carolyn Blackwood writes in How to be an effective church woman that these "female societies were not looked upon with favor by the brethren." Some churches declared that each society should have a "respectable gentleman" as the patron who was to open the meetings with Scripture and prayers. One minister insisted that some man ought always to be present at every missionary meeting of the women because "if left to themselves, there is no telling what they might pray for." These church fathers of more than 100 years ago were concerned that the Apostle Paul's prohibitions in Corinth- ans and Timothy not be violated, for", teach and exhort, or to lead in prayer public and promiscuous assemblies, : clearly forbidden in the holy oracles.) Among the Baptists, the oppositk was even more severe to the women proposal to send single women to Chili to teach children and women. The men boards, writes Ms. Blackwood, "stren' ously opposed this innovation." Bf little by little, through prayer and fai: and courage, over a period of a quart of a century, the women achieved the goal. And today's women travel easif along the path these women forged fj them against harsh opposition. Tl work of women's missionary circles, tl equality of all races, and even the pri ilege of using anesthetics during chil; birth are accepted and seem reaso able and right. Then what is the lesson in the varied examples? Perhaps it's this: We tend to forg that sometimes what we consider to j the absolute truth of the Word of God: but a thin slice of our particular cultu! thickly frosted by a few Scriptu; verses. Instead of letting the Wol speak to us, we read our prejudices irl it and then promote that as God's trut It is possible to take a few verses; Scripture and turn them into a doctrij which leads thousands astray, ev! though the entire thrust of the rest of tl Bible may speak against such an unb. anced interpretation. Every once inf while we need someone with courage take a hard look at what is happenii and then to say to the rest of us, "Youfj promoting western life-styles, not Go<; truth." A Frederick Douglass, a few ce cerned women were the prophe voices for their time. Are we hearij today's prophets? 38 JANUARY 18, 19 I! Ouncil of Commissions st for February 4-9 E arch growth, a mission in Hong Kong, ail parochial schools will be among the s jijects on the agendas of the commis- ftis and boards of the General Confer- e:| e next month. ''he policymaking bodies of the con- n ?nce will hold their annual Council of C nmissions February 4-9 in Newton, Kpsas. l/omen in Mission's executive com- tee will meet first, beginning at 9:00 i., Friday, February 4, at the General Ciference central offices. The WM isory council will meet onSaturday, inning at 8:30 a.m. he General Board will meet at 8:30 ., Saturday, at the central offices, h h an executive committee meeting tfj previous evening, oard and commission members will md Sunday morning services in area gregations, then begin meeting at 3 p.m., Sunday, February 7, at First ^jnnonite Church, Newton. Members he Commission on Education, Com- ision on Home Ministries, Commis- a on Overseas Mission, Division of ministration, and the Mennonite lical Seminary board will meet from iday afternoon through Tuesday ning. leetings will conclude with another G leral Board session from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday, at the central ces. ill meetings, except for a few execu- i sessions, are open to the public, itations have gone to all area General Ejiference Mennonite congregations. l special invitation to the public has n given for the Sunday evening sion of the Commission on Home listries. The commission will meet at 1 p.m. at the Grace Hill Mennonite Chrch east of Newton. The commission H hear an overall report from its staff all then identify issues for discussion djing the rest of its meetings. Bn the CHM agenda are expected to bjsuch issues as the relationship of A|abaptism to evangelism and church gjwth, a possible cut of $10,000 in Pi erty grants, whether Hopi Mission S: ool in Arizona should become more irependent of CHM, and concerns of Cjiadian members of the commission all how CHM can relate best to the Congregational Resources Board of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada. The Commission on Overseas Mis- sion will discuss the writing of an overseas mission history, possible sup- port of a new theological school in Paraguay, participation in an inter- Mennonite mission in Hong Kong, disposition of mission property in India, the role of missionary wives on fur- lough, and whether COM should pay ransom if one of its missionaries were kidnapped overseas. The Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission board, in which the General Conference cooperates, voted this fall not to pay such ransom, and Mennonite and Brethren in Christ mission administra- tors agreed last spring to recommend to their respective boards that a policy of nonpayment of ransom be the official position. The Evangelical Foreign Mis- sion Association board of directors has recommended a similar policy to its member missions. The Commission on Education has invited eight General Conference- related parochial school administrators to attend its sessions and will devote one session to discussion of how COE can relate to church-sponsored primary and secondary schools. The parochial school administrators will have a sepa- rate meeting on Saturday. Other agenda items for COE will include a study guide on the role of men in the church, funding for college courses on family life, camping, and beginning a series of study pamphlets. The Mennonite Biblical Seminary board will be meeting Sunday and Monday and will discuss its cooperative relationship with Goshen Biblical Semi- nary on the same campus in Elkhart, Indiana. A long-range planning commit- tee is considering whether the two seminaries should merge or whether they should have one president at some time in the future. The General Board will review the programs and budgets of the commis- sions and boards. It will also discuss such issues as war tax withholding for General Conference employees, minis- terial recruitment, salaries at the central offices, and television violence. Women in Mission will plan for the women's session at the General Confer- ence triennial convention in Bluffton, Ohio, next summer. The advisory coun- cil will also discuss the possibility of future joint issues of Window to mis- sion, its quarterly publication, and Voice, the publication of the Women's Missionary and Service Commission of the Mennonite Church. Words©* deeds The Mennonite Gulf States Missions Conference is investigating the possibil- ity of a joint witness in Starkville, Mississippi, with the University Chris- tian Church. Assistance in the mission of the church has been requested by Harold Kaufman, who is a lay leader there. The Christian Church is involved in ministries to university students and international students, a tutoring pro- gram for elementary and high school students, and a homemakers program. The Gulf States evangelism committee has invited the Mennonite Board of Missions, Elkhart, Indiana, to consider starting a voluntary service unit in Starkville or promoting a joint Mennonite-Christian fellowship. The Eden Church, Moundridge, Kansas, spent Sunday, November 28, in small groups discussing the discovery and use of people's gifts in the congregation. A total of 391 people participated in thirty-four host homes. Among the comments were these: "There needs to be more encouragement in our fellow- ship; there are those who hesitate, are reluctant, and those who lack self- confidence." "Destructive criticism seemed to be the consensus of ourgroup to be a big force in stifling talents." "We need small churches (twelve or less) within the larger church." "Voluntary service can begin in Moundridge." "Some young people feel a let-down after catechism class; they would like to see more follow-up for their Christian growth." In most homes the groups decided the discussions were interest- ing, challenging, and beneficial. A Conference on Charismatic Renewal in the Christian Churches is scheduled July 20-24 in Kansas City, Missouri. The 1977 conference is expected to draw 60,000 people for the ecumenical gather- ing. Among those on the conference planning committee is Nelson Litwiller of Mennonite Renewal Services. TiE MENNONITE 39 He visits men in prison — and bails them out Carl Landis tries to get people out of jail. As executive director of Lancaster Community Pretrial Justice Association (LCPJA) he visits men accused of crimes who must wait for their trial in the Lancaster County prison because they cannot meet bail. Because studies have shown people released before trial have a better chance of getting a lower sentence, Mr. Landis tries to help the men meet bail so they can get out of jail, find an attorney, and prepare a defense. The men either write him a letter or are referred by the prison counselor. Unlike the man's family who must visit through a window, Mr. Landis is al- lowed to have "contact visits" in a small room. Sometimes he only needs to explain the bail system so the person will know what to do. Other times he contacts family or friends who can meet bail for the person. For people with some financial resources, but not enough for the bail, Mr. Landis collects information about the person's job, family, past record, and reputation. With this infor- mation in hand, the magistrate will sometimes reduce bail or allow the person to be set free on the condition he pay the bail if he does not show up at trial. For one man whose employer, wife, and child urgently requested him back, bail was reduced so he could pay it. For a few people with obvious finan- cial need, bail is posted with property or money from the LCPJA bail project. One thousand dollars is the largest amount posted so far. Because Mr. Landis was recently certified as a professional bail bondsman, the LCPJA is no longer limited in the number of people it can bail out. With the two other LCPJA board members and the owner of the property used for bail, Mr. Landis makes sure the Car/ Landis contacts people for the Lancaster Community Pretrial justice Association. person requesting bail is not a seriou risk to the community and shows lack o> evidence he will fail to appear in courlt Because the Lancaster criminal cour only meets every other month, a mat who cannot meet bail can sit in jail fror six weeks to four months waiting forhij hearing. Meanwhile his family is with out a wage earner and father. Thii means people who sit out the time anl are then proven innocent have beei punished for a crime they did nc commit. In such a pressured situatioij some people plead guilty although the! are innocent, so they can get the tria over with and begin serving a senteno, LCPJA started in 1976 from a groupc, people concerned about this situatioi who wanted to provide bail and relate services to people jailed before trial. Tb: Trinity Lutheran Church provided irt office space in their parish house, an! other concerned people, such as a sem retired Mennonite couple, loaned prop erty as surety for bail or gave mone;> The fact that Mr. Landis could voluntef his time as executive director ga\| LCPJA the last push needed to stai functioning. No one else involved inth project had the time. Although Mr. Landis works to he| individuals deal with the present couj system, the overarching purpose of tb) project is to show those in power thir the bail system is unfair to those w\ cannot pay. If enough people release) before trial receive lighter sentence and do not return to jail, Mr. Land says, "We may be able to say something to magistrates — if we have a good trad record." After graduating in 1969 from Mir lersville State College in Millersvilli Pennsylvania, Mr. Landis spent thrt years in the MCC Teachers Abrotl Program — one year of language study I Belgium and two years as an Englisl teacher in Algeria. He then attend^! Associated Mennonite Biblical Semj naries in Elkhart, Indiana, graduate with a master of arts in religion. Returning to Lancaster, his hoii town, in 1974, he worked as an M0 volunteer with the public offende; office. When LCPJA formed and Mr. Land was appointed executive director, hi two-year term with MCC was extendi! to July 1977. He now works part tin with the Sunday worship services intl Lancaster County prison and part tin with the bail project. 40 JANUARY 18, 19' Ihe Cuban church: Out from under suspicion r|s interpretive article is by Doug ^tetter, a member of the MCC Peace tion, who visited Cuba on a Peace tion assignment from September 1- I 3976. sit a strange mixture of fear and itement as our flight touched down ;he Jose Marti International Airport i|-Iavana, Cuba. I had come as part of American delegation of Christians at invitation of the Cuban Govern- nt's Institute for Friendship with the pie. We had been invited to spend ten s visiting schools, factories, and ective farms to help the American gious community understand the )an government, society, and people, had asked for free time to set up ointments and visits on our own in 3r to understand the life of the rch in Cuba today as well. Our hosts ! accommodated us by leaving our nings as well as all day Sunday free, arly the first Sunday morning Merle use, a missions executive for the ireh of the Brethren who was a umber of our delegation, and I traveled i Pentecostal church we had visited night before. There we met a pastor ) would guide us to the Brethren in ist church in Quatro Caminos, about iteen miles outside of Havana, fter three buses and a 1953 Chev- iot taxi, we arrived at the church prtly after the service had begun. At ;d;jt glance we thought that the church empty, but then we realized that the gregation was on their knees in v'er. We slipped quietly into the back ch. re were welcomed with tearful joy Mm the congregation got up from |ij/er. The Scripture for the morning Psalm 100. Pastor Juana Garcia special greetings to their sister hirches in the United States and Uijada. Merle preached a short sermon, irjl spoke briefly about theMennonite :h|~ch in South Vietnam and shared a :ej thoughts on our unity in a God who :ri scends all geographical and politi- 2a systems. luring the sharing period later in the se ice one of the believers, who men- iicjed that we had arrived silently and Jrjcpectedly just like the second com- H; of Christ, hoped that when Christ *>ly does return he will also find the ;regation on their knees. . he Quatro Caminos church is a simple church in a small rural village. Of the total membership of twenty-one persons, fifteen were present at that worship service. The congregation seemed to be composed of men and women of all ages, with a high number of youth participating. Three new members had been bap- tized the previous month. Baptisms are still somewhat of a problem, since the Quatro Caminos congregation is the only Brethren in Christ church in Cuba and pastor Juana Garcia is not ordained, since she finished seminary after all the missionaries left Cuba. The pastor from the Open Bible Standard Church in Havana, whom we met later in the week, said that he had baptized the most recent converts. He explained that even though he belonged to another church, he was willing to baptize the new members strictly following the tradition of the Brethren in Christ. One comment which seemed to be the consensus of the Christian community was that the revolution has brought all of the Chris- tian churches closer together. The service was closed with some good singing from several of the young people. One young woman named Eliza- beth asked that we carry "very special greetings from the youth of the Brethren in Christ church in Cuba to the Menno- nite and Brethren in Christ youth in North America." The worship service Sunday was only the beginning of contacts with Chris- tians in and around Havana throughout the week. During my ten-day visit, I visited four congregations and two of the five Protestant seminaries inCuba. I was greatly impressed by the vitality, openness, and warmth of the congrega- tions and the churches' sincere attempt to grapple with the theological implica- tions of their situation. The years of greatest hardship for the Cuban churches were immediately after the revolution. In the early 1960s the United States first instituted an eco- nomic blockade against Cuba. The blockade, which is still in effect, incor- porates U.S. law prohibiting support from the United States for missionaries or mission churches in Cuba. At that time all of the Mennonite and Brethren in Christ and all but one of the other Protestant missionaries left. Many of the churches, including Mennonites and Brethren in Christ, also sponsored their Cuban pastors' emigra- tion to the United States as refugees, leaving the church practically without leaders. Although she was not then a pastor, Juana Garcia saw the church leaderless, felt that her congregation should be kept together, and decided to go to the West Indian Mission seminary in Cuba for theological training. Believ- ers from the other Mennonite churches which dissolved joined other Protestant churches in the area. Immediately after the revolution the government was suspicious of many of the churches, most of whom at that time actively opposed the new government. Some Christians even participated in the CIA-sponsored Bay of Pigs invasion. During that period of turmoil the churches were closely watched. Juana Garcia mentioned that if a stranger came into the church she would imme- diately switch to preaching on John 3: 16, feeling that that passage would least likely be misunderstood as something subversive. But for many years now, the tension between the church and the state has subsided, and freedom of religion is guaranteed by the new Cuban constitution adopted in 1975. Raul Caballos, a Presbyterian pastor, pointed out the dilemma for the Cuban church today. "For years we as Chris- tians claimed to be God's people. We claimed to care about the needy, feed the hungry, and clothe the naked, but mostly it was just words. And now we have a government which is doing these very things. Do you remember Christ's parable of the father who had two sons? He asked both to work in his vineyard. One of the sons said yes but did nothing. The other son said no but turned around and did what his father had com- manded. Christ turned to the people and asked which was the real son of the father. And the people responded, 'The son who actually did as his father commanded.' " Mr. Caballos pointed out that many times in the Bible where God's people were unfaithful, God would use even pagan kings to do his will. Despite the difficulties of the Cuban church, however, I came away from Cuba with great hope. In both of the seminaries I visited there was much talk of the new church which is now being born. It is too early to tell what this church will look like. But it is evident that there are many Christians who are seeking to be faithful to God and to understand what he would have them do within the new society in Cuba today. h MENNONITE 41 Africans discuss body-soul dichotomy "Evangelism is not the same as social action, but both evangelism and social action are responsibilities of Chris- tians," said African leader Gottfried Osei-Mensah at the Pan African Chris- tian Leadership Assembly December 9- 19 in Nairobi, Kenya. The executive secretary of the Lau- sanne Committee for World Evangeliza- tion said four concepts vie for accep- tance in the Christian world: social concern or evangelism, social concern is evangelism, social concern for evange- lism, and social concern and evange- lism. He subscribes to the fourth posi- tion. "Feed, don't whip, reluctant givers" People will give when they are spiritual- ly fit, said Vernon Wiebe, general secretary of the Mennonite Brethren Board of Missions and Services, Hills- boro, Kansas. "List the people who come only for the morning worship service and never take any responsibility in the church, and you will have a list of most of the reluctant givers in your church," he said. "The solution to their dilemma is not more encouragement — that is like ship- ping an undernourished pony. The solution is renewal and that is every member's responsibility." Revised MB confession of faith released The revised Mennonite Brethren Con- fession of Faith, written after over a decade of discussion in committees, churches, and schools, has been pub- lished in booklet form. The first confession of faith drafted completely by Mennonite Brethren was published in 1902 and was accepted by churches in both North America and Paraguayan settlement project continues A Chulupi administrator and a Campo AJegre, Paraguay, family draw water from well, one of fifteen drilled for Indian villages by MCC in cooperation with the India Settlement Board. The board is made up of Chaco Indians and Paraguayo>\ Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church members. Other projects include classes: gardening, cattle raising, basic mathemetics, and use of credit. More than 7(j| Indian families joined the settlements around the Mennonite colonies betvra 1959, when the program began, and 1976. Approximately 80 percent of the seventj nine families who joined settlements last year grew up in one of the originj villages. Russia. It was translated from German to English and printed in 1940. In 1966 the General Conference of the Menno- nite Brethren Churches voted to revise the confession "in contemporary lan- guage." The revision committee (A.J. Klassen, Victor Adrian, Clarence Hie- bert, and J. A. Toews) husbanded the revision through seven drafts. The final version was accepted by the conference in 1975. Copies are available for 50 cents each from the Fellowship Bookcenter, 302 Kennedy St., Winnipeg, Manitoba R2L 1L4. BOOK BINDING AND REPAIRING Expert work on Bibles, zines and newspapers hymnbooks, and others. Bind maga- in book form. Will do a year of THE MENNONITE for $6.50 plus postage. 1 1. 1 1. ( Joertzen 271 Marshall Bay, Winnipeg, Manitoba (2()4) 475-6352 World Leprosy Sunday set January 30 World Leprosy Sunday on January will highlight the concern of the Chr: tian church for the fifteen million peoj in the world with leprosy. The General Conference has be| involved in leprosy work overseas sin: 1902, when the late missionary P. j Penner founded the Bethesda Leproj Hospital and Homes in Champa, Ind| The General Conference's Commj sion on Overseas Mission suppli; personnel until 1972 and has givi finances since then. The General Conference also won with leprosy patients at Kilometer 81i Paraguay through missionary Elear Mathies. Ms. Mathies, a member of ll Leamington (Ontario) United Menil nite Church, has served there since IS as a nurse and physiotherapist. The American Leprosy Missio Bloomfield, New Jersey, is offering, f of charge, to pastors and church lead a kit of educational materials for USf special services. ! 42 JANUARY 18, 1i Ilecord Ibrkers ILna Cressman, missionary in India |[er the Commission on Overseas iiision of the General Conference I nnonite Church, returned to Kitchen- IjOnt., in mid-December for a 2V2- iths furlough. Ms. Cressman has n in India since 1947 and has been in ;hing and administration at Wood- :k School, Mussoorie, India, since B|5. She is a member of the Stirling II?. Church in Kitchener, d and Linda Enns of Niverville, n., left Dec. 28, 1976, for one year of ^uage study in San Jose, Costa Rica, owing that year, they will be serving er the General Conference's Com- njsion on Overseas Mission as mis- ii iaries in Colombia, particularly with i terature ministry, amuel and Leona Entz, First Church, vton, Kans., have terminated as leral Conference Mennonite mis- laries in Zaire, effective Dec. 31, IS 6. They have served in Zaire under ica Inter-Mennonite Mission since ember 1949. Sam served most re- ly as mission mechanic with general isportation responsibilities, and na was a nurse at the maternity Dital in Kalonda, Zaire. Upon their rn to Newton, Sam planned to be -employed as an auto mechanic. haron Epp, Bethesda Church, Hen- ;on, Nebr., began work Jan. 10 as a etary at the central offices of the eral Conference, Newton, Kans. She work with the Commission on rseas Mission, primarily as secre- to Verney Unruh, COM secretary 'ijAsia. Ms. Epp has most recently Hp secretary and comptroller for the altered Care Workshop (a center for rded adults) in Markham, 111. She »| served in that capacity while in Mlj.nonite Voluntary Service in 1974- 78She is a graduate of Freeman (S.D.) [ft or College. Ms. Epp replaces Donata wins GiJIen, who resigned in No- *ber to move to Wyoming. na Friesen of Morden, Man., has ae I appointed as a mission associate in Vl.ico under the General Conference o| hree years. She left Jan. 5 for nine Hi ths of Spanish language study in I Jose, Costa Rica. After that she will $o|3 Cuauhtemoc, Mexico, to assist in r;jring practical nurses at the federal Friesen Reimer hospital, where missionary Tina Fehr is director of nursing. Ms. Friesen, a member of the Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference, has most recently been employed at the Bethel Hospital in Winnipeg, Man., as a registered nurse. She served a three-months term under COM in March to May 1976. She was born in Mexico. Harry Martens, Elkhart, Ind., left Dec. 30, 1976, to spend two months in India teaching about stewardship. His assign- ment under the Commission on Over- seas Mission of the General Conference Mennonite Church includes workshops, seminars, and classes on giving in congregations of the Bharatiya General Conference Mennonite Church. Upon his return from India, he will begin serving as general consultant and direc- tor of Mennonite Biblical Seminary Associates. Helen Reimer of Meade, Kans., is beginning a 3V2-months term in Mexico as a mission volunteer under the Gener- al Conference. A licensed practical nurse, Ms. Reimer will be involved in maternity nursing at the Mennonite clinic in the village of Nuevo Namiqui- pa, near Cuauhtemoc. She is a member of the Emmanuel Evangelical Menno- nite Church in Meade and has been employed at the Fowler (Kans.) Nursing Home. She previously worked seven years at Trinity Hospital, Dodge City, Kans. Joieen Siebert has been appointed an admissions counselor at Bethel College, North Newton, Kans., beginning Jan. 9. She will be working with prospective students for Bethel with special atten- tion to recruitment in northwestern Kansas and alumni children in the Northern District. A native of Reedley, Calif., she attended Reedley Junior College and California State University at Fresno. Ms. Siebert graduated from Bethel in 1973 with a degree in elemen- tary education. She served a two-year assignment with Mennonite Voluntary Service at Friendship Day-Care Center, Hutchinson, Kans. Most recently she has been employed by Menno Travel Service, Newton. Ms. Siebert replaces Nyla Friesen Huffman who is moving to western Kansas. Correction Jurgen Schonwetter, Eben-Ezer Church, Clearbrook, B.C., has been named in- terim pastor of the Glendale Church, Lynden, Wash. He continues to be instructor at Columbia Bible Institute in Clearbrook. He has served previous pastorates in Walton, Kans.; Etna Green, Ind.; and Greendale, B.C. Calendar Apr. 14-17 — Central District Confer- ence annual sessions, Calvary Church, Washington, 111. June 9-12 — Pacific District Confer- ence annual sessions, Aurora, Ore. July 28-Aug. 3 — General Conference triennial sessions, Bluffton, Ohio Canadian Feb. 25-26 — Conference of Menno- nites in Saskatchewan annual sessions, Seventh Day Adventist complex, Dun- durn; theme, "We are God's fellow workers"; speaker, Helmut Harder Northern Mar. 31, Apr. 1, 2— Presentation of Gilbert and Sullivan's The gondoliers. Schmeckfest, Freeman, S.D. Help wanted Northern and Southern Cheyenne communities in Montana and Oklahoma need community service workers. Variety of positions possible. Married couples, age twenty-two years or older, who are available for two years, want to be helpful in a different culture, and have solid social service skills should Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 ft- MENNONITE 43 Review Four books about women and men Man as male and female, by Paul K. Jewett (Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Mich., 2975. 200 pp., $2.95 pbj; To be a man — to be a woman, by Kenneth and Alice Hamilton (Abingdon, Nashville and New York, 1975, 159 pp., $2.95 pbj; What wives wish their husbands knew about women, by James Dobson (Tyn- dale, Wheaton, III, 1975, 189pp., $5.95); and Women without men, by Dorothy Payne (Pilgrim, Phdadelphia and Bos- ton. 1969. 150 pp., $4.95]. are reviewed by Lois Barrett, associate editor of The Mennonite. The "woman question" is really a man- woman question. That is the attitude of Paul Jewett in Man as male and female; A study in sexual relationships from a theological point of view. The book is an extended commentary on Genesis 1:27, "And God created Man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." Mr. Jewett's term "Man" refers to the Hebrew word adham, contrasted with "man" fish) and "woman" (ish- shahj. Sexuality is not a result of the Fall, but a good, creative act of God, says Mr. Jewett. He writes, "Man's sexuality is not simply a mechanism for procreation which Man has in common with the animal world; it is rather a part of what it means to be like the Creator. As God is a fellowship in himself (Trinity), so Man is a fellowship in himself, and the fundamental form of this fellowship, so far as Man is concerned, is that of male and female." ("Fellowship" does not necessarily mean marriage.) Mr. Jewett argues against the femi- nists who advocate androgeny, the ideal personhood which transcends male and female. There are inherent differences between men and women which are more than physical and not simply cultural. Androgeny denies the good- ness of maleness and femaleness, he says. On the other hand, he also argues againsl those (including theologian Karl Rarlh) who say thai because men and women are inherently different, one must always be subordinate to the Other, Such a theology is not biblical, says the Fuller Theological Seminary professor. If one presses the subjection of wives on biblical grounds, he says, one must also press for the subjection of slaves. Mr. Jewett depicts Paul as a man caught between his rabbinic upbringing (with his interpretation of Genesis 2 that women are subordinate) and his commitment to the life-style of Jesus, in which men and women are treated with equal respect. Mr. Jewett tries to show that a faithful interpretation of Genesis 2 does not lead to a hierarchy of men over women. Part of Mr. Jewett's argument is weakened, however, because he does not know what are the inherent differ- ences between male and female, beyond the physical. Most other differences vary from culture to culture, and the nonphysical differences between the sexes remain a "divine secret," he ad- mits. The book is a helpful exposition of Genesis 1 and 2, but it would have been more helpful if Mr. Jewett had not tried to rely so much on a "secret" for which he has no evidence. The less serious scholar might enjoy To be a man — to be a woman, a shorter study book written by a husband-wife team, both professors at the University of Winnipeg. The two take a biblical look at masculine and feminine stereotypes, which are part of a fallen world. " 'In the Spirit,' men and women have exactly the same needs," say the Hamil- tons. "There is no male or female way of finding God, no male or female way of receiving the Holy Spirit." The book will be most helpful to adult Sunday school classes and during-the- week study groups in dealing with sexuality. Each chapter ends with a summary of the lesson, a list of discus- sion questions, and activity sugges- tions. Less helpful is What wives wish their husbands knew about women. It may help married couples cope with tradi- tional roles, but it does little to offer alternative roles. The book will help women — and their husbands — understand and identify feelings of emotional isolation and; depression. Chapter titles include "Low self-esteem," "Fatigue and time pres- sure," "Sexual problems in marriage," and "Problems with children." Mr. Dobson assumes male leadership but the main weakness of the book i that he counters his opposition with ridicule rather than reason'. And there are probably many fewer women in the full-time, stay-at-homf role than Mr. Dobson wishes. Underlining the predominance off 1 women in other roles is Dorothy Payne's Women without men; Creative livingfoi1'' singles, divorcees, and widows. Ms,|| Payne, who has been both widowed and divorced, points out that, in the United" States, blacks of both sexes and every! *l age make up 10 or 11 percent of thef* population, while single women alont over the age of thirty make up 8 or E percent. The first nine chapters deal with t he concerns of single women — particular^ f middle-aged single women: social limff bo, a poor self-image, the physical life religion, employment, and involvemen' 1 in society and meeting others' needs. F1 "I have high hope and great faith in thi single woman," she writes. "But sh> must be awakened, she must act, sh must share her life. And she must b\ willing to take the first step." The last four chapters are Ms. Payn own life story: her first short marria which ended in her husband's death, he intense sense of failure after her secom | marriage which ended in divorce, he crisis and new birth with the help o friends who cared. "Once the self was released from il bondages of guilt, fear, and anger, I waM freed to do many things I had formed thought impossible." She entered seffljl nary at age forty-five and is now I minister to single women in Manhattai "Gradually I was enabled to becom creatively involved in the lives i others — to give and accept love and lid and attention because I now felt a ceptable." This book should be on the highly recommended list for all single womi and lor others who care about them. 44 JANUARY 18, 19 Beauty and the beast ItateMe aid the ■MMraa Larry Kehler Saturday morning television pro- ns were put in prime time, it would te a national scandal," charged a munications research expert at a /ention of religious communicators long ago. eorge Gerbner, dean of the Annen- ! School of Communications in ladelphia, said, "Saturday morning here we dump our cheapest, crudest, only the most violent, but the most products, compared to which llost any kind of adult entertainment ill of sophistication, subtlety, and lijianeness." pildren's television, he concluded, ains "the crudest and most direct •ession" of North American preju- s. any parents may be surprised by accusation. After all, Saturday ning programs keep their children of their hair while they do the ning or while they try to take mtage of the one day in the week n they can sleep in. mother, Tilya Gallay, counted her '\ blessings like this in a TV guide :le several years ago: "The beauty of dsion is that the children watch it. while they're watching, they're not g other things, like flushing your brushes down the toilet or tying ■Is in your best nylons to make a kjping rope. . . . 'jherefore, you television networks m heart. Ignore your critics and liilain your foes. Consider this a love ■ r from every woman who has ever lea child. Until they make boarding el|ols compulsory from birth, or bring iaj the extinct nursemaid, you are the n i^er to a mother's prayers." 3. Gallay is speaking tongue-in- h k, we hope. But probably not. We have seen too many homes where television is in fact seen and accepted as a prime baby-sitter. One suspects that many parents have no idea what their children are watching, just as long as they keep out of mischief. It is estimated that a North American child spends at least three hours every day in front of the TV set. That adds up to more hours than he or she spends in school. By the age of eighteen she or he will have logged 20,000 hours in tube- gazing. During this time, says John Mahoney in a 1975 article in U.S. Catholic, the child "will have seen around a quarter of a million commercials and memorized a few thousand of them. Between the ages of five and fifteen ... a child sees 13,400 human beings destroyed on TV shows. And he sees many more acts of less- than-lethal violence, including TV news accounts of tornadoes, fires, plane crashes, battles, hijackings, drug raids, and riots — and these, unfortunately, cannot be explained away as make- believe." Deep concern about TV's obsession with violence has raised repeated out- cries from parents and others about By age eighteen, a child may have logged 20,000 hours of tube-gazing— more hours than a child spends in school. The cumulative influence of TV may well be like that of a spider's web — finally it has complete control. MENNONITE 45 what this is doing to young people and children. But despite this pressure, television violence may actually be on the upswing. Three American networks introduced the "family viewing hour" in 1975. They said that during the period from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. there would be a moratorium on sex and mayhem. But all that has happened is that the time slot from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. has become raunchier and gorier than ever. A U.S. federal court recently declared the "family viewing" concept unconstitutional because it pated as they watch the struggle be- tween hero and villain on TV. If they are maladjusted, neglected, mistreated, or underprivileged, the violence they watch can add to their frustration and find outlet in antisocial action." More recently a New Jersey re- searcher, Anne R. Sommers, has shown that television violence does indeed contribute heavily to real-life crime. TV's guilt is clear, she says. Dozens of studies have shown a "demonstrable causal relation between televised vio- lence and aggression in children. Televi- John Mahoney praises children's shows like "Sesame St." (abovej, "The electric company," "Mr. Roger's neighborhood," and "Zoom." restricts freedom of speech. The net- works are appealing the decision. Does TV violence really have negative effects on young viewers? Wilbur Schramm, a researcher at Stanford University, carried out extensive stud- ies on this question in the mid-1960s. A TV guide article summarized his find- ings thus: "He found that children are less affected by the violence they witness on TV screens than they are by their parents' attitudes toward violence. . . . "If they are happy, healthy children with loving parents, then their minor annoyances will be forgotten or elissi- sion thus serves as a molder, not merely as a mirror of social values. "Constant exposure to symbolic violence acts not as a catharsis of aggression in children, but rather tends to promote insensitivi- ty and emulation." Other researchers have found that TV heightens adult aggressiveness, too. Psychoanalyst Fredric Wertham, who has done research on this subject over twenty-five years, said recently, "The very fact that extremely violent pro- grams both in television and movies are so popular does not show that they are all right and harmless, but that a whole society is affected." William C. Kvaraceus of Tufts Uni- versity, an expert on delinquency, says imitation of United States television isj not only a national, but an international^ problem. "Standardization of delin- quent behavior can be attributed inlft large measure to our mass media. . . ,"r Is the answer, then, to ban all violence from the TV screen? We think not. At] statement released by the United <, Church of Canada says, "The prevalence of violence is part of the unpleasant reality of life today, and the only wayl that concerned people can fight it whether it be on the streets or on thai battlefield, is to know what it is and tc take courage by facing that reality." il But that same statement adds that the enjoyment of violence for the sake ol. violence is "a sick reaction." The article appeals to parents to turn off violence- for-entertainment programs and t([i refuse to purchase any products manull factured by sponsors of such programs John Mahoney, in the U.S. Catholii article quoted above, praises children'; programs such as "Sesame St.," "ThiM electric company," "Mr. Roger's neigh borhood," and "Zoom." He goes on to sav that there is nothing inherently bad fo children in TV as a medium, providee ; that the following five safe-guardinj provisions are met: ". . . First, that their eyes are matun enough for watching TV, and that th|. duration and conditions of viewing an . likewise safe for their eyes; "Second, that there be nothing in th TV fare to deceive them, arouse un healthy fears or cravings, or teach then unsound attitudes; "Third, that their viewing be doneili the company of one of their parents, wh' I will discuss with them any questions Oj. problems the program may present; [I "Fourth, that TV-watching does no ' take away from any of their essenti; business in life as growing children- such as working, thinking, playing, an talking with their parents, with othe relatives, and with friends; and "Fifth, that they not become addicte to TV as a substitute for any of th| I activity they themselves should ty:t planning anel carrying out on the) it, own." If these conditions are not met, tl , battle between the beautiful potential c , our children and the wild beast whit lurks within an untamed television si can be lost. It's a struggle which « should be more concerned about wii ning. A Meetinghouse article Next issue;; TV7— Can it be himod? 46 JANUARY 18, 19 llcdUation ii iilloused fiked me down the road one day. ei my hand. CS how nice I am to me. a stranger by the gate, ny land. how he threatened me! him he had better go, my kind. ^iow sad seemed he. man he left, I stood alone, ;hed a time, best to you," said he. fled back up to the house ty night :hed the late TV itting here comfortably watching the color TV documentary on the Israeli le of the hijacked Air France plane. I'm secure in my homespun Christianity; I / my destiny; the TV and characters are impersonal actors on a stage that has mg to do with me. wi ity minutes ago I received a phone call. B. J., a friend of mine, someone I visited ii three weeks ago, died today of a massive heart attack. n ot so comfortable. ■edy, sorrow, killing, kidnapping, pleasure, comfort, unrest, seeking, security, 'S it )i it n< The thoughts that run through my mind! Did I ever share my security in Christ B. J.? Did he know Jesus? No, I never did share with him. It was none of my 2rn. He was just a friend. You don't share Christ with friends. You send ionaries to foreign lands to tell the pagans. I'm saved. He knows. He must ^ I'm getting desperate! ai writes in 2 Corinthians 4:3: "If the good news we preach is hidden from anyone, iijiidden from the one who is on the road to eternal death." He speaks of being a ill shining that cannot be hid, a power shining within us. If we've turned the Jj r off, it seems to me that the condemnation of the lost should rest upon us. m s why I'm getting desperate! Contents The history written in pencil 34 Celebrating a woman's gifts 36 Can we hear the prophets? 38 News 39 Record 43 Four books about women and men 44 Beauty and the beast 45 Calloused 47 Whither in 1977? 48 CONTRIBUTORS Mary Lou Cummings, Route 4, Quaker- town, Pa. 18951, has been active in the Eastern District's education and publica- tion committee. Jan Lugibihl is director of the Jeffco Action Center in her MVS assignment. She lives at 7912-B Oberon Road, Arvada, Colo. 80002. Katie Funk Wiebe's address is 208 North Jefferson, Hillsboro, Kans. 67063. Larry Kehler, 440 Best St., Winnipeg, Man., is pastor of the Charleswood Mennonite Church. Nick Dyck, 600ShaftesburyBoulevard, Winnipeg, Man., is a second-year student at Canadian Mennonite Bible College. Elmer Neufeld, Bluffton College, Bluff- ton, Ohio 45817, is the president of the General Conference Mennonite Church. CREDITS Cover, 34, the late Harry L. Johnson, Philadelphia; cover, 36, 37, Jon Sommer, 7912-A Oberon Road, Arvada, Colo. 80002; 40, Christine Wiebe, MCC; 42, Lem Metzler, MCC; 45, Strix Pix, Newville, Pa. 17241; 46, Canadian Broadcasting Corpo- ration, Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boule- vard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Tele- phone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main St., Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. c§ any are hurting and dying «jeing so quiet f [.—please forgive me! J.us— forgive me, wretched man that I am! fic| Dyck Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circulation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special edition editor: Central District, Lloyd L. Ramseyer, 488 West Elm St., Bluffton, Ohio 45817. HI MENNONITE 47 Whither in 1977? Elmer Neufeld Marvelous, frightening technology reaches as far as the moon and other planets of the solar system. Blind and blundering technology destroys the natural environment. Urban conglomerates mushroom, and the stench of urban decay spreads. Weaponry is science fictional, and the armaments competition turns into madness. Massive world poverty and starvation linger in the shadows of wealth and gluttony. The world population passes the four billion mark and is still multiplying rapidly. Some U.S. and Canadian cities report more abor- tions than live births. World Christianity increases 7.5 million against a world population increase of 84 million. A handful of Mennonites (600,000) are scattered across this vast, seething globe. Roughly one-tenth of all Mennonites are in the North American General Conference. This is the world in which we find ourselves. Where will we go as a conference in 1977? Evangelism. Can we unite in a basic commit- ment to evangelism — to proclaim the good news of Christ to a bewildered and self- destructing generation? Can we come together in a vision of evangelism that has passionate concern for a lost generation and a deep understanding of human wholeness? Can we find a vision not fashioned by Fifth Ave. techniques nor by a mixture of national self- satisfaction and shallow piety, but a vision rooted deeply in the biblical faith and the compassionate spirit of our Lord? Or will we occupy ourselves with argumentation be- tween "evangelism" and social concern and leave the Mennonite share of actual outreach to the younger churches of Asia, Africa, and Latin America? Materia/ goods. Can we commit a greater share of the material goods under our control to those of God's children living in poverty and starvation? Can we realize anew that life does not consist in the abundance of our posses- sions? Can we rehabilitate the "simple life" teachings of our forebears, which at one stage in history seemed old-fashioned and silly, but may yet prove to be a condition of human survival? Can our giving to missions and service at least keep pace with inflation, or are we willing to accept the fact of declining ministries? Can we understand that even the $3 million budget of the General Conference and the $9 million budget of the Mennonite Central Committee still represent only giving out of our abundance? Militarism and war. Can a handful of Mennonites, joined by kindred souls across the world church, witness against the madden- ing race toward war and destruction? Can the vision of our parents and parents' parents reborn 450 years ago survive another fifty years? Or will that vision forged in the midst of persecution and suffering be lost in a generation of ease in Zion? Can consideration of an issue as complex as war taxes deepen our fellowship and empower our witness, or will it tear apart the fabric of our togetherness? Can we catch a vision of a world Christian community bound together in Christ, refusing to be divided by the kingdoms of this world? Families. Can the family focus of the 1977 triennial conference help us bind together that which is everywhere falling apart about us and among us? Can we by God's grace perpetuate the covenant "till death do us part" in a world that swaps relationships like used cars? Can we preserve the strength of enduring family relationships in which children can be nurtured in the faith and in moral character? Can our church families at the same time receive lovingly and redemptively those caught up in the torments of broken homes? Individuals. Can we as individuals streng- then the resources of Bible study, meditation, and prayer in a world of frenzied activity? Can we deepen the wells of living waters in our own lives, or will we spend our limited resources building broken cisterns that quick- ly run dry in the times of famine? Can we commit time to the inward journey of medita- tion and prayer as well as to the outward journey of program activities? Can we again be known as a people of the Book? Can we deepen the rootedness of lives lived in close fellow- ship with our Lord? Can we walk through the valleys of this terrifying life without fearing evil because he is with us? "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." iVIeiiiioiiiie OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO MAN LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST 92:4 JANUARY 2 5, 1977 Inside this issue: Focus on TV— 3 Last article in series by Larry Kehler What Lutherans believe Gsiii it be tamed? Larry Kehler The question has two sides: Can cor cerned persons control the impact television in their own homes an communities? Can groups such as tj church master its technology and ij cost sufficiently to use it as a way f communicating their messages an concerns to much broader audiences?| 1. Controlling the impact. The twl earlier articles have already suggested number of ways in which control can a exercised. There are two basic ways J doing this: (1) We can try to do tr] filtering and screening at the receivirl end, and/or (2) we can exert pressure? on the program producers and advertia ers to change programs that are not ti our liking. The most clear-cut way of regulatim TV's outpourings is to have no set at all While this approach is simple an attractive, it does have several prot) lems. The most serious one is that fe\i families are choosing it. Another is thej it eliminates the opportunity of seeing some of television's more worthwhile offerings; it also tends to set up situa lions where the children do their viewj ing "underground." Control and dialo thus become delicate, if not impossible But if you have a set, what do you do! — Budget your personal or your fami ly's viewing time. Decide on the opo mum amount of time that viewing wil be permitted during the course of th week. Stick to this guideline rathe firmly, but not inflexibly. There may b weeks when there isn't enough goo< viewing available to fill the allot tee time, and there may be other occasion when you may wish to go somewha beyond the budgeted amount of time The important thing is to "watch for ; reason," suggests Stewart Hoover, tin media education person for the Churcl of the Brethren. 50 JANUARY 25, 197^ — Do as much viewing as possible as a family. Parents are thus present to answer concerns and questions arising from a program, and they know what the children are seeing. Deliberately follow up some programs with discus- sions on the issues raised. Teach the 'children to view both the shows and the commercials discriminatingly. — Respect the power and the influence of the medium. Don't allow it to lull you into feeling that it is innocuous and harmless. — Use forethought in selecting pro- grams. Use aids in making these deci- sions. Newspaper and magazine re- views may be helpful. Special publications, such as Cultural informa- tion service (Box 92, New York, New York 10016— $12 for a one-year sub- scription), give previews of important upcoming TV films and programs, and they also often provide suggestions for : processing the shows. I — Give community cable and public I channels a chance. Their offerings may not be as slick as those of the major '.'networks, but they will have frequent lliprograms which will be well worth seeing. | If you're not satisfied to exercise your control merely with the on-off button or the channel selector, here are some other things for you to think about (adapted from Meet the media, by Dorothy Forbes, a booklet prepared for the Canadian Council of Churches in 1975): — Phone the local station when you like or dislike something it is showing. — Write to the producers. — Let advertisers know how you feel about programs they are sponsoring and about their commercials. — Form a media interest group in your neighborhood or church. — Write or present briefs to the Canadian Radio-Television Commis- sion or to the (U.S.) Federal Communi- cations Commission. — Invite media people to talk to a group in your church or community. Some of the Mennonite conferences have media education personnel on staff to help churches in this area. If you have a gripe, it may be more helpful (especially in the United States) to communicate with the local broad- cast outlet than with the network head office. Hal C. Wingo, news editor of People magazine, gave a Southern Baptist convention this advice a year ago: "However appealing it may be to deal with the man at the top, that is precisely the wrong end of the tube to squeeze when it comes to television broadcast- ing. What you have to do is deal with the local outlet on matters which you may feel are out of sync with the attitude of your community." And we must not forget that influence can also be applied from within the broadcast industry. Kenneth J. Weaver, executive director for Mennonite Broad- casts, Harrisonburg, Virginia, gave Eastern Mennonite High School stu- dents the following counsel in a 1976 chapel talk: "Whatever your skills or interests, consider public media. If your thing be electronics, selling, management, art and design, writing, creating, or speak- ing, consider public media as a way in which to serve your fellowmen. "The human part of public media," he said, "plays a more decisive role than the most marvelous electronic instru- ments. ... As Christians, we approach our work with the kind of motivation and commitment to being servants to persons and their needs." 2. Getting the church's message out via the tube. Television time and the One kind of a response to TV One way for Christians to respond to television is to write the networks. Compliment and encourage those programs that are good. Challenge and complain about those which should be changed or dropped. The networks are interested in your opinions. In Canada write to: CTV Television Network, 42 Charles St. East, Toronto, Ontario M4Y 1T5 CBC Television Box 500, Terminal A Toronto, Ontario M5W 1E6 In the United States write to: American Broadcasting Company 1330 Avenue of the Americas New York, New York 10019 Columbia Broadcasting System 51 West 52 St. New York, New York 10019 National Broadcasting Company 30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, New York 10020 National Educational Television 304 West 58 New York, New York 10019 Address your comments to the department of public relations. In addition, it is good to send carbon copies of your letters to the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (in Canada), 100 Metcalf St., Ottawa, Ontario; or to the Federal Communications Commission (in the United States), TV Programming, 1919 M St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20554. To help you in developing an intelligent response to the media, there are materials available. Larry Kehler suggests that you might write for the following things: Meet the media, from Canadian Council of Churches, 40 St. Clair Ave. East, Toronto, Ontario M4T 1M9 ($1.00 per copy). TV: The anonymous teacher is a film produced by the Media Action Research Center. If it is not available for rent from your denomination's film library, it may be rented from Mass Media Ministries, 2116 North Charles St., Baltimore, Maryland 21218. Action for Children's Television (46 Austin St., Newtonville, Massachusetts 02160) publishes a quarterly journal ($5.00). It also has films and books available. Access magazine is published biweekly by the National Citizen's Committee for Broadcasting, 1346 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20036. It is for those especially who are interested in social action for media reform. THE MENNONITE 51 production of programs carry sky-high price tags. So what are smaller denomi- national groups such as the Mennonites and the Brethren in Christ to do to make use of this medium? One of the things that several of them have done well together is to produce spots on family life, peace, and other themes for use as free-time public service announcements. The churches' media budgets were thus not swallowed in one gulp by a big bill for media time. Church groups are also given frequent opportunity to produce free-time half- hour or fifteen-minute programs for a local outlet's "religious" program slots. Cable channels provide a further opportunity for churches to put their creativity to use. But the churches haven't done all that well in using television to get their message out. Charles E. Reilly, Jr., writing in Variety, the show business weekly, a few years ago, said that and practice churches are failing to reach their "real target" audiences — those "outside" the church — through the techniques and media they know and respond to best, principally television. He went on to say that religious denominations are not communicating Christ's message of salvation and service, and they are at a loss "to realize that a competent com- munications capability is essential to- day." "Some way must be found to convince them that staffing and financing major multimedia involvement is critical to their future growth and perhaps even to their survival," he said. Joe Bridges, media consultant for the U.S. Mennonite Brethren Conference, had a similar concern when he spoke to a Mennonite Brethren banquet in Winnipeg not long ago: "Let's wake up to the fact that God's message is urgent enough to use those channels of communication which reach Whenever Lutherans appear in an ecumenical gathering, someone is sure to say, "We appreciate your presence because you Lutherans keep us aware of the importance of theology and doc- trine." The comment is in order. Lutherans have stressed doctrine from the moment Martin Luther at the Diet of Worms staked his future on the correctness of his belief. "Here I stand; I can do no other." The first and only universally accepted statement of faith which Lutherans produced, called the Augsburg Confession, was written to show that they had not deviated from the original teachings of Christianity. This emphasis behind the writing of the Augsburg Confession also indicates the direction of Lutheran doctrinal self- understanding. These people have no interest in setting up any private preserve of teaching which only the people at their most vulnerable an attentive point. "There are many ways you and I ca get this message across without neces; sarily developing and producing prc» grams." He said, "One good method is t make yourself available for publi, affairs programs. Don't hesitate to makl a Christian viewpoint known about ah issue. . . . "Some persons can work at influenci ing and evangelizing TV personalities.. "I began with the question: 'Are medi! good for us?' . . . The answer is no, if w| continue to let them manipulate ami shape us and our Christian values. But i| we realize the potential of television an| use it to reach people where they are, ijj is not only good, it's excitin-g. God hel]| us to respond and act promptly." J Meetinghouse article Final article in series George Herbert Muedekinj "true believers" or initiates may follow The Lutherans intend, as Erns Troeltsch said, to be a "church" rathei than a "sect." It is of particular interest that officiaj Lutheran visitors to the Vatican hav( been told recently that the Augsburg Confession is under consideration by the Vatican as a doctrinal statement worthy of the whole church. One teaching beyond all others con- trols the Lutheran proclamation. It is "grace alone. "This is the teaching which! Lutherans believe ultimately explains everything they find in the Bible. It affirms that God relates to us positively not for any valuableness we have ac- quired, but sheerly out of the love that! he himself is. He extends this love— himself — spontaneously and uncondi- tionally through his Son Jesus Christ. This is not "love in general," but it is What Lutherans believe 52 JANUARY 25, 1977 H Martin Luther nailed his ninety-five theses on the door of the Schlosskirche in Wittenberg. Germany, on October 31, 1517. The posting of these theses is generally considered to mark the beginning of the Lutheran Church and of the Protestant Reforma- tion. exercised toward us in a particular historical moment, when "he (Jesus Christ) became sin for us" (2 Cor. 5:19). At his crucifixion and resurrection, the aower of evil to enslave us was forever uroken by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ bn the cross. | A number of consequences follow :rom this central teaching. This good lews about Jesus Christ as Savior from sin, the "gospel," takes precedence in ivery form of witness the Lutheran :hurch makes. Over most of the world, hese people call themselves not "Lu- theran," but "evangelical" — "the Good Vews Church." Only in the United states do they take the name "Lutheran" o distinguish themselves from other Protestant groups who also use the name "evangelical." If it is "by grace you have been saved" (Eph. 2:8), there is a second conse- quence. All we can do is accept that grace. By definition, nothing can attract or command it. It is spontaneous, unmerited, unconditional. The Bible calls that simple but life- changing acceptance "faith" — or trust. New Testament Christians explained trust by saying that it is to "confess Jesus Christ as Lord" (Rom. 10:9), that is, the Master of my life. He owns me because he "ransomed me with his own precious blood" (1 Pet. 1:18-19). Confi- dently to acknowledge that ownership is to trust, to have faith. "Faith alone" therefore became the second foundational conviction of the Lutheran Reformation. Again it grew out of the agony of Luther's own quest for acceptability before God. His recog- nition was that Romans 1:16-17 "opened the gates of paradise" for him, since it told of God's action for his salvation rather than having to depend on his own feeble and fumbling efforts. The third consequence of "grace alone" is that no particular Christian life-style determines our relationship to God. The norm is, "By grace, not by works, lest any man should boast" (Eph. 2:8-9). Lutherans have therefore regu- larly resisted making any life-style the particularly Christian one. How one expresses to his neighbor the love Christ has given him is therefore at the initiative and within "the freedom of the Christian man," to quote one of Luther's most influential tracts. Forms of effecting social justice and exhibiting our Christian faith (for example, paci- fism, temperance, antiracism) are not therefore prescribed across the board for Lutherans. Such expressions are left to the Christian who searches out the innumerable ways he can evidence his faith in acts of loving. The only rule is that the Christian should serve as a "little Christ" to the neighbor — loving, sharing, suffering, and blessing, as Christ himself did. Lutheran lands like Scandinavia or the northern tier of the United States, where Lutherans are a dominant religious group, have led the world in advanced social legislation. Yet this concern for the neighbor has proceeded not out of compulsion ("to be a Christian you must ..."), but out of a recognition that to be a Christian is to be a "lord, subject to none," and at the same time, "a servant, subject to all," to quote again one of Luther's best known observations. This freedom under grace extends to forms of church life also. Lutherans in the United States are governed in representative democracies; in some countries a fairly rigid church hierarchy is used. Forms of worship vary extendedly. Only one criterion for church life is admitted: "The gospel is to be rightly taught and the sacraments (baptism and the Lord's Supper) rightly adminis- tered" (Augsburg Confession, Chapter 7). Here Lutheranism cuts away from THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It is Dublished weekly except biweekly duringJulyandAugustand the last two weeks in December at Newton, Kans 671 14, by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonite Church Second- :lass postage paid at Newton. Kans 671 14, and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions: in U S and Canada, $8 00, one year, $15 50, two years; $23 00, three years, foreign. $8 50 per year Editorial office 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P0M4 Business office: 722 Main St , Box 347, Newton. Kans 671 1 4 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 347, Newton. Kans. 671 1 4 E MENNONITE 53 many denominations where the authen- ticity of the message is controlled by the validity of the ministerial office (for example, in churches founded on "apos- tolic succession"). For Lutherans it is the "gospel rightly taught" which au- thenticates the office of the ministry. How is the "Tightness" of the pro- claimed Word to be judged? By the Scriptures, of course. In company with most of Christendom, it is the Bible alone to which the Lutheran church repairs as its norm for faith and life. "Scripture alone" became the third foundation for the Lutheran church from its very beginning, when Luther appealed to it for the correctness of his testimony when, at the Diet of Worms he was on trial for his life. Lutherans number around seventy million, the largest Protestant body in the world. Ten or twelve million of these are behind the Iron Curtain in Europe. In the United States 95 percent of the ten million members are found in three large bodies. They are the American Lutheran Church, the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, and the Lutheran Church in America, in ascending order of size. Six or eight other small Lutheran groups also function — serving most often as the remnant of specific immigration groups from an earlier generation. All of these groups profess the same doctrines, though location and length of residence in the United States may provoke varied social responses. Church work is characterized by strong emphasis on "catechetical evan- gelism." A persistent witness through systematic instruction in the church's teaching is regularly assumed to be the most effective way both of confronting others with the saving gospel and of nourishing the infant faith of those who profess allegiance to Jesus Christ. Con- sonant with this commitment, the Missouri Synod operates Protestant- ism's largest Christian day school system. Comparatively little interest is also therefore shown in revivalistic techniques for evangelism. Strong sup- port, on the other hand, is given to the church's institutions of higher educa- tion. Lutherans were the only large Prot- estant body in the United States n< |[ speaking English when they can|l'* ashore. So their history has been parth ularly sensitive to the question of ho religion may be in captivity to cultur Many immigrants actually wrestle with the discovery that God didn speak German, despite the incontr vertible evidence on the first page their Bible, "Adam, wo bist du?" This culture conflict forced an awareftM ness not available to many religiou groups. Its result was that Lutheranflmit adapt with astonishing ease to ne Bible translations, modernizing of litui gical language, and the use of "Amer can" music in their hymnology. Yet the did not give up the treasured heritage c their past. Lutherans appear therefore able t relate to a secularized America free d ss i those rigidities of religious culture the hamper the witness of many wel meaning Christians who speak only i the jargon of their past. Lutheran should be able to live out the "freedom c the Christian man" in an exciting an dynamic future News slii Urbana 76 links evangelism and social action Li i In: Urbana 76, Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship's eleventh triennial mis- sions convention, drew a capacity crowd of over 17,000 college students and missionaries to the University of Illinois campus to discuss "Declaring his glory among the nations" — the convention's theme. Among those at- tending were nearly 500 students from most Mennonite branches. [ohm R. W. Stott, rector of All Soul's Church, London, set the tone of the convention with four morning speeches on the biblical basis for missions. His biblical expositions condemned "arms- length evangelism which distributes tracts and signs checks without offering genuine, caring friendship," and called for missions which combine "evange- lism and social action as compassionate responses to human need." Also featured was special guest Billy Graham who challenged the student participants to respond to God's glory with conviction, commitment, and lov- ing conduct. Mennonite conventioneers who had attended previous Urbanas felt a shift in the overall missions philosophy es- poused by the platform speakers. "We're definitely hearing more about church- family and community this year," said one veteran, "and there is much more emphasis on meeting physical as well as spiritual needs as we missionize." Increased compatibility between Mennonite and Urbana missions philos- ophy was evidenced in the parallels between general sessions and special Mennonite sessions. Marlin Miller, president of Goshen (Indiana) Biblical Seminary, lectured to large groups on the "Gospel and mission strategy." "Our missions work must focus on reconcil- ing man to God and then man to man," he said, a comment which was later echoed in a speech by John Perkins, president of Voice of Calvary Missions, Jackson, Mississippi. Samuel T. Kamaleson, vice- president-at-large of World Vision, received enthusiastic response from the convention audience as well as the Mennonite contingent present for his emphasis on cutting down on waste, living simply, and trusting Christ enough to reject affluence. Concern for social action was als( apparent in the official starvation mea which raised $15,000 for world hungeAak and in a telegram sent to President-elec mil Jimmy Carter rejoicing in his testimony on and praying for wisdom and strengtf for him. Some participants went to Urbane id feeling called to provide input aboul isii community, servanthood, and disciple- isii ship, often lacking in past conventions ilhi Others hoped to receive input foi Mi personal growth and commitment frorr the convention, something they don't ltd feel coming strongly from Mennonitefm! ch u rches. At Urbana's end, most denomination al participants felt that the MennoniteJM presence was good, both for what was given and for that received. As one student remarked, "We have a great if responsibility in missions that some times isn't stressed enough. I realize now that I can't look at others and ask 'God, what about them?' I have to look at myself and determine what I'm going to do with what I have." it i] 54 JANUARY 25, 1977 Hf MCC volunteer describes life in Vietnam tYoshihiro [Hiro] Ichikawa, a Mennonite Central Committee volunteer in Viet- f lam since 1969, left that country at the hnd of October 1976. In recent conversa- tions with Laos volunteers Murray and Ijnda Hiebert in his native japan, he described his observations of life in Ho jChi Minh City (Saigon] since the change jj)f governments and reports he received I'rom other parts of the country. i/oshihiro Ichikawa felt that the Saigon- ese are gradually getting a better inderstanding of the revolution: those vho were afraid are becoming more •ealistic and those who were idealistic ire becoming more practical. Neverthe- less most Saigonese continue to cling stubbornly to the city despite govern- ment encouragement and incentives for ihem to return to the countryside. Recently the government has begun eexamination meetings, especially at She local level, in which the people Evaluate their elected and appointed eaders and their activities. As a result tnany officials have been promoted, (ransferred, or fired in an attempt to efine local administration. Mr. Ichika- va heard many recent comments in Ho Chi Minh City suggesting that their ocal administrations are getting better. In Saigon widespread unemployment I nd price increases continue. Consumer o-ops are growing in number and size. [Special efforts are being made to in- volve local women, whom Mr. Ichikawa valuated as being generally least nvolved but most critical of the revolu- tion. Mr. Ichikawa said that in September he government began a campaign to tax nd curb excessive profits of private lusinesses. Profits in small family businesses are not to exceed 10 percent j f their capital investment per year, j Mr. Ichikawa reported that land eform in central Vietnam was complet- d this summer. Apparently the arable jand was measured and evaluated for jroductive potential and then divided jvenly among the population. Mr. i:hikawa was not certain how large landholders were encouraged to give up ome of their land but had heard that bey came under pressure both by not nding enough labor help to produce heir quotas and in being urged by the iommunity to share with the landless. I Everyone fifteen years and older is low being required to obtain new ientification cards. One of the ques- tions on the application form asks about previous contact and association with foreigners, Mr. Ichikawa reported, causing some Saigonese to be nervous. Families continue to visit their rela- tives in reeducation (hoc tap) centers. Mr. Ichikawa had heard no rumors of any mistreatment, much less liquida- tion, as some refugees in the United States are reporting. In fact, some who visited hoc tap centers told him that their relatives are well taken care of and even "getting fat." Most people in Ho Chi Minh City seem confident that those remaining in reeducation will be re- leased within the next three to five years, depending on rank, position, and degree of complicity with the old gov- ernment. The youth group with which MCC volunteer Jim Klassen worked has stopped meeting. At first they met with another youth group and then eventual- ly decided there was no real reason for them to meet separately from regular church activities. Nothing apparently is happening on the reunification of the Protestant church, north and south. The south- erners are passively waiting to see what will happen. Since the death of Mr. Long, Mr. Ichikawa also doubted whether there have been further discus- sions between the Evangelical Church and the Unified Church on the question of unification. In general, however, Mr. Ichikawa felt that the Evangelical Church's attitude toward the revolution has not changed or moved much since April 1975. Some pastors told Mr. Ichikawa that they had asked the government for help in building churches and when the author- ities suggested that priority should first be given to solving the postwar prob- lems of the country, the pastors inter- preted this as an attempt to "keep religion from growing." Mr. Ichikawa said the Bible school in Nhatrang has an enrollment this year about equal to that of last year. Mr. Ichikawa said that the new government does not distinguish against or between religions. If religious people are involved in antigovernment activities, however, the government will deal with them in the same way as with nonreligious antigovernment peo- ple. A friend told Hiro that all the monks at the Buu Quang Pagoda in Quang Ngai had been arrested for antigovernment leafleting among students. Apparently when arrested the monks told the authorities: "You revolutionaries fought for your justice, we have to fight for our own justice." Yoshihiro Ichikawa, right, talks with Le Van Nghia, a political prisoner under the former Saigon Government who was released when the government changed in April 197b. HE MENNONITE 55 A woman MDSer in every car My new friend Evon told me she had heard of the extensive damage done to the Rapid City, South Dakota, area in 1972. She felt compelled to help in the cleanup. As a Christian she wanted to join the group who cleaned and scrubbed. Not a member of a Mennonite church and unfamiliar with other relief agen- cies, she didn't know how to offer her assistance. She did not even know if women were welcome in flood cleanup situations, she told me. In the end she gave a financial contribution to a federal relief agency and left it at that. She was surprised when I told her that Mennonite Disaster Service would have welcomed her help and accepts services of both men and women to meet the needs of disaster- stricken people. At one time, MDS may have been almost exclusively an organization to mobilize men when natural or manmade disaster struck. Not anymore. This year the call is getting louder and clearer that women are needed and wanted for almost any kind of MDS work. If a call for MDS volunteers is sounded, what can women expect they may be asked to do? Perhaps the very things they would do in their own homes: cooking, mend- ing, washing, cleaning, painting, hang- ing wallpaper, and babysitting. One volunteer said, "The women always do the nitty-gritty work and don't make the headlines." But that has changed. Women may be asked to work as secretaries, social workers, nurses, and other skilled and professional people. Nurses serving through MDS are usually assigned to Red Cross teams with whom MDS works closely in emergency work. To traditional housekeeping tasks have been added some very different ones. "For quite some time I had been considering a term of voluntary ser- vice," wrote Esther Detweiler of Bres- lau, Ontario, "but I really didn't know what I could do. My brother, who had been involved in MDS before, told me about MDS's summer youth squads. I applied, was accepted, and went to Geneva, Alabama, for ten weeks." At the end of that period she was enjoying her work so much that she extended her stay for another six months. What did Esther do? She and other women worked alongside the men painting, cabinet making, roof shingling, interspersed with cooking and cleaning. "It was really good to get out in the sun and fresh air, use a hammer and watch a building grow or a house become clean and livable again," she said. Ruth Strausz of Kingman, Kansas, began her MDS service working as a taper for a plasterer. When he wasn't at work, she helped the plumbers, carpen- ters, or electricians. If anyone needed a sounding board, she was there to listen and encourage, an important aspect of the work of anyone in MDS, male or female. Women in particular need other women to relate to in time of stress, MDS workers said. One woman whom MDS had helped pleaded with one volunteer couple to keep in touch with her and her husband, for they had no family and no living relatives except an elderly mother. This couple did. An area of involvement for women that could be pursued is this followup of contacts made on a project, suggested Evelyn Kauffman, Goshen, Indiana. "Letters, phone calls, prayers, and visits are essential to help people regain personal dignity and faith in God and humanity. Depending on individual circumstances, these could be person contacts, a Sunday school class effort, or even an entire congregational in- volvement. Not all field directors are used to the idea of women turning up, so sometimes they have no work ready for the women. "They don't always get jobs and situa- tions ready for us," said one volunteer. "I think women could be used more in the initial investigation of a disaster and help decide where and how much work should be done on a particular project. More Mennonite women are now pro- fessionals and make many decisions each day in their work. They have learned to look at things objectively, but still bring a background of feminine sensitivity to their decisions," said another. At recent MDS annual meetings, women have been urged to greater participation in the MDS nationwide disaster relief programs. "But lack of information is one reason why more women are not being involved in MDS. Each project may require a different type of work involving women, but if the needs could be expressed from a woman's point of view, more husband and wife teams could go for either shoi or longer terms," said another MD supporter. "Let women know they can be useful in MDS as men," said oil volunteer. "There is something fc; everyone to do in MDS," said anothe "The opportunities are there. We need t incite the same sense of urgency that ha already been instilled in the men of ou denomination. We need more wome involved in all phases of MDS." All phases? Yes, as cook, cleaner, an| carpenter, but also as committe member and even contact person. A fe\ women have been elected to serve o unit committees and are helping witj program planning and policymaking But the doors are open for more to tak part, according to those already in volved. But we can't all go, one mother toh! me. When disaster hits and the cal comes for helpers, women are the firs ones to have to stay home with familie and the farm. But not all are in her category, said some of the other women. "MDS shouh put a woman in every car going to i disaster area." Only one woman? What about two o| three? Katie Funk Wiebe MDS worker Joyce Miller of Centerville Pennsylvania, works with a hammer ir Atlanta, Georgia. HP.?? ■ 1 • .. ■A THE MENNONITE B-1 Food— our responsibility Canada Food Week, a national citizen ' committee based in Ottawa, is bringing food issues to the public's attention in a concentrated effort February 11-19. In the following interpretive article, Shar- on Sawatsky with the assistance of ]oan ~ Gerig highlights some food issues with particular reference to the church. For information on food issues and ideas : about what local groups and congrega- | tions can do to give the issues speciaJ emphasis during Canada Food Week, write to 53 Queen St., Room 54, Ottawa, Ontario. For many people the idea of having a week designated to deal with world food concerns conjures up frustrating im- ages. The media has visualized the issue, magazines and books have pre- sented every perspective in printed forms, and workshops have discussed potential solutions or their lack — ; leaving many of us overwhelmed by the scope of the issue and completely paralyzed when it comes to action. Beginning or continuing to work requires an identification of the issues. Perhaps a prior necessity is understand- ing the perspective which our tradition dictates. ; Our responsibility. In both the Old and New Testaments the hungry are placed in the category with the needy, widows, orphans, and oppressed. ^Hunger and poverty are not separate subjects. j As God identified with the poor, so was the community of faith called to | iheir assistance. Since there could be no poverty if the covenant were embodied ' that is, the community resources were jquitably distributed), the Old Testa- ment code laws demand that the respon- sibility to do something lies with the ibrivileged rather than with the poor ! hemselves (Deut. 15:4-11). The pro- phetic literature with its judgment innouncement indicates how seriously idvocacy of the rights of the poor are aken (Is. 58). j Jesus continues the development of his tradition in his ministry. The dentification with the poor and needy : eaches the point that acceptance of him s equated with ministering to their leeds (Matt. 25:31-46). ! Numerous passages in both Testa- ments speak of the need to share our esources. They make it very clear that dentification with people forced to a > larginal existence in the world is not an optional activity for God's people, but is, rather, at the heart of what it means to be the community of faith. The problem. "People are hungry because there isn't enough food nor enough agricultural land to grow food. We can only feed everyone in our world by depending on large landowners and food exports." Statements such as these are not unfamiliar in gloomy discus- sions on world hunger. A soon-to-be- published book, Food first! by Frances Moore Lappe and Joseph Collins dis- count some of these long-held myths about food and hungry people — some of their analysis is used in this article. One of these myths is that people are hungry because of scarcity of food and agricultural land. Scarcity of food, however, can hardly be the reason for the famine of the early 1970s, when there was enough grain alone — not to mention beans, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and nongrain-fed meat — to provide every person in the world with over 3,000 calories of food per day. Can land scarcity be the problem when China, which has twice as many people as India for each cultivated acre, does not have hungry people? The difference lies in what is grown on the land. Is the land used to grow food for their people, or luxury and nonfood items for export to rich countries? In Central America and the Caribbean where as many as 70 percent of the children are undernourished, at least half of the agricultural land is used to grow crops for export, not food for local people. A second myth says that the large farmer is more productive than the small one. But a study of six South American countries found the small farmer to be from three to fourteen times more productive per acre than a large farmer. In Thailand plots of two to four acres yield almost 60 percent more rice per acre than farms of forty acres or more. Small producers, desperate to survive on the resources allowed them, get more from the land. Increasing land concentration and mechanization of large farms cut off the small producer and the internal market for food decreases. Large corpo- rations, however, aren't hurt since their production is oriented to high-paying markets; Colombian landholders shift from wheat to carnations which bring eighty times greater return per acre; Costa Rican bean and dairy products decline while their export beef business expands. Hunger is a result of inequality. Therefore, the solution is to reduce inequality at every level. A redistribu- tion of control over agricultural resour- ces will not only decrease inequality and increase production — but also guar- antee that the hungry will get a chance to eat what is produced. The fact that people can and will feed themselves if allowed to do so seems rather obvious. Therefore, instead of asking, "What can we do for them?" shouldn't we ask, "How can we remove the obstacles in the way of people taking control of their production process and feeding themselves?" Obstacles — action? Our taxes, corpo- rations, and aid agencies have built some of these obstacles. Therefore, our assignment awaits us: — to evaluate economic aid, govern- ment and church related. Much of our present aid reinforces use of land for export crops. MCC, however, works with the small farmers, such as in Bangladesh and Haiti, who are produc- ing food for use in their own communi- ties. We need to affirm new ventures of this type and constantly critique our involvements in other countries. — to build a more self-reliant economy at home. Perhaps we need to determine how much of our diets are imported from hungry countries (for example, tea, coffee, chocolate, fresh produce out of season, even canned meats). Reviving the arts of gardening and preserving, or working with neighbors to start a food co-op are beginnings. Doris Longacre's More-with-Iess cookbook gives us addi- tional helpful clues about the reforma- tion our nutritional and consumption habits require. — to work at land reform in our country. Mennonites have long had respect for the land. We may, however, be in danger of losing it in our attempts to "make a killing" rather than live on it. Positive actions are to work for zonings which will keep agricultural land in production, and to encourge farmers not to sell to foreign investors or corpora- tions. Working together. So, the task isn't easy. That doesn't however, remove our biblical mandate to identify with and minister to poverty and hunger. Change must occur, not only within the struc- tures of society but within our individu- al and congregational lives. HE MENNONITE 57 Printing begins on Foundation Series ii Commission on Education staff members look on as Steve Rudiger gathers the first ; | pages of Foundation Series at Mennonite Press, North Newton, Kansas, January 6. i The first quarter's materials are expected to be ready by March 1 to be used in workshops which will train those who will train teachers in use of the curriculum, J The curriculum, for children in nursery through grade eight, is published by the General Conference Mennonite Church, Mennonite Church, and Brethren in Christ Church, with the Church of the Brethren as a cooperating user. The first quarter for which material will be used will be September to November 3977. Material is being printed in Newton, Kansas; ScottdaJe, Pennsylvania; and Nappanee, Indiana. The first pages to be printed in Newton belonged to the Bible story book for grades one and two. Words ffl deeds An arts fair will be part of the triennial convention of the General Conference next summer in Bluffton, Ohio. The fair will exhibit works of Mennonite profes- sional artists from across North Ameri- ca. An exhibit of local folk arts and crafts is also planned. In charge of the arts fair are two art professors: Darvin Luginbuhl of Bluffton College and Marvin Bartel of Goshen College, Go- shen, Indiana. Gifts to Bethel College in the month of December set a new record, with the receipting of $282,787.86. Gifts and pledges to Bethel's three-year develop- ment drive now total $3,540,701. The goal is $4,020,000. The board of direc- tors have set construction on the pro- posed new buildings to begin when 90 percent of the funds ($3,618,000) are in hand or pledged. Over 800 church leaders from forty-two African nations gathered in mid- December for the Pan-African Christian Leadership Assembly (PACLA) in Nai- robi, Kenya. Two major concerns which arose from the assembly were Africa's future contribution to world evangeliza- tion and the testimony of the African Christian community to resist the temptation to violence and escalated hate between races, tribes, and cultures on the continent. Ten residents of the Fort Wayne State School and Training Center were spe- cial guests for the December meeting of Friendship Circle, the women's organi- zation of the Maplewood Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Christmas story was told through puppets and a birth- day cake was served to celebrate Jesus' birthday. The meeting was the result of contacts summer work camp partici- pants from Maplewood had made with residents of the center. Two women and seven men were the members of the fourth graduation class at AKWW, the Mennonite seminary in Indonesia. One of the nine graduates completed all requirements for the BTh degree. The other eight students who had nol yet completed their research papers received diplomas in theology. All students had successfully complet- ed a six-year curriculum. The rector of AKWW is Mesach Krisetya, a graduate of Associated Mennonite Biblical Semi- naries in Elkhart, Indiana. A major gift commitment to Bluffton (Ohio) College exceeding one quarter million dollars has been received for construction of a new science center from Gursaran (Frank) Shoker, a college alumnus, according to Ben Sprunger, president of the college. The gift will enable Bluffton to begin construction of the new science laboratory facility and will complete Bluffton's Campaign 75, which raised over $1.8 million during the past three years. A service of thanksgiving and dedica- tion was held by the White River Cheyenne Mennonite Church, Busby, Montana, on November 21 after seven- teen months of construction and remo- deling. Included in the program was a Cheyenne give away, a traditional custom in which gifts are given to show love and appreciation. Speaker for the occasion was Walter Dirks, a former pastor of the congregation. The five top bestse/lers of 1976 accord- ing to Eternity magazine's eighteenth annual book poll are Born again by Charles W. Colson, Between a rock anda hard place by Mark O. Hatfield, The battle for the Bible by Harold Lindsell, Ange/s by Billy Graham, and The New international dictionary of New Testa- ment theology, Vol. 1, edited by Colin Brown. The second Mennonite Central Commit- tee thrift shop in Alberta was opened in Calgary on November 4. The new store, like the one in Calgary, is called the MCC Variety Store and sells donated used clothing, shoes, toys, dishes, books, jewelry, and other small used items as well as Self-Help Crafts. 58 JANUARY 25, 1977 Seminary committee seeks constitutional amendment The long-range planning committee of the Associated Mennonite Biblical Se- minaries, meeting January 7, passed a I recommendation that calls for the elimination of ex officio representatives I to the board of trustees of the Mennonite Biblical Seminary, while retaining the board representative from Women in , Mission. Reasons for the proposed change include enabling the MBS and GBS boards "to function more equally, more efficiently, and more frequently. Since the two schools are now on one campus, the boards have more and more joint agenda." A full merger of the two boards was ; considered, but the present joint opera- tion was supported "since it now works well and would continue strong ties to I the two Mennonite conferences." The amendment will be presented for i a final vote to the General Board upon I the recommendation of the MBS board i during Council of Commissions Febru- ary 4-9 in Newton, Kansas. Bangladesh family planning effort evaluated Although family planning workers in Bangladesh would like to see clearly ij "what will be left when they are done," the long-range view at present is only that Mennonite Central Committee should continue its input for an ex- I tended period of time, according to Stanley Reedy, a medical doctor who has done postdoctoral studies in public health and family planning at Johns Hopkins University. He recently visited I Bangladesh to study and evaluate MCC family programs in that country. \ Noting that the government of Bang- . ladesh has made its growing popula- ■! tion problem of highest priority, Mr. Reedy pointed out that for the time being voluntary agencies will have a i free hand in programming because of the present limited governmental re- , sources. It is also widely accepted, he |j went on, that a combined program of agriculture, hygiene, and community development will have "a more signifi- cant long-range impact on population growth than a straightforward contra- ceptive supply system alone." Mr. Reedy suggested that the next generation of couples who are currently children should be prime targets of 1 family planning information. He felt that MCC should make the search for different approaches to family planning education as important as preparing to turn the program over to local and government officials. A basic assump- tion should be that community involve- ment is essential to all development, including family planning efforts, he said. One of Mr. Reedy's major recommen- dations is that emphasis should be placed on the training of the field workers and others in the MCC family planning program. Field workers, he said, should understand the basics of maternal and child health so that they can relate to the needs of the people they contact. More field workers should be recruited, but only at a pace at which proper training and supervision can assure that they are prepared for their work. Mr. Reedy also noted the importance of a letter of agreement with the government of Bangladesh. The letter, which has already been prepared, details areas of cooperation between MCC and government departments concerned with the population problem. At present it is hoped that the govern- ment will be able to take over existing programs in 1978. Throughout his evaluation, Mr. Reedy emphasized the importance of more and better trained personnel for MCC's family planning program. As the need for specialists rather than generalists increases in the population and family planning effort, he concluded, place- ment of family planning specialists as administrators will be necessary to provide proper support to personnel overseas. Namibian bishop threatens to close all-white schools Roman Catholic Bishop Rudolf Kopp- mann has issued an ultimatum that the all-white schools of the church in Namibia will be closed unless the government revokes racial separation rules in the church-run schools and hospitals, according to a recent EPS release. Applications by the church since September have been ignored by the authorities. In late October Bishop Koppmann was informed by the govern- ment's education department that inte- gration of students would depend on appropriate legislation. Bishop Koppmann has threatened to close the "all-white Catholic schools" should applications for integrating them be refused or ignored. Quakers oppose guilty verdicts The American Friends Service Commit- tee and the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Society of Friends (Quakers) expressed strong regret recently that the South Korean Court of Appeals has upheld the guilty verdicts of eighteen national leaders convicted of being involved in a manifesto critical of the Park regime, issued last March. "We regard this action of the Park Chung Hee government to be in direct violation of human rights and see it as further proof of the oppressive, undem- ocratic nature of the present regime," said Roger Gale, Quaker representative to East Asia. The Yearly Meeting said in a telegram to the Korean Embassy in Washington, D.C., and to Korean President Park, that "Democracy requires freedom of speech and religion and the country's commit- ment to protect those freedoms. We urge the immediate release of the defendants so that democratic rights may continue to exist in Korea." The AFSC and the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting last June joined five other Quaker organizations and over 100 individuals around the world in support of the eighteen Christian and civic leaders on trial in South Korea. Project urges awareness of television viewing A training program for television con- sumers has been started by several Protestant denominations in the United States. The program, called Television Awareness Training, is a cooperative project of the United Methodist Church, American Lutheran Church, Church of the Brethren, and the Media Action Research Center. The churches are holding regional training sessions for leaders, who then conduct local workshops. The training covers such subjects as television violence; how television affects children; values communicated by advertising; and television images of women, minorities, and the old. The program is designed to help people better understand their televi- sion viewing habits, learn how to change TV viewing patterns in their own homes, and stimulate community and government action. More information is available from Ben Logan, Room 1370, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, New York 10027. THE MENNONITE 59 Record 1 tail lis Miller Orie O. Miller, executive secretary emeritus of the Mennonite Central Committee, was born July 7, 1892, and died Jan. 10 in Lancaster, Pa. Holding sixty-five church-related leadership positions during his life, some for as long as forty-five years, he is particular- ly noted for his relief and mission work with MCC and Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities. He was involved in the formation of Men- nonite Mental Health Services, Menno Travel Service, Mennonite Mutual Aid, Mennonite Indemnity, Mennonite Eco- nomic Development Associates, and Menno Housing. On a broader scope, he served as chairman of the National Service Board for Religious Objectors, as the first chairman of the Schowalter Foundation, and as board memberof the American Leprosy Mission. Funeral services were held at the Ephrata (Pa.) Mennonite Church. Published "Who are the Mennonites?" a pamphlet of basic information about the Menno- nite church, has been published by the heritage committee of the General Conference. Written by La Vernae Dick of Dallas, Ore., the pamphlet gives a brief history of Mennonites since the sixteenth century and outlines six characteristics of the Mennonite faith. The pamphlet is intended for those who know little about the Mennonite faith and ends with an invitation: "Now that we have introduced the Mennonites and whal they believe Christ wants the church and his disciples to be, we would like to invite you to acquaint yourself further with us and let us become acquainted with you as we seek to serve Christ together." The three-color pam- phlet is available free of charge in large or small quantities from the Heritage Committee, General Conference Menno- nite Church, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Workers Rebecca Blauser has been named in- structor in home economics at Bluffton (Ohio) College and is teaching a course in early childhood during the January module. She is a graduate of West Virginia University and received a master's degree from the University of Tennessee in child development and family relationships. Ms. Blauser has been a lead teacher of three-year-olds at the University of Tennessee Lab Day Care Center and has been instructor in the department of family relations and human development in the School of Home Economics at Ohio State. She is currently director and lead teacher of three-year-olds of the First Presbyteri- an Church Nursery School, Findlay, Ohio. Dave Dyck has been appointed direc- tor of the personnel and voluntary ser- vice departments of Mennonite Central Committee (Canada). He is replacing Reg Toews who is taking up an asso- ciate executive secretary position at the Akron, Pa., headquarters of MCC. Mr. Dyck, formerly assistant director for the two services, served three years under MCC in Zambia in 1966-69. He taught at the Lord Selkirk High School for five years before joining the MCC (Canada) staff as a volunteer in August 1975. Dyck Wnl Harry Wall of Winnipeg has been appointed assistant director for the personnel and voluntary service depart- ments of MCC (Canada) on an interii basis beginning Jan. 4. Mr. Wall n ceived BSc and MSc degrees from th University of Manitoba and has studie for one year at Associated Mennoniti Biblical Seminaries in Elkhart, Ind. H, taught at Mennonite Brethren Collegiati Institute from 1966 to 1976. Verneile Yoder, General Conferenoi missionary in Colombia, returned tl Bogota, Colombia, at the end of De cember following a six-weeks vacatio at her home in Berne, Ind. In addition t her assignment in Christian educatio for the Colombian church, she is advise to teachers for the church's primari schools. She is a member of the Fir< Church, Berne. Calendar Jan. 27-29— MCC annual meeting Metamora, 111. Feb. 4-9 — Council of Commission Newton, Kans. Mar. 13-15— Dunamis Instituti Dayspring Retreat Farm, Washingtor D.C. Correction Delvyn Epp has been asked to assum leadership responsibilities for the Men nonite fellowship forming in Ceda Rapids, Iowa. Gerhard A. Peters is retiring thi month from the pastorate of the Eri View United Mennonite Church, Por Rowan, Ont., after years of service t this congregation. Conference minister require! The CMM invites applications or inquiries fc the position of a conference minister, t commence as soon as possible. The applicar will be responsible to serve in a pastoral rol to church leaders and to counsel and initiat some programs with ministers and deacon: He will report to the executive. A knowledg of the German and English languages preferred. Salary is negotiable. Applications available on request. Pleas forward personal resume with application tc Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba 202-1483 Pembina Highway Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2C9 Attention: John F. Wiebe, Conference Admii istrator 60 JANUARY 25, 197l Letters Need conviction on marriage ; Dear Editor: I want to express my appreciation for the editorial (No- vember 30) by Jacob J. Enz, "For people who are getting married." I praise God for this prophetic word in this day of confusion on the issue which he addresses in that article. The idea of . dissolving and divorcing marriage when there are problems has become too much of an easy out, which I am not so J sure in the end will prove to be all that easy. We need to be called back to that , biblical conviction and regard our marriage covenant as an indissoluble , promise. For people who want help, there is help available, and with God i nothing shall be impossible. Thank you again, for that article. Norman /. Schmidt, 25 East Swamp Road, Quakertown, Pa. 28951 Dec. 7 Letter to Carter The following letter was written by David Ortman on behalf of the Seattle ((Washington) Mennonite Voluntary Service unit to President-elect jimmy iGarter, December 1976. Dear Mr. Carter: We are taking time out ilto reflect on the past year, breathing a sigh of relief that the world has survived intact and we look forward with expec- tations to your leadership and subse- quent policies on three issues which i trouble us deeply. :l| Trident. As you know, Trident is the (undersea long-range missile system that will be built to replace the Polaris- i Poseidon submarine by 1978 with a base ■ I a t Bangor, Washington. Several , jmembers of the Pacific Life Community fare currently sitting in jail in Seattle, Jidue to their protests at the Trident site. tiOne of these submarines will cost four J 'times the annual budget of the United I ^Nations and all its specialized agencies, i; j Without Trident, we could buy more c local transit projects, a lot more crime E prevention, a lot more housing, a lot Jlftiore help for the poor and elderly, j iDpposition to Trident in the Northwest lis mounting steadily. We strongly urge Ifou to halt the Trident program. , Amnesty. Mennonites, as one of the J listoric peace churches, have a deep and I'ar-reaching basis for their nonviolent I I reliefs. Others have come to this posi- tion through firsthand experience with the horrors of war, push button or otherwise! Representatives of this group are the military deserters, civilian protesters, former citizens now residing in other countries, as well as those with dishonorable discharges. The govern- ment asked these men to do things they could not, and would not do. It may be patriotic to die for one's country, but there is no honor in killing for it. We ask you to declare an unconditional amnes- ty- The B-l bomber. We view with extreme alarm your appointment of former CIT President Brown as defense secretary, a man responsible for carry- ing out the massive air strikes against North Vietnam. His support for the B-l bomber is well known. An ERDA economist has determined that spend- ing an equal amount (recent total program estimates exceed $85 billion) on education or national health care, for example, would provide twice as many jobs as B-l spending. We can only shake our heads and wonder at the sanity of the Defense Department analysts when their euphemisms (for example, read millions of dead human beings for "target area") turn to euphoria it will not do to say "we told you so." Your decision to stop production of the B-l bomber will be a massive victory for those who want to live in peace, not kill for it. David E. Ortman for the Mennonite Voluntary Service Unit, 1715 15th Ave., Seattle, Wash. 98122 Dec. 23 Passivism and pacifism Dear Editor: I find the article by May- nard Shelly "A state without jails — safer and cheaper, too" (December 7, 1976) to be rather vague and inconclu- sive, leaving out many significant varia- bles. First, I am referring to a direct quotation of Edgar Epp. "They [prisons] further punish and alienate the family of the person in prison. And they raise false expectations of society." What are "expectations of society"? It is my advocation that society is represented within the confines of prison; or, prison is a mere continuance of society outside its walls. My personal conviction is that a gradual decrease in the value placed on the human being is representative of an angry acting-out process, an uncon- scious bursting forth of rageful ven- geance at the passive compulsions of an angered populace against which the prisoner or convicted has retaliated, a basic "purging of the soul," negative behavior having given recognition to a love which has been the immortal hate of the soul. Also, a sense of Utopian excitation exists throughout the article. Plato is perchance stalking about the streets and has yet to find his Republic. His love for Aristotle, resulting in an identity separation and rebellion, all indicative of a love-hate conflict, giving rise to a wish to kill, a wish to be killed, or a basic wish to die, all a direct result of having "loved" for the sake of Utopia. Second, "Crime breeds here" refers to the inability of prisons to cure crime. No definition is given of cure. I view cure as responsibility, which in turn defines reality. The cure becomes the individu- al's assuming responsibility for his own reality, provided he has gained contact with the controlling factors leading to the acting-out behavior. It remains my observation that when the individual is unable to differentiate between love, fear, and anger, he will act upon hatred which has culminated from the basic three, neither of which is differentiated one from the other. The individual either attacks or withdraws. Those who act against themselves usually find their way to the mental health institutions, and those acting-out or attacking others find their way to the prisons or correc- tion centers. Third, one must expose further the meaning posed by Charles Heilman: "People have cried aloud for vengeance and they have thirsted for blood, and the legislators have accommodated them." People, I would surmise to be basically passive and sadistic. By no means do I equate pacifism with passivity. Passivi- ty denotes rageful and vengeful sup- pressed anger, emerging in the form of sarcastic, sadistic hostility. However, pacifism denotes a subtle nonmalicious cynicism of controlled anger. Is it not cynicism which remains the philosophy of the survival of the fit? God remains subtle, not malicious. He assumes a particular order within the universe, of which man has assumed a chaotic role. Was it not Einstein's own pacifism that exploded into a fit of possible universal destruction? Therefore, as people have THE MENNONITE 61 cried for vengeance, the prisoner has acted it out, allaying all vengeance. He is once more allowed to return to society and, assisted in accepting responsibility for vengeance, may continue as his neighbor, who may in turn be but the more ignorant. For, which neighbor knows his vengeance in all conscious- ness? Yes, indeed "times have changed, but prisons have not changed." No reference is made to people. We have become an intellectually oriented society — an obsessive-compulsive intelligentsia be- coming lost in intellectualization and reaction formation, harboring a hostile compliance with those about, all in lieu of our own fears of losing control. Fearful of humbling ourselves to a level with our own angered souls, we choose rather to move as neurotic maggots upon our own guts and the guts of those about. Last, when Jesus asked us to go the second mile, he said nothing about going ten or fifteen. Who are our enemies we are to love? It remains my firm convic- tion that to feel I must love everyone is a neurotic desire to love no one. While developing and growing up in a Menno- nite environment, I asked myself the following on numerous occasions: Am I to be a passive, sadistic hypocrite, or am I to be a cynical, aggressive pacifist? I have decided the essence of God to be in man. Once I know and accept myself, I can better accept or reject another, for I firmly believe that God is subtle and not malicious. Willard Plenert, 2100 Oak Park Drive, Lewisville, Tex. 75067 Dec. 29 Editor's note: The following letters from Hesston College students are part of a class project. One of several options for the students was to read several issues of their church paper and then to write a letter to the editor. Dealing with hunger Dear Editor: I would like to compliment you for your excellent review of the cookbook More- with-less. I am present- ly doing a project on living the simple life and how it all begins with us as individuals. In comparison with other denomina- tional publications, The Mennonite has been the only publication concerned with improving our eating habits or better yet, the benefits of fasting, as in the article "Hunger pangs become sig- nals to pray" of the same issue. I believe each one of us needs to personally reexamine our eating habits. America's style of eating has continual- ly become more expensive with less quality, yet hunger increases around the world. I feel that if everyone ate only what they needed, there would be no world hunger. A verse helpful to me when I find myself overeating is Matthew 4:4, "Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Just think what the power of God could do if we prayed every time we were hungry, instead of eating food. Debbie Sprunger, Hesston College, Hesston, Kans. 67062 Nov. 17 Need to live more simply Dear Editor: In Foundation Studies at Hesston College, one project included reading the book Beyond the rat race by Arthur G. Gish. While reading this, I was made more aware of our need to simplify all areas of our life, and because of the deep impression made on me, I am going to work at my own life- style. As I read through some of the recent issues of The Mennonite, I found several statements in reference to the difficulty of living simply in our affluence. Our VS program involves a small community of persons living together, sharing, and growing spiritually through close rela- tionships, without profiting monetarily. We could all benefit greatly in creating individually rather than buying imper- sonal items; in sharing one-to-one rather than communicate through mass media or spend our time in front of gadgets, choosing the road of nonin- volvement; and by even cutting down our consumption in small areas, provid- ing for a more even distribution of the earth's wealth. This has become an important issue to me, and I would encourage including more information on this subject in The Mennonite. Margaret Sawatzky, Hess- ton College, Hesston, Kans. 67062 Nov. 22 Care for God's creation Dear Editor: I'd like to express my appreciation for the article "Made by God — Handle with care" (November 23). This kind of article is important. I think we need to be reminded of out- responsibility for God's creation, and what the implications of that responsi- bility are for a Christian life-style. A good point that Mr. Vandezande brought out was that we should be careful not to get so caught up in the J consumer rat race that we become possessed by our possessions. This article has challenged me to think about how my life-style can really reflect a j concern for the taking care of God's creation, and I hope it has done the same for others. Thank you. Grace Wengeri Hesston College, Hesston, Kans. 67062 Dec. 7 - About Letters: To encourage readers tc express themselves on a variety o issues, we try to use all letters subm it tec for publication. Brevity is encouraged Longer letters will be shortened. Editoi Doris L. Cooper At seven she built bursts of song to travel on, and found the printed page. Seventeen held green-mauve Luna wings Beethoven bagatelles: The Pleiades, Orion! Always through her tapestrie of loves and tragedies she threaded silent thanks to God. Now seventy, she greets her bonus-time, anticipating all the joys of her "amazing world" before her day is done. 62 JANUARY 25, 1977 Meditation God's love and our prayers When I first discovered the lump, it plunged me into a sea of fear and anxiety. Waiting a week for the mammograph appointment didn't help either. A few days later, my physician called to inform me that the mammograph indicated a malignancy. I immediately called the surgeon he recommended to me. The surgeon told me I would have to have a mastectomy. He scheduled surgery a week later. My anxiety increased and I became depressed. I tried to pray because I realized that I needed spiritual help. I remembered Jesus' promise that "where two or three are gathered together there I am in their midst." Icalledadearfriendandaskedifshewouldprayforme.Thenshesaid, "Sara, you have been talking about how our church needs a prayer chain. I think now is the time to start one. Would you mind if I called some of our mutual friends and asked them to pray for you with me?" I answered, "Please do." I knew she and her friends would be faithful in praying for me. By evening I felt a lifting of my spirit. The next day God replaced my depression with the peace of his presence. From then on, I trusted God that he would fulfill his promise of Matthew 28:20, "Lo, I am with you always." Another passage of Scripture suggested by my minister was Romans 8:38-39. Here God promises us, "Nothing can separate us from the love of God." These assurances really sustained me. When I entered the hospital room, I found two lovely bouquets of flowers — one from my daughters and granddaughters and the other from a dear friend. The next day when they were wheeling me into the surgical unit, I remember praying, "I know I am in your hands, Lord Jesus. Be also with the surgeon, and guide his hands. Thank you." When I awoke from the anesthesia and my foggy mind cleared, I felt God was in the room with me, enfolding me with his love and peace. I felt his presence during my entire stay in the hospital. My heart still is aglow when I think of those serene and beautiful days. God also sent me a song in the night — Job 35: 10, "How great thou art," a favorite hymn. The refrain keptringingthroughmyminddayafterdayandwhenlawokeat night. The first two verses proclaim God's majesty of the beautiful world he created for us. The third verse portrays God's great love, sacrificing his Son to redeem us from sin. What a great God we have! The outpouring of love and concern of family and friends also touched my heart. There were cards assuring me of their prayers and well wishes. Many took time to visit, send flowers and gifts, and when I returned home, they brought gifts of food. I learned that four prayer groups were praying for my recovery. I'm sure these prayers and those of many others speeded my recovery. I found myself many times praying that God would bless all those dear friends who served as God's agents to channel his love and sustaining power and helped to heal my body and spirit. My heart overflowed with gratitude. It was a humbling experience for me, and for those who gave of themselves a blessing. As Frank Laubach states in his book Prayer, the mightiest force in the world, "Prayer is twice blest. It blesses the one that gives and the one that receives." In spite of the severe pain and the discomfort I still have, I feel my life has been greatly enriched by my illness, and this outpouring of God's love will continue to bless me. I pray that I may take more time for intercessory prayer on behalf of others who are passing through the valley of bereavement or illness, for I know God answers prayer if we believe that he will hear us and help us. Sara Mitzner i Contents Can it be tamed? 50 What Lutherans believe and practice 52 News 54 Record 60 Letters 61 Brush strokes tor a portrait 62 God's love and our prayers 63 The product and the package 64 CONTRIBUTORS Larry Kehler, 440 Best St., Winnipeg, Man., concludes his three-part series on television. George Herbert Muedeking, 426 South Fifth St., Minneapolis, Minn. 55415, is the editor of the Lutheran Standard, official publication of the American Lutheran Church. This article is one in a series on what other denominations believe. Doris L. Cooper, Route 1, Midhurst, Ont. LOL 1X0, is a free-lance poet. Sara Mitzner, 711 South Volutsia, Wichita, Kans. 67211, wrote her medita- tion following a mastectomy last May. CREDITS Cover and 50, Strix Pix, Newville, Pa. 17241; 53, RNS; 55, Earl Martin, MCC; 56, Larry Erb, MCC; 58, Loris Habegger. Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boule- vard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Tele- phone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main St., Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe. 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347. Newton, Kans. 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circulation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District. Lloyd L. Ramseyer, 488 West Elm St., Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District. LaVernae Dick, 588South West MapleSt., Dallas. Ore. 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kans. 67117; Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114; and Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46805. I THE MENNONITE 63 The product and the pack A considerable stir was created at a recent cattle show when it was discovered that a "black" angus bull was really a red angus whose hair had been dyed. Somehow the owner felt that his animal stood a better chance for a ribbon at this bovine exhibition if it was dressed up artificially. Merchandisers would call this "packaging." They have made an art out of this technique. One woman wrote to the local retail store that she was quite upset at them. The brand of facial tissues which they carried had changed its package colors. She objected that the current package no longer complemented the decor of her house. It was "forcing her" togo to the next store and buy their brand which was dressed in the right colors. And this was now costing her two cents more per box! The cosmetics industry competes keenly for the opportunity to package beauty pageant contestants. A winner's appearance can make or break a company. Who cares about the actual merchandise? Does the product itself really make any differ- ence? Today's political campaigns are often a battle between the public relations strategists. Media have been credited for the elections of many candidates. We are told that Gerald Ford's advisors tried their best to limit severely his public encounters during last fall's presidential contest. They believed that they could build a better image of him by displaying a wrapper without exposing the contents. I am reminded of Jesus' words in Matthew 23:25, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cleanse the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of extortion and rapacity." He said that they were like whitewashed tombs, appearing outward- ly beautiful but the inside is full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Today's generation says that we live in a time of the great "rip off." We are constantly being fooled by that which appears real, only to discover that this "real thing" is another misty vapor. There is ample evidence that we as Chris- tians are easy victims for the package indus- try. Just think of the many new spiritual movements in the last decade — the four spiritual laws of Campus Crusade, the Jesus people, charismatic renewal, Faith at Work, Yokefellows, Lay Witness Mission, goal set- ting, Growth by Groups, Evangelism Explo- sion, just to name a few. Each program has been carefully orchestrated, and each can tell you of situations where it has worked beauti- fully. But somehow, the growth and life in Christ does not fit the beautiful packaging done by somebody else. For some people, the four spiritual laws booklet has been a tremendous help in becoming personal evangelists. The lives of some wayward youth have been forever transformed through the Jesus people. Faith at Work has been of great inspiration to many of us who have actively participated in workshops. Yet, none of us can dare to suggest that what has enlivened us must now be the "package" for everybody else. The real spiritual proof is in the product. Can we relate to people in such a way that God's Spirit can do "his thing" through other people and in other things as well? The Mennonite church was begun by people who believed in personal encounters with God. They felt that nobody could prescribe the nature of God's working in another person's life. Prepackaged Christianity was anathema to them. Let's not forsake or forego the fantastic potential of this basic insight. It is tempting to buy the packages that are so beautifully wrapped. Many groups are choosing them without examining the product. Our forebears laid down their lives for the freedom from "Christian packages" and the right to live by and for the actual product. God's Spirit is waiting to move among us in uniquely new and powerful ways. This movement will not come from beautiful packages, but begins and continues whenever we encounter the genuine product. BW sit OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO MAN LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST 92:5 FEBRUARY 1, 1977 ogr communion The first Anabaptist communion ser- vice was held on January 22, 1525, in the simple peasant setting of Jacob Hottin- ger's house in Zollikon-Zurich. Conrad Grebel, founder of the Swiss Brethren, and a few new converts were present. It was a crucial moment in their life, for they were in serious trouble with the law which required all infants to be baptized within eight days of birth. Conscience had compelled their dissent from this unscriptural practice. Now they were anxious and very much in earnest. After searching the Scriptures and calling on God to show them the right way, ordinary laymen took bread from the kitchen table, broke and distributed it with household wine to all who were present. That simple act, along with baptism performed with a water dipper, marked the beginning of the Free Church. And our Mennonite meetings today still reflect the spirit and form of that event 452 years later. The revolutionary significance of this event lay in its apostolic simplicity and spontaneous genuineness. Zwingli and the Reformed preachers were still celebrating the Latin mass in all its ceremonial grandeur on the altars of the Grossmiinster. The common people everywhere were given to understand that the substance of the wafer was supernaturally transformed, so that communicants literally ate Christ's body while the priest alone drank his blood. Even for Luther, the words, "this is my body," were too mighty to break the spell of sacramentalism. The Anabaptists were outspoken in exposing this sophistry, insisting that the early Christians sought Christ not in the bread but addressed their prayers to him in heaven. The bread theyheldtobe pure bread and the wine nothing but wine, for Christ was incarnated not to be eaten of men but to atone for their sins. Generally, the Anabaptists adopt- ed the symbolic view, cautioning not to confuse the sign with what it signifies. Occasionally they cited Karlstadt, ex- plaining that in saying, "This is my body," Jesus pointed not to the bread but to himself. Meaning What did breaking bread together then mean to them? Hans Oggenfuss testified Clarence Bauman it was done with the intention "fror; now on to live and keep a Christian life.! Jbrg Schad confessed they broke brea! together "that they might always hav God in their hearts and think of him. Hans Denck explained that to "eat m flesh and drink my blood" signifies hov it must happen spiritually and no, carnally so that, just as bread and win! unites itself with human nature tj maintain the life of the body, so we ma) become entirely one with God in the jo!: and love of the divine life. .The Schlei theim Confession declares that "he whi is not called to the one faith, the oni baptism, the one Spirit, and the onl body which all God's children have ij common, may not be united with therji by one bread as it ought to be where oni • desires to break bread in truth an< according to the command of Christ.". > This symbolism of divine unity with! in human community first occurs in th Didache of the Apostles which attest that "as each kernel of grain gives up itj entire substance to become one flou! and each berry from the vine gives up it; entire substance under the treadmill til . become one wine and one cup ... so als! we who once represented many destru tive and unfruitful opinions and faith as we made our appearance from th wild thornbushes . . . give ourselves u under the millstone of divine righteous! ness to endure the Word of the Lord an 1 say in faith: Here I am, a maidservan and a manservant of the Lord. May it b with me according to thy word. Fror that hour we are one body, one plan one growth, one mind and opinio inaugurated into the will of Christ. . . , Peter Riedeman interpreted this apos tolic parable to mean that, when Jesu broke bread and bade his disciples ea he signified they would be partakers o his death to fulfill in their bodies wha was still lacking of his sufferings. Han Langenmantel exhorted that "he wh does not believe and follow the sign o the crucified cannot ultimately be in th covenant. Therefore, let everyone exam ine himself whether he lives for himsel or for God and his church." Pilgrin Marbeck admonished the Bundesge meinde that participation in the Bundes mal (covenant meal) means that ou relation to each other is one of tru covenant love, that we are prepared t die for one another as Jesus died for us 66 FEBRUARY 1, 197 i Mystery Bread and wine symbolize the spiritual i dynamic of divine Presence at the core of human experience. The reality of the . body of which Christ spoke consists in | the intention which bread and wine , signify: to sustain the life of covenant , between God and his people in the spirit j of Jesus. From the immense fragmenta- j tion and dissolution of life we produce ■ the bread of our toil and the wine of our , pain. Yet, in the very depth of our j human condition, God intends to make us one in the divine perfection of his own unity, j Communion is mystery because the i material is the only medium in which we i,L can know and express the spiritual. I Communion is miracle as the sharing of | goods becomes an experience of broth- [ erhood. This is the event of theophany 4 for which we hope and wait. Its nature 1 remains a mystery, but the place where lit happens is called community. The spiritual intention behind the I "accidents" of matter, bread and wine, is I that we might likewise be touched by I the mystery of the divine Presence ; throughout the entire universe. Some- , times we experience it like the radiance j of a falling star, not knowing whence it , comes nor whither it goes. As we discern the infinite perspectives hidden j beneath the smallness and closeness of our being and relation, we come to . realize that whether we ascend to | heaven or descend to hell, the divine j Presence permeates and consecrates the | whole of reality, leaving no place where ? darkness could cover us or where his ; hand will not hold and lead us. In the ; certainty of God's presence, there is no ! secular place for those who love him II above all things and see him in all I things. \ His presence enables us to be present ; where we are within the time and space j he has willed for us. His presence makes jail of life and nature a sacred gift in response to which we long with our i; whole being to be truly present to one j another in his name, whoever and wherever we are. Reality Our life together is a spiritual struggle for the reality of communion. There is no Its nature remains a mystery, but the place where it happens is called community. way to communion. Communion is the way. Communion is where communion happens. We cannot force it to happen, but we know that it has happened, pray that it may happen, and trust that it will happen as we allow it to happen. And when it does, it happens as the paradox of Christian being: in losing we find, in dying we are born, in giving we receive. The quality of togetherness in koino- nia far transcends mere coexistence. Community implies covenant, not con- tract. It is not a means to an end but the end itself. Santorum communio is the reality of eternity in the midst of time. It is experienced as the reciprocity of giving and forgiving, as vital dialog of life, as testing and confrontation which demand the full investment of the authentic self. Communion is the pledge of the whole self in response and responsibility to the highest truth. Community cannot be taken for granted. It is God's gift and our task, a divine possibility constituted as a human actuality embodying the spirit of Jesus within the history and destiny of a gathered fellowship. Communion is not a human ideal but a divine reality, a spiritual and not merely social event. In breaking bread at his last supper, Jesus did what he always did: he gave himself. That is what he invites us to do: to share the spiritual essence and material substance of our real life with others so that together we might have the one thing for all — our common life in him. We live by what we give each other in the significant encounters of our life, those times of interaction when a new spark of meaning, a new flame of truth is ignited within us, or when our dimming light is rekindled by some deep expe- rience of listening each other into life in a humble stillness grounded in the depth of peace. The breakthrough to communion takes place as we confess our faults to one another before God, asking him to forgive as we have forgiven. The confes- sion of a broken and contrite heart enables the breakthrough to the cross, to new life, to certainty, and to victory over sin. Confession prepares us to freely receive the costly grace of com- munion with joy and peace as the bond of Christ's forgiving love knits us together in a wholly new alignment of personal relation. THE MENNONITE 67 Jilt twfriage bo0 One million twenty-six thousand Unit- ed States couples were divorced in 1975. Two million one hundred thousand couples were united in the marriage bond during that same time. People setting up house as individuals doubled from one and a half million in 1970 to three million in 1975. According to some people, these statistics indicate that marriage as a relationship "till death do us part" is a dying institution, an outmoded con- tract. People are becoming less inclined to choose the marriage bond, and don't view it as permanent when they do marry. Others observe that these statistics are evidence for a very high view of marriage. People have great expecta- tions of the marriage relationship and dissolve dysfunctional unions to try and realize this potential with another per- son. Whatever their real significance may be, they are indisputable reflections that many marriage relationships are "duels" rather than "duets." There are some basic reasons under- lying most marital conflicts. People today are aware of human potential and people liberation. Therefore they are seeking growth-oriented relationships. This is often difficult to relate to expected traditional roles. Young people are generally ill- prepared for building growth-oriented marriages. They have received little training in human relationships. The initial reasons for marriage may be: (a) to get away from a stressful home; (b) pregnancy of the girl may result in pressures of guilt and responsibility that lead to marriage with a feeling of no Orlyn Zehr alternatives; (c) premarital sexual ac- tivity may cause such strong anxieties that the couple will marry to accommo- date their physical drives; or (d) as a person becomes an adult and realizes e need to be independent, it seems too frightening to face the world alone, and it drives some people together into marriage. In the meantime, we invest more money and energies in formally teach- ing our children to drive automobiles safely than we do in formally preparing them for marriage. And we do have the capacities to teach the needed skills. Another basic issue is that our socie- tal values are dominated by economic factors. Ours is a materialistic society where acquisition of things takes prece- dence over the building of relationships. Values are thing oriented rather than people oriented. This factor continues to promote the husband's career as paramount. His job makes things possible. Promotions that uproot families cannot be refused be- cause they dictate the income. Spouses may feel neglected because the glamour of a career is for the husband. Or she may be forced to take a well-paying job to help "keep up with the Joneses." The husband faces a constant pressure to "get to the top." When the wife does go to work and gets involved in meaningful experiences outside the home, resent- ment is often built up against the role she has been forced to fill. As she finds satisfaction and realizes a capacity for financial independence, the reason for the marriage suddenly changes. The focus now becomes more upon the nature of the relationship. The old marital problems of money, in-laws, alcohol, lack of communica tion, parenting, and sex are still there. Irj addition, three new problems are comi monly being expressed to marriag counselors. Unequal growth patterns. The tradi tional "executive syndrome" confines the woman to the home while the mal< moves in the stimulating environmen of his career. Today, there is a revers trend. Women are breaking out of thei cocoons with some degree of adolescent like rebelliousness. Many husband are surprised and unprepared to relat to women who want to be equal partner in marriage. Sex-role stereotyping. It is difficul for many males to summon the tender ness, warmth, and sharing that wome are beginning to expect. Women oftei feel ambivalent about their own needs versus the traditional expectations tha mothers serve as self-effacing emotion al support for everybody else in thi family. Sacrifice. Marriage and parenthooc require that people put aside certaiij needs and put off some personal satis factions. Older couples will seek the ai of marriage counselors to finally held them get over this sacrificing habit! Younger people often see any delay ii( personal fulfillment as a serious inj fringement and it becomes the sourc« for serious conflict. Virginia Satir, noted family therapistl;| sees marriage in three parts — the youB the me, and the us. Lately, the emphasis i has been on the "you" and the "me." Th{J "us" is in trouble. How do we get our own needs me while maintaining and building thi other person's as well? Jesus suggestec that a basic implication of the grea commandment is to "love your neighbo as yourself." George Bach in the book Pairing defines the "relationship where one' needs are being met at the same time yoi are meeting the needs of another per son," as intimacy. Real intimacy begin under the following conditions: (1) 1 ; THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within Ihe context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It I published weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton, Kans. 67114, by the General Board of the General Conference Menn on it e Church Second class postage paid at Newton, Kans. 671 14, and at additional mailing offices. Subscriptions in U S and Canada. $8.00. one year, $1 5 50. two years, $23 00, three years, foreign, $8 50 per yeai Editorial office 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg. Canada R3P0M4 Business office 72? Mam St . Box 347. Newton. Kans 671 14 Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Box 347. Newton. Kans 671 14 68 FEBRUARY 1, 197 person must be enough in touch with his own self to understand his own emo- tional needs. (2) A person must have the ability to communicate these needs in an understandable manner. (3) A person must have the sensitivity to understand another person's needs. (4) A person must have the freedom and ability to respond to the other's needs as perceived. For the marriage bond to become vital and growing, we will have to develop coping responses to the danger areas. Growth inequality. When the mar- riage is designed in such a manner that either the husband or wife feels "trapped," trouble lies ahead. God created marriage for human fulfillment. Optimum growth is extremely impor- tant for both partners. Decisions about life-styles and roles must begin in spite of traditional images. Priorities need to be mutually planned and agreeable. Overloading. Some people expect all their personal needs to be fulfilled in the marriage bond. They say in effect that, "If you really loved me, you wouldn't need any interests apart from me." This results in possessiveness and jealousy. Such couples need to "back off" from one another at times and ask themselves if this is fair. Your marriage can be enriched because of some outside inter- ests and experiences. Role conflict. Each person brings his own ideas into a marriage. Role models may be based on parents or some other close friends or relatives. These deter- mine our expectations from our partners. In Christian marriage, we together seek God's will for our lives. Our personal expectations need to be laid bare before God together with the partner's expectations. Then we can begin to discern the model for our marriage. Communication. Couples too fre- quently base responses on assumptions rather than taking time to communicate. Human interaction is a complex pro- cess. Some people resent taking respon- sibility for clear communication. They nonverbally say, "If you really loved me, you would know what I need without my having to ask for it." It makes marriage counselors think that mind- reading may be an essential prerequi- site for love to exist! Family of origin carryovers or intru- sions. Most persons getting into mar- riage, without being completely aware of it, expect the spouse to contribute to the same sort of family pattern they came from and quickly make compari- sons openly or nonverbally. Both spouses bring along their own sets of values from the families of origin and frequently extend the role they learned from their own families, into the mar- riage. A person's relationship with the parent of the opposite sex is extremely important in terms of shaping expecta- tions of the spouse. For marriage to be successful, each spouse must be in touch with his or her feelings about the family of origin and be able to separate expectations of the spouse from that experience as much as possible. Only then can the couple be free to forge their own relationship. Workable marriages are not made in heaven but out of two mature human beings seriously seeking how they can continue to grow toward their potential and share this exciting process with spouses who are also seeking to grow toward their potential. Most persons getting into marriage, without being completely aware of it, expect the spouse to contribute to the same sort of family pattern they came from and quickly make comparisons openly or nonverbally. News } Consultation focuses on young adult ministries Young adult ministries was the focus for an international consultation held January 6-10 in Miami, Florida, spon- sored by the National Council of Churches. Over 300 participants representing twenty-six denominations attended the conference. Two of the major addresses were given by Margaret Mead, anthro- pologist, and Daniel Levinson, professor of social psychology at Yale. Ms. Mead stressed the young adult's need for role models and for a communi- ty to cope with spiritual needs, career choices, and other important decisions. According to Mr. Levinson, eras of the human life-cycle can be divided by specific stages of transition, with four or five years needed to shift from one stage to another. The early adult transition (ages seventeen to twenty-two) includes a preliminary step into the adult world; learning what it means to be an adult, therefore needing role models. Parents move to the periphery of relationships. Ages twenty-two through twenty- eight is the time to fashion and test out structures between self and society, becoming a "novice adult." At ages twenty-eight to thirty-two another transition takes place, which includes a greater review of the past resulting in growth and redirection of life. Age thirty transition ends with choic- es which set patterns for future life. At age forty this era is left and another transition of evaluating aspirations of the past takes place and a qualitative change results in work or family. Mr. Levinson has been involved in the adult developmental process since 1900, when he and his team studied about forty men, ages eighteen to forty-seven, from different occupations. The consultation also included work- shops covering such topics as intergen- erational ministry, black and Indian minorities, music heard by young adults, human sexuality, films for young adults, and apartment ministries. In the workshop, "Whal are young adults thinking?" results of the Dayton Young Adult Survey, 1976, were shared. The survey found that some of I hi; most urgenl needs and issues expressed by young adults were in the areas of finance, career counseling and develop- ment, peaceful living environment, American politics and institutions, chemical dependency, television, educa- tion, and personal image development. During the consultation General Con- ference and Mennonite Church repre- sentatives met to evaluate material and make plans for an expanded ministry to young adults. Representatives of the General Conference were John and Mary Gaeddert, Herta Funk, and Elea- nor Loewen from Newton, Kansas, and William Dick from the University of Waterloo, Ontario. MEDA considers apprentice program for minorities Mennonite Economic Development As- sociates (MEDA) will consider the adoption of the Mennonite Minority Employment Program (MMEP) at the MEDA board of trustees meeting March 10-11, in Fresno, California. The pur- pose of MMEP will not only be to provide training and employment for Mennonite minority youth who might be attracted to the military, but also to allow Mennonite business people to share their expertise and learn from minority people. If the MMEP proposal is adopted, Mennonite Central Committee, contrib- uting Mennonite mission boards, mi- nority affairs committees, and Menno- nite Industry Business Associates (MIBA) will each send representatives to MFTJA's domestic committee to cooperate on the project. Because MEDA is composed of the business people to whom MMEP needs to relate in order to function, MEDA is being asked to administer the project. Under the proposed program Menno- nite minority young people will be hired as interns for at least one year in businesses owned by interested Menno- nites. A director for MMEP will work with the person's family and congrega- tion to find an apprenticeship and also help the person find a permanent job alter the training period is over. Hope- fully jobs will be found in the person's home community, so MMKP does not drain an area of its trained, income- producing people. High school graduates with no money, people who lack direction, or those; with some college who an; simply drilling are the people MMEP will try to help ■ Priority will be given to people attend! " ing Mennonite or Brethren in Chris! churches in the United States anq f Puerto Rico. There is money fronl federal programs for minority people ir business, said Lloyd Fisher, executive secretary of MEDA. The problem is finding out how to get it. Beside? matching young people with training slots, the director of MMEP will bt| responsible for finding out about federa 5 programs for minorities. Helping Mennonite minority people without adequate funds and business knowledge set up businesses will alsd be the task of MMEP. The ideal situaj tion will be to help the minority persor! find local sources — businesses, banksl ■ and people — who can help him, Mr; Fisher said. An MMEP representative c will work with the minority person ir finding these resources. Words & deeds Vigils, rallies, and programs were helc in over 100 cities across the country January 22 to urge President Carter to stop the controversial B-l bomber program. National and local organiza- tions, including the American Friends Service Committee and Clergy and Laity Concerned, emphasized that thousands of ordinary Americans are asking the new president for complete termination of the B-l, to cut military spending and to convert the money to human needs. "We know the new president is under intense pressure from the Pentagon and military contractors to approve the bomb," Terry Provance, AFSC national Stop the B-l coordinator, said. "But he must realize that thousands of people are opposed to it. We expect Mr. Carter to carry out his campaign statement that the B-l 'should not be funded'." The final decision on long-term production of the B-l has been delayed by the Pentagon until May. College enrollment has decreased about 1 percent, according to a recent survey sampling of over 500 U.S. colleges and universities. Private, church-related schools, however, are up 7 percent and theological institutions show an in- crease of 4.7 percent. 70 FEBRUARY 1, 1977 Getting involved in Zaire |j "We knew an old, lame pastor in fi Mbandaka who lived in a terrible [ house," Larry Stoner said. "He had been 11 saving stones for fifteen years hoping s| some day to build himself a new house, i Since we had to work in Zaire on I 1 Christmas Day, we got the idea of doing J something that we wouldn't normally « do to help someone else. So that day we i| dug and poured a small foundation on ! his lot. Then we worked at the house off [ i and on in our spare time. The pastor was so excited — he said he knew that God had sent us. "That was just one of the small > projects we got involved in," Stoner I smiled, recalling his 2V2-year term with Mennonite Central Committee in Zaire. The Lititz, Pennsylvania, native, who returned to the United States in De- cember, got involved not only in small projects but also in some very big ones while working in a project to build low- cost houses in Mbandaka. Losanganyo housing project, whose name means "no discrimination," began in March 1974 under the leadership of Millard Fuller, a Disciples of Christ missionary who modeled the project on a similar one he had worked on while at Koinonia Partners in Georgia. I "Millard asked the government for ij land to build 100 houses," Mr. Stoner ! remembered. "People said it wasn't possible. They said we might build three v or four houses a year. And when the first house was started, we didn't even have ' enough money to finish it," he said. Mr. Stoner explained that families . make a down payment and small monthly payments for twenty years to buy their houses. The payments are returned to a Fund for Humanity, from which money is taken to continue building. "A large amount of money has |l come from friends here in North Ameri- : ca, too," Mr. Stoner went on. "Small ' amounts from so many people have ,'■ added up to a lot." "Today forty-five houses have been completed and 114 more begun," he noted. "The longer the project goes on the more convinced people will be that it can operate." Mr. Stoner, who arrived in Mbandaka in September 1974, found building already speeding up. His original in- volvement, he remembered, was learn- ij ing Lingala, the region's major language, and working along with the Zairian 1 carpenters and masons. "Soon after I I could talk Lingala, some families at the housing project asked me to move in with them," Mr. Stoner said. "I felt I wasn't ready then, but after I had been there for a year and a half, I moved in with a family. Living condi- tions were different — there was no electricity or running water — but I enjoyed the six months I spent with the family. "I know it made a big impression on the people, too," he continued. "It helped to break down some of the barriers. We were still Americans but they trusted us more." Perhaps the biggest involvement Mr. Stoner had was taking over as director of the housing project when Millard Fuller left. When local church leaders learned that Mr. Fuller and Mr. Stoner planned to leave Zaire at about the same time, they became very concerned for the future of the project, Mr. Stoner said. "The pastor and the project foreman asked me to stay longer and take over as director. They kept after me for a definite decision. I knew it was a big project with a lot of responsibilities, but after a lot of thinking and praying I decided to extend my term several months. Mr. Stoner worked with Millard for about four months before the latter left, learning the many angles to running the housing project. "My job included organizing work for the cement blocks that needed to be made that day and making sure that the barge could go out and get sand. 1 had to buy supplies for the project and correspond with the people overseas who were helping financially. That sometimes meant twenty to twenty-five letters a week." Leadership responsibility also in- volved Mr. Stoner in a lot of problems. "There were workers who wanted to borrow money and unsatisfied custom- ers. I also had to deal with families who were not chosen for a house. All I could tell them was that there were too many families — we planned to build 162 houses, but 7,000 families requested one. "I feel the biggest reason for the success of the housing project is the people's desire for it," Mr. Stoner said in evaluation of his time in Zaire. "Zair- ians come in to help with the work as volunteers because they see it as a valuable thing and want to help. "The project costs a lot of money — they can't do it themselves," he went on. "But our part is the funding. They really feel their part is the labor. They want it and they share in it. "We're planning ahead but we don't know where all the funds are coming from," said Mr. Stoner, who turned leadership of the project over to fellow volunteer Joe Kirk of Smithville, Ohio, when he left. "Stepping out in faith is essential." Larry Stoner lays block at Losanganyo housing project in Mbandaka. Zaire. THE MENNONITE 71 Bangladeshi begins marketing training In Bangladesh making craft items isn't just something people do in theirleisure time — it provides both an important export possibility and employment opportunities, said Ruslan A. Gani. Mr. Gani, who arrived in the United States December 1, 1976, will spend six months studying handicrafts marketing and distribution in North America. Spon- sored by Mennonite Central Committee, Mr. Gani is working directly with Self- Help director Nick Dyck. "I think I can be a real help to my country," Mr. Gani said, explaining why he wanted to come to North America. "I will be able to compare our products with those from other countries and will also be able to study how our products are marketed in foreign countries." By learning about handicraft products from other countries, Mr. Gani said he will be able both to understand more of their cultural background and to know where Bangladeshi products stand in relation to the total market. Product diversification is also impor- tant. "I want to see what new items our producers can make," he said. "I'd also like to test the behavior of North Americans to see why they have a special fascination for certain items." Jute and jute products are major export items from Bangladesh. "Our jute is possibly the best in the world," Mr. Gani said, "and so our jute products are of very high quality." As important economically as the export value of jute and other handicraft items, however, is the fact that their production provides a source of income for many persons who otherwise would have no employment. Handicraft production is especially important as a source of income for women in a culture where women traditionally remain in their own com- pounds. "Handicraft production helps women's groups to participate in society as well," Mr. Gani noted. Basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter are not met for many people in Bangladesh, Mr. Gani said. "But it is better to employ these needy people than just giving them relief," he added. Mr. Gani received a master's degree with a specialization in marketing from the Institute of Business Administra- tion at the University of Dacca. While he was still a student he went to MCC country representative Paul Myers to explore job possibilities. Mr. Myers sent him to Harley Snyder, who was then working for Christian Organization for Volunteer Elsie Dyck helps customers at the Goshen, Indiana, relief sale select plan hangers at the Self-Help booth. Ruslan Gani, studying handicrafts marketing anc distribution in North America, hopes "to test the behavior of North Americans t( see why they have a special fascination for certain items." Relief and Rehabilitation (CORR). Al- though he was not able to talk to Mr. Snyder until much later, Mr. Gani kept himself busy. After completing his studies he held two consultancy jobs before beginning a three-months stint with Ford Foundation. While working part time with CORR, he did a feasibility report on ceramics products. Then, through discussions with Mr. Snyder and Mr. Myers, it was decided that he would be sent for six months' training overseas if he would work at a job in handicrafts for at least two years after returning to Bangladesh. During the wait while letters went back and forth between Bangladesh and North America and final arrangements were made, he began a feasibility study on wheat-straw cards. The wheat-straw cards are produced in a handicraft program sponsored by MCC in Mirpur, a poor suburb of Dacca, the capital city. The study involved preparing a ques- tionnaire, doing a field investigation, and interpreting the data. Mr. Gani's background and training make it evident that he has much to contribute to the development of handi- crafts in Bangladesh. But he feels his training in North America will be a good experience for him as well. MCC worker escapes injury in volcano eruptions James Lederach, Mennonite Centra Committee volunteer in Goma, Zaire was apparently among residents o Goma who were evacuated from the citj during volcano eruptions on Decembe 23 and January 10. According to reports, a volcano erup tion in the area north of Goma, a city ir Zaire's northeastern Kivu region formed two or three more volcanoes oi December 23. These volcanoes thei erupted January 10. Lava flows stoppec within five kilometers of Goma, block ing roads into the city. Residents of th( city who were evacuated across th( border to Gisenyi, Rwanda, have since returned. Reports from the American Embassy in Kinshasa, confirmed by the Zairiar Government, assure that there were n( casualties or loss of life. However, large areas of the region's rich agricultura land have been severely damaged. A United Nations office cable stated tha food shortages may be in store for thi region. MCC Zaire country representative Phillip Rich left Kinshasa January 15 to visit the Kivu region, 72 FEBRUARY 1, 1977 Veterinary supplies, seeds sent to Laos In Vientiane, the capital of Laos, a veterinary center is busy producing about 5,000 doses per week of vaccines against hemorrhagic systicemia in cows and water buffaloes. At Don Thao and Don Nang, islands in the Mekong River, gardening is a part of reeducation for about 1,500 drug addicts, prostitutes, thieves, and street people. Both of these projects and others have been receiving support from Mennonite Central Com- mittee, reported Linda and Murray Hiebert, MCC volunteers in Laos. In addition to veterinary chemicals and cultures and vegetable seeds, 1976 material aid supplies to Laos included j weaving, knitting, cooking, and rug- making equipment to the women's vocational training center and factory in Vientiane, metal to produce 1,000 agri- I cultural tool kits for refugees returning to the Plain of Jars, canned beef, and ICinva-Ram block presses. The veterinary center in Vientiane, ! the only place where vaccines are produced in Laos, delivers medicines to l provincial and district vaccination centers. Only 20 percent of Laos' ap- proximately one million cows and buffaloes are vaccinated. Because not Bolivian village After a struggle of several years plans I ".for a small clinic in Villa Diego, a tiny i village in rural Bolivia, are finally t! reaching completion. Three young women have been chosen i- for special health training and the local v. works committee has been approached i , about supplying doors and windows for lithe posta, or clinic, reported MCC i volunteer Phil Bender. d| Villa Diego, a town of thirty-five rifamilies and about 150 residents, has if been painfully aware of its need for ir more adequate health care for several ;t years. They originally hoped to solve this problem by helping to build a clinic :j at Caranda. "The posta at Caranda did not meet io 'their needs," Mr. Bender explained. >t '"Caranda is ten miles away over bad ai ; roads and there is only one vehicle in the A 'town of Villa Diego. It is only recently jl that public transportation from Caran- K da reaches Villa Diego once a day if the ;jroad is good." el In addition to disappointment in the lo; Caranda posta, the feeling that health ,care was needed was intensified with all the roads have been repaired after thirty years of war, distribution of the vaccines can be difficult. Expressing their appreciation for the MCC-donated chemicals, veterinary center represen- tatives said they should be sufficient for about one year. The factory hopes to produce enough vaccine to completely fill Laos' needs. Vegetable seeds, fertilizer, pesticides, and watering cans given to the Ministry of Interior were distributed to the centers at Don Thao and Don Nang and to a center for sixty orphans which is to be expanded to receive about 2,000 homeless children, most of whom lost their parents in the war. Other places receiving the garden supplies were a cooperative established for about sixty rehabilitated drug addicts, a resettle- ment center for forty unemployed and refugee families, and state farms. Ac- cording to the Hieberts, they hoped to visit one of these sites early in January. The women's center, which received materials from American Friends Ser- vice Committee, Canadian University Service Overseas, and MCC, employs fifty women. Most of the women who are not department heads had received the visits of Lois Hooley and Frieda Schellenberg, MCC nurses who gave vaccinations, did some curative work, and gave talks on health matters. "On one of their visits over a year ago Lois and Frieda explained the six- months health training course held at Montero," Mr. Bender said. "Two young women were chosen for the course and money set aside to help with their expenses." Although the village was disappoint- ed when both girls failed the entrance exam, they did not give up hope. The two nurses had also explained a shorter, less intensive course offered by MCC through which people could become health promoters. "Lois Hooley brought her promoters with her for subsequent vaccination visits which impressed upon the people the utility of such training," Mr. Bender reported. As a program to train health promot- ers was in the process of being estab- lished by MCC and the Bolivian Minis- try of Health at Caranda, Lorraine Beitzel, another MCC nurse, visited no previous training and are learning their skill on the job. The factory produces food, cakes, candies, sweaters, baby hats, baskets, rugs, and clothes which are sold in a government store in Vientiane. Assistance to refugees returning to the Plain of Jars is another of the Hieberts' major concerns in Laos. Dur- ing the war more than 700,000 people were forced to flee this area, one of the most fertile in the country before the American bombing. MCC arranged to import metal so that a Laotian factory could produce machetes, axes, and hoes for 1,000 agricultural tool kits which would be distributed to the returning refugees. In discussions with Lao officials, the Hieberts expressed interest in assisting well-defined development projects which representatives will be able to visit. Assisting the government to develop irrigation systems and supply- ing farmers with water buffaloes are among the possibilities this year. The Hieberts write optimistically about some ideas already discussed with the Ministry of Agriculture and hope soon to report on more concrete options. Villa Diego to explain the Caranda program and stress the importance of forming a community health committee to organize and plan for health care. Enthusiastically the villagers in Villa Diego chose a health committee, chose Julia Rivero and Emilia Sanchez to attend the promoter course in Caranda, and elected Carmen Lopez to try again for admittance to the six-months course in Montero. This time Ms. Lopez was accepted for the Montero course. The village health committee has taken its job seriously and has met with local health officials as well as with Mr. Maida, a private practitioner working with a Methodist public health organi- zation. With Mr. Maida the committee has been making arrangements for equip- ment for the posta, funds from the Ministry of Health to pay Carmen Lopez's salary, and scholarship help for her training. "Although MCC provided informa- tion and encouragement, establishing a posta at Villa Diego is the project of the village residents," Mr. Bender said. begins health service THE MENNONITE 73 Record Workers David Augsburger, Oakbrook, 111., has been named associate professor of pastoral care and counseling at Goshen Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind., effec- tive July 1, 1978. He is now a visiting professor at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries and is scheduled to teach two courses there in 1977-78. He will continue his teaching at Northern Baptist Seminary in Oakbrook, where he is associate professor of pastoral psychology and counseling. Mr. Augs- burger holds degrees from Eastern Mennonite College and Eastern Menno- nite Seminary, Harrisonburg, Va., and from the School of Theology, Claremont, Calif. He is an author, was radio speaker for the Mennonite Hour, and served pastorates in Virginia and West Virgi- nia. /. Lawrence BurkhoJder, president of Goshen (Ind.) College, began a six- months sabbatical Jan. 1 at the Univer- sity of California at Berkeley near the Graduate Theological Union. During his sabbatical he will prepare an essay on the theological meaning of China which he will present at a meeting of the North American Consultation on China at the Director-staff openings: Swan Lake Christian Camp, Viborg, South Dakota (Northern District Conference retreat grounds). Staff involvement includes responsibility for camp operation (maintenance, cooking, rentals, development) and the year-round retreating program Contact: LeRoy Epp Retreat Committee Chairman Marion, South Dakota 57043 (605) 925-7635 Coordinator required MCC (B.C.) requires a coordinator to direct the existing programs, as well as develop new programs, with the adult mentally retarded. Educational and practical experience is pre- ferred. Contact: Wally Kroeker MCC (B.C.) Box 2038 Clearbrook, British Columbia V2T 3T8 Phone: 859-4141 Augsburger Ens University of Notre Dame in June. Henry D. Weaver will assume responsi- bility as chief administrator in Mr. Burkholder's absence. Gerhard Ens of Gretna, Man., has been named editor of Der Bote beginning in July. Der Bote, the German-language periodical of the General Conference, has been edited for thirteen years by Peter B. Wiens, who resigned November 23, 1976, because of ill health. Ingrid Janzen is presently serving as interim editor of the paper. Mr. Ens, a native of Gretna, Man., has served as teacher and principal at Mennonite Collegiate in Gretna from 1946 to 1976. He holds BA and BEd degrees in German history from the University of Manitoba. After Mr. Ens begins work with Der Botenext summer, the offices of the editor will be moved from Saskatoon, Sask., to the Canadian Conference offices in Winni- peg. John M. Janzen, former Bethel College faculty member, has received a fellow- ship for independent study and research from the National Endowment for the Humanities. He is currently an anthro- pology professor at the University of Kansas. Marsha Sprunger, First Church, Berne, Ind., has begun a second six- Help wanted Immediate opening in Clinton, Oklahoma, for houseparents at emergency shelter for children, aged infancy to eighteen years old. Skilled home repair workers needed in Portland, Oregon, in spring 1977. Immediate opening for van driver. Two-year term required. Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 months term as a mission volunteer i] Mexico under the General Conference'! Commission on Overseas Mission. Shj is serving as a registered nurse at th! maternity clinic at Nuevo NamiquipaJ Published J The proceedings of the Western Canad; Conference on Women and the Church Saskatoon, Sask., October 1975, ari now available for $3.00 from Canadia; I Women and Religion, 1332 Osier Sts Saskatoon, Sask. S7N 0V2. Does your congregation want to maki | its own 16mm film by splicing? mak 3V2-cent slides? write a press release! have a puppet theater? produce a radij I program? Ideas and instructions on hovl to use these and other media in commul nicating the church's message are in Jm\ media resource handbook, produced foi the "Invitation to live" campaign of thj , Inter-Mennonite Media Group. Thj ' media handbook is written by Gerald Loewen of Winnipeg, media consultan1 , for the General Conference, and Stewari I Hoover of Elgin, Illinois, media consul! - tant for the Church of the Brethren. It i I I available for $5.00 from Diane Zimmer man Umble, Faith and Life Radio an< Television, Invitation to Live Cam I paign, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114 ' Additional chapters will be mailed ii future months at no extra cost. Calendar Apr. 28-May 1 — Eastern Distric Conference annual sessions, Camii Men-O-Lan; theme, "The sanctity of lifej Birth and death" Canadian Feb. 25-26 — Conference of Mennoj I nites in Manitoba annual sessions) I Steinbach (Man.) Church Feb. 25-26— Conference of Mennoj | nites in Saskatchewan annual sessions! I Seventh Day Adventist complex, Blackt strap Mar. 11-13 — Conference of Mennor j nites in Ontario annual sessions, Rock ,. way Mennonite School Northern Feb. 18-19— Seminar on family lif 1 issues, Freeman (S.D.) Junior Collegd I theme, "Caring relationships"; speak li ers, Carl Schmitzer, Carl Rutt 74 FEBRUARY 1, ^97 ii v y v y v yv V W V'.V y | > ! v y v y v y v /TinmtbttL Sum.. $ju,p'i Sail. t \Z \Z X %f y 7^ v > V V v v XjXUVXitCst. ClCQxA/aX. •JCl/37LOU*XL / {fjQt^jUX. t \r \r \z \' v y v w /v y 'Jru -y . ^y ^y 'uq&lio. lia/rrrfstCL. Olo^tdJ^M. v yv >V V r \r \y \ V y V /V y A. 'TTjCLlCuun.. 7l&udou/rdkbnd ',r[U2^tUL yv yv y 'log&zui. (tgupt 3c£toxcL \r sr \r \ v yv yv y \r >y \ v y v y v y v y v y /(LQMXCL fa'fi'iXuCCL S'/z/cUt-t. c'^-W^'-od/fki &&)C t5(Z/-A Where are the 70? Are you interested in teaching as a Christian ministry? Are you willing to be flexible and adaptable? Are you concerned about developing the next generation of Third World leaders? ; If your response is positive you may be one of the 70 teachers MCC hopes to send in 1977 to Africa, the Middle East and Latin and North America. ■ Education is a key to the poverty box !in which many Third World countries are locked. These countries are searching for teachers to develop their youth. Through service with MCC teachers are challenged to share Christian values along with knowledge and skills. Are you willing? For more information or an application contact Mennonite Central Committee 21 South 12th Street Akron, PA 17501 or 201-1483 Pembina Highway Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2C8 If" THE MENNONITE 75 The lonely shanty on the prairie of Montana La Vernae /. Dick 76 FEBRUARY 1, When we told Father that we were going to homestead in Montana, he said there wouldn 't even be a rusty nail there, let alone people and a church. He said we couldn't get along that way. m "Father was right! I should have known J he was right!" Elizabeth shouted. Her hj words broke the silence that had seeped u\ into every crevice of their shanty on the f] windswept prairie of Montana that i Sunday morning. It was 1917 and Jake t\ and Elizabeth Quiring's first year on (\ their newly claimed homestead, miles ;l| from the nearest town. The only things HI they could see on the horizon were the || occasional deserted shanties of other j! Mennonite homesteaders who had left 11 for the winter, and there was the smoke M from the LeFond cabin. Like Jake and || Elizabeth, they had stayed behind II because they couldn't afford to spend \\ the winter any place else. But the visits fj between the two families were infre- j quent and Elizabeth hadn't seen another ; woman for many weeks now. "What are you talking about?" her , husband, young Jake, asked. He i frowned as he looked up from reading his German Bible. He always spent u Sunday mornings reading in his Bible || and Elizabeth usually did too. But not S this Sunday. Instead, she sat on a bench J by the table with her head in her hands. "Oh, you know as well as I do," | Elizabeth said, not even raising her head I to look at Jake. "When we told Father I just before he died that we were going to ! homestead in Montana, he said there | wouldn't even be a rusty nail there, let I alone people and a church. He said we I couldn't get along that way." She was quiet for a few moments and j then sobbed. "Oh Jake, why didn't we p listen to what Father said and stay in 1 Minnesota? Here we are in this God- ()] forsaken country with no one to talk to J but each other for who knows how long, i I'll go crazy if this keeps up. I can't help I it;' I Jake closed his Bible, got up, and came ) over to where Elizabeth was sitting at l| the table and sobbing as if her heart | would break. "Now, now, Elizabeth," he H said rubbing her back. "It's not that bad. II Remember we have each other and I love ll you very much. We also have our Bibles I and hymnbooks. Why don't you read J awhile? Then you'll forget about your ijj loneliness." j "I know all that, Jake," Elizabeth said, j wiping the tears from her eyes and f looking up for the first time. "But it's | another woman's voice that I want to I hear. If I could just talk with my mother ik or sister. . . ." She broke into sobs again, ij "But you can't. We both know that. I But I could take you to see Mille LeFond | this afternoon if it doesn't begin to I I snow." ill "Would you, Jake?" Elizabeth said, smiling through her tears. "Would you? I'll be able to endure the rest of the winter if you'll just do that." Satisfied that her longing to see another woman would soon be taken care of, Elizabeth got up, walked over, and sat down in her favorite rocker beside the heating stove. She picked up her Bible and turned to Psalm 103 and began reading, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits." That had been the text for their wedding sermon the year before. She leaned back in the rocker, closed her eyes, and let her mind wander over the events of the past year. About this time last year she was anticipating her wedding to Jake. Her mother and sisters had been as enthusiastic as she. Togeth- er they had eagerly planned and pre- pared for the marriage. Then there had been the excitement of the wedding itself. Her father, who was ill with cancer and in bed most of the time, had accompanied her down the aisle to the altar. There Jake stood and she had seen love written all over his face. The church had been full that day and Elizabeth knew she was loved by many people. The next big event of the year had been their trip to Montana. Jake had talked about homesteading in Montana even before they married. Soon after the wedding he went by train to Montana to pick out a homestead. After he returned home they ordered a Bluebook from Sears, Roebuck and Company, and began studying it. There were no maps, paved roads, or roadmarkers to show them the way, just guidebooks to direct travelers over rough and unmarked trails in the almost deserted prairie. Elizabeth hadn't even cried when she said a final good-bye to her mother and sisters early one September morning when they started for Montana and their new home. Even though they had just buried her father a few days before, the excitement of the unknown filled her with song and she had blessed the Lord with all her soul. The first day of their trip was easy. Jake was familiar with the countryside. Elizabeth had relaxed and enjoyed the trip. But the next day they were in unfamiliar territory. Then it was up to her to read Jake the directions. "Set your speedometer on 0, go 4.3 miles west, take the left fork in the road," she read. Then while Jake was driving that distance, she studied the next set of directions. Reading and giving Jake directions occupied so much of her time that she barely had a chance to view Ihe strange new countryside. A team of horses pulling a loaded lumber wagon was just ahead of them when they approached the wide Mis- souri River at Bismarck, North Dakota. Not seeing a bridge, Elizabeth checked the Bluebook again. No bridge was mentioned. Jake stopped the motor and went to see when the ferry would cross the river. Two men were dipping large buckets of water from the bottom of the boat. Jake hesitated. "Drive on now if you intend to go today," the ferry operator ordered after the lumber wagon was loaded. So Jake drove the car on. But as soon as they were on the ferry, he whispered to Elizabeth, "Get out of the car. If the ferry sinks, we may be able to swim to shore." Elizabeth got out even though she couldn't swim. The two men kept bailing water throughout the crossing, but they reached the other side safely. The trail northward was wide enough for only one vehicle and both sides were lined with tree stumps. Jake followed the slow-moving lumber wagon impatient- ly. Then, thinking that the wagon was pulling off so he could pass, Jake speeded up. He was halfway around it when the wagon suddenly pulled into the trail again. He slammed on Ihe brakes and missed the wagon. But his car straddled a tree trunk. Two nearby loggers helped him get the Model T into the trail again and helped him straighten out the bent wishbone so he could drive on to the next town. The following day Jake installed a new wishbone and they set out for the Badlands. The weather turned cold and they covered their laps with a fur robe. Quite unexpectedly, the motor stopped. "Now what are we going to do, a hundred miles from nowhere?" Eliza- beth asked anxiously. It didn't take long for Jake to discover that the robe had touched the starter switch and caused the trouble. In a few minutes they were on their way again. Then the trail became deeply rutted and it was impossible to pass oncoming cars. When they met another auto, both THE MENNONITE 77 i! The old model T was a reliable means for travel provided the conditions were good. drivers would get out and lift Jake's car off so the other car could pass. Then his car was put back on the trail again and they both resumed traveling. That night was the first time Eliza- beth ever encountered Indians, who were to become a familiar part of her life. Years later she could laugh that she had been so frightened and found it difficult to sleep. Finally after a full week's travel they reached Wolf Point, Montana, just forty-five miles from their homestead. After buying supplies they headed for their claim. In the weeks that followed they stayed with their nearest neigh- bors, Peter and Katie Baergen, while Jake was building a two-room shanty and a small barn. They had just settled in their new home when the snow flurries began to fly. That day Peter and Katie stopped by to tell them they were leaving for the winter and wouldn't be back until spring. Elizabeth wished that Jake would suggest they would leave too, but he didn't. She knew they couldn't afford to go. After the Baergens left, winter came in earnest. The snow was always accompanied by strong winds and it was difficult to loll whether it was snowing or only blowing. It sifted in through the fine cracks of the shanty and was impossible to keep out. During those days Elizabeth always insisted that Jake tie a long rope around his waist when he went outside. The other end was attached to the house. That way he would never become lost or confused in a blizzard. As the days passed and became weeks, then months, Elizabeth began to long to hear from her mother and friends in Minnesota. It had been severs months since anyone had gone to Wo Point for the mail. It was no wonder thd this Sunday morning Elizabeth becamj so lonesome and said she couldn't stan it any longer. How like it was for Jaket offer to take her to see another woma right after dinner. Elizabeth opened her eyes agai Realizing that it was almost dinner tim she got up and put on something to ea After dinner Jake went out and scoope the snow off the sled, hitched the horsel to it, and brought it to the house whil Elizabeth did the noon dishes. It didn take long until they were on their wa "Elizabeth!" Millie LeFond greeted hej neighbor. She threw her arms aroun Elizabeth and hugged her. "How did yo know I was wishing for company today It's been months since I've heard anothj er woman's voice." "That's exactly why I brought EHze beth over today," Jake said, laughing "She was lonesome too." The afternoor passed quickly. All too soon, Jake wal telling Elizabeth they had better ge| started for home before dark. "Bring Elizabeth back here tomorrov while you and Frank go to Wolf Point fo the mail," Millie requested. "No use eacfl of us keeping a fire and being aloni| while you two are gone." Both Elizabeth and Jake thought tha|| Millie had a great idea and it was agreed that she would return early the nexj morning when Jake came to pick uj Frank to go to Wolf Point. On the waj home, Elizabeth began to sing "Wa\ kann es schoenres geben"(What coulc be more pleasant). The next day Elizabeth stayed wit! Millie while their husbands went til Wolf Point for mail and supplies Instead of one letter like Elizabeth hacf hoped, Jake brought her a whole fistful! Several were from her mother, th(f others from her sisters and friends. After that it didn't seem long until spring came. As soon as the snow wa| gone, Katie and Peter returned, bringing them the latest news from Elizabeth';! mother and friends. The two families decided to meet every Sunday foi| Sunday school. That made Elizabetl extremely happy. Jake began breaking the sod and sowed his first crops. Befor^ the summer was over, Elizabeth realizec that they would have a child. "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forgej not all his benefits," she sang over am over. God had kept them during theiij first year in Montana and now he wa; going to give them a child to make theii] joy complete. 78 FEBRUARY 1, 197*! Meditation Parents are potters Today our daughter turned sixteen. My heart filled with joy and wonder. How thankful I was that she had grown into such an attractive young woman and that she so willingly shared her musical and serving talents with others. I was concerned over whether she knew how to handle sex and drugs. And I prayerfully pondered whether she would find fulfillment in career and marriage. Perhaps a few hours at my potter's wheel would help chase away the tinge of sadness that tugged at my heart. Suddenly the words to an old song raced through my mind, "Thou art the potter; I am the clay." "Yes," I told myself, "that is what our children are like— a ball of clay waiting to be molded and shaped." We as parents are the potters! As we shape, mold, trim, glaze, and go through fire with our children, our finished product will not sit on some museum shelf; but hopefully, will become a strong character ready to go out to make a better world. The balls of clay lay on the table. The wheel began turning, ready to shape the clay. As my hands moved over the clay, I became keenly aware of how much the shaping and finishing of pots is like the stages of helping a child grow and develop so that the child becomes molded into a strong person. Now I warmly remembered how much our Jan resembled a flawless piece of porcelain when she was born. Perfectly formed and without blemish, she seemed like a gift of the finest china. And that is exactly the way God presents us with each new life — perfectly formed for his purpose and without the blemish of sin. Opening up the ball of clay on my wheel, I now had to decide what the piece was going to become. If I pressed the clay too closely toward me, the cylinder would become a closed vessel, useless except for decoration; but, if I allowed the clay to move out away from the center, the cylinder would become an open bowl-like vessel, useful as well as decorative. This was what being a parent was like, knowing when to hold a child close and when to let go. Holding too close can retard development, and yet, letting a child go without guidance can also damage the still pliable character. Only a parent closely tuned to the divine Potter can know when to use each method. My decision had now been made. Today I would make a bowl for our daughter. She was ready for me to let go. Besides, I had long ago promised to make a set of dishes for her future wedding. Fran fenkins Faith in the unseen Fog terrifies me! I lose all sense of direction. A recent business engagement in a town fifty miles away happened upon a very foggy night. The company station wagon with blue-tinted windshield added to the problem of visibility. The four-lane highway was difficult, but on the secondary road it was impossible to see more than three feet ahead. The last visible road sign indicated that I had passed my exit. Bumping along on the shoulder of the road, I prayed forguidance. How could I possibly find my way back? Then, suddenly, a cloverleaf exit number reflected my headlights. There I could turn off, return beneath the highway, drive through the town, and then cross the four lane straight into my road. I prayed again, "Heavenly Father, take me safely through the unseen traffic." Waiting until it seemed very dark, I blew the horn and drove blindly across the four lane. Blackness ahead! Lights back of me tilted, a car filled with teenagers pulled around me and drove slowly up the hill, through the woods, and to my driveway. I followed them and got home safely. Prayer: Gracious Father, let us keep our minds and hearts open so that thy Holy Spirit may guide us on the road of life whether the way be clear or blinded by uncertainty. Let faith in the unseen cast out fear of the unseen. Beccie Mitzul Contents Our communion 66 The marriage bond 68 News 70 Record 74 The lonely shanty on the prairie of Montana 76 Parents are potters 79 Faith in the unseen 79 Another meeting to go to 80 CONTRIBUTORS Clarence Bauman, professor of theology and ethics at Mennonite Biblical Semi- nary, 3003 Benham Ave., Elkhart, Ind. 46514, presented his communion meditation at the seminary last May. OrlynZehr serves on thestaff of Prairie View Mental Health Center, Box 367, Newton, Kans. 67114. La Vernae J. Dick, 588 Southwest Maple St., Dallas, Ore. 97338, is a writer, a student at Western Evangelical Semi- nary, and the interim chaplain at Lebanon Community Hospital. The meditation writers are Fran Jen- kins, 2919 Sharon Road, Charlotte, N.C. 28211; and Beccie Mitzel, Box 253, Hummelstown, Pa. 17036. CREDITS Cover, RNS; 69, David Hiebert, Scottdale, Pa. 15683; 71, Ken Sauder, MCC; 72, Steve Goossen, MCC; 76, John Durbin Yoder, 200 Westwood Road, Goshen, Ind. 46526; 78, CMC archives, 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Man. R3P 0M4. Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boule- vard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Tele- phone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main St., Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circulation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L. Ramseyer, 488 West Elm St., Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588South West MapleSt., Dallas, Ore. 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kans. 67117; Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114; and Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46805. THE MENNONITE 79 Another meeting to go to It's that time of the year again — annual meetings, area conferences, councils of boards and commissions, new committees making new plans. They're happening all over and anybody who cares is probably "up to your nose" in meetings. And the way I'm hearing it, the majority are having more meetings and enjoying them less. Meetings and committees have come to be a very obvious part of our society, including our churches. So much so that their existence has been coming up for increasing ridicule. We have all heard the definition of a camel as being a horse that was designed by a commit- tee. Charlie Brown in the Peanuts cartoon is shown being chased by those big boys from grade two. Just when they are about to pounce on him, Charlie stops — and organizes a com- mittee. It has been said that the quickest way to stop the working of God's Spirit is to organize the whole church into committees. Robert Munger, professor of evangelism at Fuller Theological Seminary, frequently meets with church boards. One question he invaria- bly asks them is, "Since serving on a church board, do you feel that your spiritual life has improved or declined?" He reports that usually over 80 percent of the people respond that their spiritual vitality has been going downhill ever since they began serving on the board. We have all complained at times about meetings and committees. I remember the evening I was scheduled to attend three different meetings. They lasted from seven till past midnight. The creative energy level had seemed quite weak at the second meeting. In the third session, the agenda bogged down on a seemingly inconsequential item. Tempers were getting ragged. My own state had long passed the productive level and so I had remained silent. One wise brother looked around the room and said, "Some of you haven't spoken up. Please help us to get over this obstacle." Along with several others who had not yet said a word, I suddenly was wide awake and alert. Each one of us shared our feelings— and the meeting came alive. It has been a lesson for me ever since. The most important part of any meeting is not the agenda on the paper. Every meeting is an interpersonal intersection point. It is a special human event. Each meeting of Christians is the interface where God's Spirit encounters our human spirits. There is no "boring" meeting possible when we realize this fact. It is what Paul refers to in Colossians 3:17, "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." When a meeting comes to be seen as my opportunity, my privilege, to contribute of myself to the Kingdom-work of God; or when a meeting is discovered to be a place where I can help others to express themselves, perhaps for the first time to know the joy of responsible sharing in shaping the church; then there can be no dullness. It comes to be one of the most exciting challenges in our lives. I suspect that Ed Dayton is right in his new book The art of management for Christian leaders, when he says (p. 276) that part of our problem is "just defective theology." The Bible tells us that God is in control of everything. At the same time, the Bible teaches the paradoxi- cal truth that we have been entrusted to have complete responsibility for God's work among people. In meetings, we are often tempted to suggest that we pray more and then leave it to God. That is the cop-out which guarantees many frustrating and boring meetings. When we learn that committees present us with a foundation opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission, it guarantees meetings that are not only alive, but full of deeply personal feelings. God gives you and me the responsibility to act. It is a sacred opportunity never to be taken lightly. We then anticipate differences of opinion and difficult struggles. After all, the work that we are about is the most important business on earth. Have you got another meeting togo to? Rollo May, the American psychologist, has coined a phrase — "the pregnant moment." Every mo- ment of your meeting is waiting to give birth — to greater and deeper relationships for God. BW And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. Mark 8:34 Teaching cliildi^n to cl\t*se Marjorie Geissinger interviews Urbane Byier Seven preschoolers were sitting around a table cutting out paper feathers to attach to Indian headbands. Olga was cutting her feather in many tiny pieces, completely oblivious to what everybody else was doing. Then the children presented their feathers to be stapled. Olga carefully put her pieces together in her hands and carried them over to be fastened. Without a word of reprimand about why her headband wasn't like the others, the teacher patiently stapled each / iny piece to the band. Olga happily pranced off to preen in front of a long, low mirror on the wall, thoroughly pleased with herself. The Hill St. Children's Center at Slatington, Pennsylvania, (see box) is a developmental, rather than custodial, day-care center. Children like Olga can have their physical needs met, and are provided with many educational and discovery experiences. Urbane Byler is the director of this project which grew out of the commitment of a small study group. / spoke with Mr. Byler about the center in a recent interview. Geissinger: What were your goals when you chose to set up a children's center? Byler: Our goals were to provide de- pendable daytime care for preschoolers at a cost their parents can afford, and to create an atmosphere where children can develop the joy of discovery and learn to master their environment. This involves learning to build satisfying relationships with others. We work also with the parents to encourage a respect for the worth and dignity of each child, and we explore ways of helping a child to develop positive self-concepts. Our philosophy is to teach children responsibility for their actions and how these affect other people. They are taught alternative responses to actions they don't like. We stress conflict resolution with "no hitting." For exam- ple, three children want the same swing. The teacher could take charge and say who goes first. Our approach is to say, "I'll hold the swing until the three of you decide what you're going to do — then you can have the swing." If two children have a violent di agreement or there has been hitting, \ say, "Nobody knows what you meil when you hit or spit at someone. If yu don't like what others are doing, yu must tell them. You can work it out thl way." This takes a lot of reinforcemeiij but we can see that the children aj doing it and they are carrying theji ideas home with them. When a child grabs a toy, we oft hear another older child intervene ai say, "You may not grab, you must a for the toy or talk about it. Ask if yi can have a turn." If the toy is new ai everyone wants it, we sometimes set timer. When a child strikes at someone, just doesn't make sense that strikii back is appropriate. We don't real solve problems unless we decide on way to cooperate and act on it ourselve Parents have told us, "The children s you cannot hit. Hitting doesn't wor We'll have to talk about it." If the children have a problem, they 5 at a table and talk about it. Sometime; teacher must get involved. It takes tirr They may go through little games befo they solve their problem. Other tim they can come to agreement very quic If children can be taught to recogni their feelings, it becomes easier choose from alternatives rather than automatically strike out. And choosii reinforces their mastery ov themselves — their self-control. We have recently initiated the Mag Circle,* a human development prograi The teacher sits in a circle with four five children and each shares a thoug about a certain problem. Aspects Transactional Analysis and Pare Effectiveness Training are used; fi example, warm fuzzies (loving thing and cold pricklies (negative things) th 82 FEBRUARY 8, 19 'fhappen to us. Active listening is prac- ticed. During the interview, Barbara was reading a story to one small group. One of the listeners, Sharon, bumped her chin and began to cry. As Barbara consoled her, Jennie came over to offer her sympathy, too. Sharon angrily rebuffed Jennie. Barbara became in- volved in a five-minute conversation with both girls about how they felt, what had happened, and why they About six years ago, a study group of five Mennonite couples read Elizabeth O' Connor's Call to commit- ment. They decided that rather than merely talk about grand causes and the sad state of affairs in their community, they would try to accomplish something positive. Six years and lots of hard work, struggles, and growth later, the Hill St. Children's Center operates in Slating- ton, Pennsylvania, a con- crete example of a loving decision. The group members had been concerned about sto- ries all too common — children shut up all day with a TV, spending their most impressionable years with an uncaring adult or babysitter. They felt that it was not right for children to begin life feeling that they are a nuisance and a bother, and their being denied healthy exposure to learning and to all the choices that the wide world offers. One couple decided that with help from the others, they could make a living from their small farm. The husband resigned his teaching job to work on his farm and to take full responsibility for developing a day-care center. Two of the group families bought an old house in Slatington, a factory town with many working mothers. With help from friends, relatives, and other interested community members, the group spent many hours repairing the house and getting it ap- proved by the Department of Labor and Industry. The whole of the first floor was completely remodeled and made ready for little chil- dren. At present, enrollment is twenty and there is a wait- ing list. The staff has grown to five certified teachers, two aides, one helper, a part- time cook, and a custodian. The center attempts to keep its rates low to ensure its use by those who need it most. But the group members are already looking ahead. Concerned about their "graduates" who have no one to care for them after school until their parents return from work, they have begun a program on weekday afternoons at a local Lutheran church. In the meantime there is always work to be done on the Hill St. building. And there are dreams of working with mothers who use other day-care homes, develop 1 ng a toddler-infant center, helping another group begin its own center, and developing an adopted grandparent program with the senior citizens. I'1 "HE MENNONITE 83 behaved this way. The other children waited patiently for the story to resume. Finally, both girls soothed with one nestled in each of Barbara's arms, the story continued! Geissinger: How does God fit into the program at the center? Byler: God is central to our program. We talk about how God relates to us in whatever area we are. One day our rabbit died. We talked about death and burial and life after death. We discussed about each of us having to die sometime. The children raised questions, "Will I die if I get sick? Will old Mr. Schaffer die soon?" (Mr. Schaffer is the grandfather who takes the children to the bus stop and for walks, shovels snow, cleans up, and tends the furnace.) In talking about death, we also talk about creation and that God made us so that we die and go back to God. Depending on the age of the child, these concepts are very important and very simple. We are fortunate to have a Christian staff who are able to help children find out who they are by dealing with and accepting their feelings. We believe that t i this is an important foundation for adult faith in God. We are laying t groundwork — making it easier for t children to make spiritual choices wh they are ready. If they are loved a accepted, it will be easier for them accept God's love. Geissinger: What are some of highlights of the program? Byler: We try to involve the children many varied experiences. We purchas|I a van to take them to a farm, to a pond!) catch tadpoles, to a pizza shop, to tb airport, swimming, and down to t> canal to feed the ducks. The group toolii public bus ride to a shopping mall to b\r fish at the pet store. It is a real highliglt when the children seem happy. Many of the children come fl single-parent families, mostly mothejl so we consciously try to involve me, including myself, Mr. Schaffer, andji blind man who fixes radios. He lovesii come and visit the center. Geissinger: What kind of relationshi do you have to the parents of the children? Byler: We only supplement the paren influence on the child, so we feel important to relate to the parents. Int everyday rat race, some parents p their children on the back burner. The are so many obligations. A sing! mother must try to satisfy some of hi1 own needs. When she comes home frcji work, she may not want to think abouji tired, cranky child's needs. We try li talk about these things in parent mee- ings. Sometimes we sit down to tail we've also had picnics together. L recent activity was a Saturday pare get-together to help assemble pla ground equipment and to paint it. Because we see the parents every da we have good communication ail problems as well as good things m freely shared. We keep anecdotal rat ords for each child, and add noti daily. This helps us to notice progresl We try not to supplant the parents. Va only try to give the children the baj possible experiences and to enrich the environment during the time that th« of necessity must be away from horn 'Information on Magic Circle programs for i levels may be obtained from the Hum! Development Training Institute, 7574 UH versity Ave., La Mesa, California 92041. II THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context ol Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit 1| published weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton. Kans 671 14, by the General Board ol the General Conference Mennonite Church Seco class postage paid at Newton, Kans 671 14, and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions: in U S and Canada, $8 00, one year. $1 5 50, two years, $23 00, three years, foreign, $8 50 per yfi Editorial office: 600 Shallesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4 Business office 722 Main St , Box 34 7. Newton, Kans 671 1 4 Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Box 34 7, Newton, Kans 671 84 DRIFTING mil Dyck if i ,rr; About 80 percent of today's young f people, after leaving high school, tend to Jdrift into a career without making a ,i deliberate choice! How about the re- maining 20 percent? More often than not, these people tend to grab onto a career choice very early in life, yielding to pressure from parents and teachers. They then stick to it rigidly, seemingly afraid to explore other opportunities along the way. The irony and tragedy of all this is that never before in the history of mankind have young people had so much available help — in both psycho- logical tools and professional counselors— to help them make wise career choices. For the past ten years, I have listened to scores of young people either entering college or at some stage in their career preparation. Here are some predomi- nant themes that I've heard over and over again, about how they got into their 9 HHhHHhHBBhHBhH THE MENNONITE 85 il particular field of study. "Well, in high school I got my best grades in mathematics (or chemistry or English or German, etc.) so I decided this is what I would major in when I entered college. Now I find that it's not for me." "Well, my dad is a farmer, or my mother's a nurse, or a number of my aunts and uncles are teachers, etc., so I thought I'd try one of these careers, especially since they were pushing me to be like them. But I want to be rne and become my own person." "Well, in high school I took an interest test and it showed that one of my highest interests is in social service, etc. So I thought I'd try this. Now it seems a bit too restricting or boring." A generation or more ago, especially in rural settings, career choices tended to be simple and straightforward. Using their parents as role models, the young man or woman tended to fall into the footsteps of a father or mother. Now things are much more complex and confusing: — The world of work has turned into a gigantic jungle of specialized occupa- tions. The dictionary of occupational titles lists over 33,000 distinctly classi- fied occupations. — The rampant individualism of our age, along with other factors such as mobility and the mass media, has opened up the whole world to young people. This can be both challenging and overwhelming- — In a world of constant change, it seems more appropriate to think less in terms of career choice in a static, once- in-a-lifetime sense, but more in terms of career development as a dynamic pro- cess going on from Ihe cradle to the grave. A series of careers may be more probable and more fulfilling to various stages of life. — In recent years there has been tremendous societal pressure for all young people to go on to get a college or university education. There is much to be said for the inherent value of a liberal arts education regardless of how little it prepares a person for a specific career. However, this seems to result in a growing number of college graduates finding themselves bitterly disappoint- ed. Twenty-five percent of Canada's 1976 college graduates were unem- ployed, and another 25 percent were "under-employed," working in jobs unrelated to their training! — In our present technologically or- iented society, there is a great demand for some kind ofaspecificsetofskillsor training in a specific professional area in order to gain entry to the work force. These skills, from welding to plumbing, have seldom been associated with "edu- cation." — With automated machines taking over many of the burdensome tasks once done by humans, it means that more people can devote themselves to human service occupations including those related to the growing leisure culture that is emerging. — We may need to change our tradi- tional life-style in which the predomi- nate activity for people in their child- hood was play, in youth it tended to be study, and in adulthood it was mainly work. The newly emerging life-style tends to point toward the need for a creative balance of all three of these major life activities, play, study, and work throughout the whole life span. Therefore, mixing liberal arts education with specific job skills may be increas- ingly helpful. All of this is not to say that the traditional four-year liberal arts degree program is no longer useful. More than ever in our complex, computerized I world, there is a desperate need fd Christian young people to. keep a s k i rj the eternal questions, "What is maiji is Who is God?" These mysteries, trad tionally explored in the Christian liberl arts tradition, extending through histij ry, can keep us alive to the dangers ofl ; totalitarian, questionless, and amor I » world. But many are suggesting that it II » time we combine technology and th humanities in more work-study pre, p grams geared to integrate life into II 3 "whole." Others suggest a traditional four-yeal ; program followed by a shorter, speciffl > cally skill-oriented, "on-the-job" traimj ing. A third alternative is "stopping-outl , or traveling or working for a year or tv\ after high school, before taking furthf study. With all the new night schoi programs competing for students, or no longer needs to fear that a futui education will be denied you if yo really want it. This should allow your people a glimpse of the working worl and their own needs before they narro' down into one field and then later fe< trapped by it. The key to career preparation seem to be a realistic awareness of one's ow values, skills, and personality, couple with some experience and help in th world of work opportunities. Parent pastors, and teachers can be valuabl resources. Two good reading reference are: Arthur Pell and Albert Furbay: Th college student guide to career planning Simon and Schuster, 1975, 133 page: and Gerald Cosgrave, Career planning Search for a future, Guidance Centr Faculty, University of Toronto, 197! 144 pages. Surely it is part of God's plan that w use our lives, with our varied gifts an potential, to gain a sense of self fulfillment mid to contribute to societj 86 FEBRUARY 8, 197 News Mexican church approves congregational autonomy ! The Mennonite Church of Mexico held its annual meeting at Quinta Lupita on January 15. The church voted to have each of its three congregations organized as autonomous bodies, while working ; together as a cluster of churches, similar i to a conference. Various programs such as summer Bible school, retreats, and radio programs will still be operated ijl jointly. This action will become official iifor each group when they adopt the revised constitution and agree on a name for themselves. In other action, the church voted to expand its radio mission outreach. In the past year, the Radio Mission of the Evangelical Mennonite Mission Confer- 'lence in Saskatoon has provided a Hi weekly half-hour program under local '^supervision. Now the congregations will begin their own fifteen-minute weekly program in Spanish. For the past five years the church has sponsored a seasonal program over the Chihuahua station. The Mennonite Church of Mexico was organized in 1963 and has a current membership of 288. Festival of the People planned at Goshen College A Festival of the People will be held at Goshen (Indiana) College, April 1-3. The festival is planned to affirm an active, sharing congregational life and act as a "launching pad" for the new Foundation Series Sunday school cur- riculum. Pastors, parents, youth, children, teachers, writers, and editors from Brethren in Christ, Church of the Brethren, General Conference, and Men- nonite churches from the Midwest are invited. Four public sessions will focus on aspects of worship: preaching, teaching, interpreting, and singing. Donovan Smucker of Conrad Grebel College will deliver the opening address and Paul Lederach, executive director for the Foundation Series, will speak on the significance of the new curriculum. Workshops will look at the potential of the congregation for transmitting and nurturing Christian faith. Topics in- clude new forms of congregational leadership, forming and nurturing small groups, developing consensus in con- gregational decision making, and the role of women in the congregation. Several workshops will emphasize teaching methods, using the Foundation Series as a biblical and creative re- source. They will explore the role of modeling in teaching, the use of story as content and method, writing objectives and developing lesson plans, how to ask helpful questions and lead a class discussion. There will also be special sessions for children age three to thirteen where they can see puppet shows, drama, movies, and hear stories and then participate in puppet construction, drama, choral reading, music, videotape, and art materials construction. For further information on the festi- val, contact the Festival Office, Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana 46526. Words ffi deeds A family life consultation will be held at the Foothills Mennonite Church, Cal- gary, Alberta, February 25-27. Lyle Larson will speak on "Marriage — Christian style." Workshop topics in- clude: the changing roles for men and women, when a family should seek outside help, tensions in the family, parent-child relationships, how a single person fits in, and the family facing terminal illness. The consultation is sponsored by the education committee of the Mennonite Conference of Alberta. A relatively large number of young people have been attending an annual series of peace courses in Chotebor, Czechoslovakia. The courses are orga- nized by the advisory committee for peace activity of the Synodal Council of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren. Topics have included the concept of peace in the world of early Christianity, human rights and United Nations documents, the Helsinki Con- ference, the new Stockholm Appeal, and contemporary social and religious prob- lems in the United States. A worldwide program seeking to draw on the family unit to bring about social change and improve the quality of community life has been launched by the Office of Family Ministries of the World Council of Churches. The global action and study project was first authorized in 1973 and has now begun with 200 "participating groups" in thirty-two countries, according to an EPS release. The project hopes to contribute "to the renewal of congrega- tional life" and to "stimulate theological and biblical studies on marriage, sexu- ality, and family life." The Equal Rights Amendment, which would ban discrimination based on sex, has now been ratified by thirty-five of the required thirty-eight states. Howev- er, two of the states — Nebraska and Tennessee — have rescinded their deci- sions. The legal status of the recisions has not been tested so either three or five more states are required to ratify the amendment before the March 1979 deadline. States still undecided are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississip- pi, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia. Severe rainstorms in early January have resulted in widespread flooding in the Santa Cruz, Beni, and Cochabamba regions of Bolivia. Church World Ser- vice estimates that between 2,000 and 6,000 people have been evacuated from the region. Although no official emer- gency has been declared, the Bolivian Government has asked the United Nations for $20,000 to purchase vac- cines. Food and clothing for those evacuated has also been requested. David Valenzuela, CWS Andean region- al representative, reported that al- though flood waters have receded, there is widespread crop loss in the affected region. Mennonite Broadcasts, Harrisonburg, Virginia, in January approved a budget of $690,340, renamed its Heart to heart radio program, and recommended a twenty-five-year history-writing pro- ject. To update its five-minute radio program for women, the trustees adopt- ed Your time as a new name for Heart to heart. Heart to heart letter was merged with Alive, a bimonthly newsletter mailed to listeners and interested per- sons. THE MENNONITE 87 Assistance breeds dependency in Lesotho Mahlon M. Hess In a difficult situation Mennonite Cen- tral Committee volunteers in Lesotho are seeking to be helpful. Lesotho is one of the poorest countries in Africa, yet even in the village shops there is available a wide selection of food, drinks, clothing, and luxury items, so attractive that it is easy for people to neglect the family's basic needs. Funds and volunteers continue to flow into the country and many people have developed a dependent attitude. For example, in a school composition one student expressed the hope that some agency would cover school fees and relieve parents of that burden. How can one be a faithful representative of Christ in this situation? During his first term, MCC worker Rubin Wiens of Abbotsford, British Columbia, served in Scott Hospital in Morija, a private hospital dealing main- ly in maternal and child health care. He was hospital pharmacist and trained nationals who succeeded him. Now he is back for a second term, serving all the private hospitals in the country, train- ing pharmacists, and arranging ade- quate drugs and supplies for them. Recently he made two trips into the highlands, where malnutrition is 25 percent, visiting the small clinics. He arranges for each clinic to be serviced by its nearest hospital. The hospital staff visit the clinic regularly and help them obtain drugs and supplies. The educational system in Lesotho suffers something of a vicious circle. Many schools lack adequate buildings, equipment, and books. Finances are not adequate; much help is needed in bookkeeping and budget control. There is a lack of clear-cut government policy for education. Such schools do not attract qualified staff who will stay with the school and build it up. This difficult situation provides an opportunity for volunteer Peter Andres of Clearbrook, British Columbia, to teach math and share his faith in Butha Bulhe Secondary School. One-fifth of the students have joined the Student Christian Movement and gather for weekly Bible study and other activities. Mr. Andres serves as their counselor and leads a Sunday evening worship service. Not surprisingly, the young man chosen by the other students as SCM leader has also been chosen by the teachers to be captain of the school next year. Mr. Andres was recently chosen by his headmaster to serve as his deputy. For several months he will be in charge of the school while the headmas- ter goes overseas for further training. Agriculture is the country's chief resource, but in the past five years production has dropped 50 percent. The Ministry of Agriculture, assisted by many agencies, is seeking to help people move beyond subsistence agriculture. MCC worker Fred Bartel of North Newton, Kansas, is involved in develop- ing a fish-farming project. The commu- nity people build an earthen dam to provide a reservoir of water. Below the dam they dig fish ponds and channels to bring water from the reservoir. For their work they receive some staple foods. A local man is trained as caretaker of the fish ponds. Many communities raise ducks on their fish ponds. Duck droppings reduce the amount of fertilizer needed in the water. Since the ducks forage for their food, this secondary project increases the level of income. So that the project produces some profit from the beginning, the communi- ty pays only a part of the costs in the first year of operation. The fish ponds are set up as community projects; the income is used to build a community center or in some other way that will improve life in the total community. Surrounded by the Republic of South Africa, the people of Lesotho, called Basotho, are eager to see the end of apartheid. They are concerned for their brothers and sisters across the border. They also feel that the republic has some responsibility for keeping in power the government which they refused at the polls in 1970. Many Basotho lack confidence in theirpresent government; they declare their opposi- tion openly. However, Lesotho is eco- nomically dependent on South Africa. Forty-five percent of the men, whose wages provide one-third of the nation's income, work in South African mines. In this situation volunteers Floyd Mast, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Kathy Royer, Elkharl, Indiana, are working with the Christian Council of Lesotho in a witness to love and justice. Resources from the local churches are being made available to the Basotho families who have been detained by their own government. Food, clothing, and shelter are pro vided to refugees from South Africa. / few youths arrived from Soweto sooi after the June riots. Recently a dozei children ages twelve to sixteen came t< Maseru. Encouraged by their parents they fled after police began checkinj school records and imprisoning some o their classmates. "They were noticeabh afraid of white persons," Kathy Roye reported. "It seemed hard for them t< believe that a white person would lister sympathetically and share in providinj their needs. But their level of trust i growing." Another vision and concern of Floyi and Kathy is to develop a home anc family life ministry. With half the mei of Lesotho away working in the mines there is need for a pastoral and counsel ing ministry. There is also a need fo teaching and resources to strengther Christian homes so that those who op to separate for a time begin to realiz< what they are sacrificing. MCC's Lesotho program is now in it fourth year, and volunteers have begui to plug in at some significant points. Bu they often get the feeling that they ough to go home. There are forty overseas agencie pouring funds and personnel into Leso tho. Many Basotho have become de pendent upon handouts, symbolized by the children along the roads who invite one to give them "five cents" o "sweets." Should all expatriates be withdraw from the country so that the nation car begin to work out its own solutions to it problems? If that is right MCC ought tc announce its decision, give its reasons and set the pace in withdrawal. Or has e Christian group something distinctiv to offer? Can a Christian agency make c contribution in a way that will facilitati development and not hinder it? God has given to Mennonite Centra Committee a team of volunteers who an different. In general they are not mon skilled than others, but more of them art caring people. They care because Jesus cares. This makes a difference in th way they do their work and even more i: the quality of their relationships. These are the areas in which Christias volunteers need most to grow. In what- ever they do, they must bear tin presence of Jesus into the situations where they live and work. 88 FEBRUARY 8, 197 The choice to lie uniquely Y°w lachel Moore hen my husband quit his job as a mechanical engineer at age forty-nine to become a minister, I felt it was my appointed duty to show him how. After all, I knew exactly what a good minister should be doing and feeling twenty-four hours a day. Three of my own brothers had been ministers, as had several of my uncles. I was on his back constantly. So many hours, I pointed out, should be spent in the office praying and studying. So many hours should be spent visiting. So many hours should be spent this way. So many hours should be spent that way. And, so help me, he tried. He tried desperately to do everything I said, but still he didn't suit me. One day I found a magazine article about the ideal minister and I read it to him. He listened and then he began to talk to me. I knew at once he was telling me something important, not just im- portant as far as his ministry was concerned, but important to my life and the life of every Christian. "I can't do all those things you want me to do," he said. "I don't have the ability. I am not the ideal minister. I am me. All I have to give anyone is me. I've got to do that in my way, in the way given to me by God. "I remember," he went on, "when I joined the Scouts years ago. No matter how I tried, I could not march and keep in step like all the rest. I was born lame in one leg. The scoutmaster was scorn- ful of my marching and so were some of the kids. My dad's words were all that kept me in the Scouts, 'You stay right in there and just do the very best you can with what God gave you to use as legs.' And that's what I did. It was a different kind of marching, for I had a different set of feet. That is what I'm trying to do now, to use the person that I am, with my strengths and weaknesses, to serve the Lord each day." From that day on I have been able to leave him alone to serve the Lord and the church as he feels he can. His words also gave me some changed ideas about my own ministry to others. We all have preconceived ideas about what a minister to others should be like. (And we all should consider ourselves ministers to others.) We would list that such a person should be an outstanding Christian, a saintly person, a Bible scholar (knowing how to quote by the hour, chapter and verse), have great understanding of theology, have all the good gifts (speaker, writer, great charm). No wonder it gets discouraging. We are what God made us and what life has made us. In our personalities are great holes. We are less than smart about many things. How then can we ever seriously dream of serving the Lord as a minister to others? The place we can start is right where we are now, with our sack of plus and minus qualities. We can allow God to use us daily as he sees fit. We practice the unique ministry of being ourselves. Frank Sinatra used to sing a song about a man looking back on his life and being proud that through the years he had been able to live his life "his way." I would change that to "our way through Christ." What is your way? Who are you? Perhaps you do not know forcertain. Sit down some day and try to sort out your strengths and weaknesses. Take a sheet of paper and divide it down the center. On one side write at the top: I can do these things; on the other side write: Only through God's miracle. It will be interesting to really see what gifts God has given. (Don't be shocked, though, if through the days ahead God changes some "can't do" to "can do now.") The best way to minister is to start out doing what seems to come naturally. Forget the great ministries. So what if we aren't a Dale Evans, Billy Graham, or Albert Schweitzer? If God had wanted to, he could have made us like them. Instead, he made us like we are. He made us unique so we could minister to each other in a special way. This makes ministering easy then, doesn't it? No. Being yourself is a hard thing. We do not like for others to see us as we are. We all want to look better than what we are. We show our best side. We pretend to be someone we are not. We had a Lay Witness Weekend at our church lately and I began afterwards to wonder what it was about this group of men and women who came to our church that touched and brought new life into the congregation. They were ordinary people who were willing to give up a weekend and buy their own gas to come to us and witness as to how Christ had touched their lives. But the thing that got to us was that they were willing to be themselves, to take off the masks and allow us to see them as they were, weak and strong. They ministered in the way God had given to them, the way natural to them. What I learned from my husband is that we must be willing to go out and help others in our own way, to give of ourselves, to let people get to know the real person. It is the greatest ministry possible. It is the unique ministry of you. THE MENNONITE 89 Choice can be si heavy burden Anonymous Like other Christian mothers, I taught my son to pray as a child. Yet the rewards of praying and the recipe for successful, meaningful prayer are as hard to explain as the act of being born anew in Christ. As in the unfolding of the new birth, you must sense the experience in your heart. And you must do your own praying in the unique manner belonging to you in order to reap an inner happiness all your own. I tried to explain this to my son when he accepted Christ at an early age. Solomon's wisdom declared that if parents bring up children in the right path, the offspring will not depart from such training when old. Many times in recent months I have repeated that verse while watching my son with anxious eyes. "Maybe he will remember when he is older," I've exclaimed inwardly. "But what about the here and now? Surely my son has forgotten his early religious training. He's forgotten you, Lord, in the act he committed. If only he would entrust his feelings and life to your care!" "Prayer covers the whole of a man's life," said Henry Ward Beecher. "There is no thought, feeling, yearning, or desire, however low, trifling, or vulgar we may deem it, wrjich, if it affects ou real interest or happiness, we may no lay before God and be sure of hi sympathy. His nature is such that ou often coming does not tire him. Th whole burden of the whole life of ever man may be rolled on to God and ru weary him, though it has wearied th man." My son is wearied with the problemo his young life. I have felt my sou constantly on its knees for him, as I hav observed his mental fatigue. And nov God has answered my prayer in his owi way and time, as I knew he would. Last night I came upon my soi ■uddenly. He was on his knees, where I I adn't seen him since he was a small boy Kt my knee, uttering his "lay me down to Bleep" prayer. I So deep was he in communion with lis Maker that he didn't hear me when I ■lipped away. I ran to my room with Bjars of grateful happiness. And I Brayed, too. My prayer was different, Biough, from the troubled ones I've rayed these many months. I merely cried over repeatedly, "Oh, lank you, God, thank you, that he is at ist taking his problem and guilt to ou." To my regret and heartache, my son ad not shared his problem and guilt 'ith me. Yet I knew beyond any doubt lat he had done the injury to himself, /hatever others might believe, I knew 1 my heart that he had intentionally ulled the trigger of the gun. And he had one it because he couldn't face the lought of fighting in Vietnam. "It was an accident," he told his ither, others, and me that tragic after- oon. As I lay in bed that night after burning from the hospital, I mourned 5 David did, "Oh, my son, my son!" The ords revolved in my mind all night >ng. "Why did you do this to yourself? rhy did you do it to me? Your wound is y wound, son, because you are part of e. I gave you life, your body came from ine, and your wound tears at my heart > deeply as though the injury were one to my own body." I stopped to cry again and remem- 3red the day he was born. How irefully I had examined him, as every other does her newborn child, to see if J were perfectly formed. He was small Jt perfect. I thought of my tall son in the hospital )w. His body was no longer perfect, le sign of the injury would remain ith him the rest of his life. And it ould remain with me, too. fust how uld I bear to look at him without uddering inwardly and outwardly? "Dear Lord," I prayed, "I know that as ng as I live, I will always shudder side when I see the scar of his wound, it give me the strength and courage not show any visible sign. I simply ustn't, you know, in front of him and hers. Please give me the strength to act in a natural manner. I can't possibly do so without your guidance." Each day I prayed this prayer. And God helped me. At first, even with his help, though, I could hardly look at my son without crying out. Yet as time passed, the ordeal grew just a bit easier. I act perfectly normal with him now, I believe, although the hurt still leaps inside each time he enters my presence. The physical wound is only part of the story, however. What has concerned me still more deeply is the spiritual wound that my son carries inside. For surely anyone who has done such a deed as he committed hurts inwardly and senses guilt. "Does he ever regret the act?" I have asked. "Dear God," I pray, "help him to face the issue squarely in his heart. He won't share the problem with me. Lead him to share it with you, to ask forgiveness, and find the peace he needs. He's been moody and restless so long. If only I could have my laughing, joyous little boy at my knee again!" In reverie I recall his boyhood days. He was a gay, laughing child except for thoughtful moments when he wanted to be alone. I brought him up to love people and trust others. I taught him about God. As a teenager, my son heard the never-ending news on the Vietnam War. He grew cynical about the conflict and wondered about the objectives behind it. "The nations are riding a mixed-up merry-go-round," he said. I, too, thought world events were hopelessly tangled. And I wondered if I had trained my son through rose- colored glasses. When he began to show definite hostility toward the draft, I grew uneasy and wondered what he would do if called to service. When he received the notice for induction, he grew moody and restless. He hardly spoke and lay on his bed listening to records for hours on end. Yet I never dreamed he would commit the deed. Part of my heartache is that I was unable to get through to my son and prevent the act. Not for a moment do I believe he did the deed through a cowardly spirit. Rather, I think it took a unique brand of courage for one so fearful of pain— for one who ever shunned hurting others through word or action — to hurt him- self. On that fateful afternoon he surely came to a desperate point when he faced the terrible decision to harm himself, rather than to participate in a war he didn't believe in and take the life of others. In his thoughtful moments, my son has often contemplated on the relation- ship of men to each other, their environ- ment, and the tide of human events. On rare occasions he shared these thoughts with his father and me. He has ever been a thinker and a searcher for truth. Surely in his prayer last night he groped for the pathway to truth and God. This morning, at last, my son came to me. He confessed, as I had known all along, that he had intentionally harmed himself rather than fight in the Vietnam conflict. "It was wrong to do the deed, of course," he spoke slowly, spacing his syllables. "These many months I've wondered if God could ever forgive me. Because you see, mother, I find it so hard to forgive myself. How can I ever make it up to you and dad for the pain I've caused you?" He stopped, deeply into one of his thoughtful moments. "I still must continue to pray for forgiveness. And so many problems in my mind are yet calling for answers," he reflected. "There will always be prob- lems to be solved, of course. But God is God and I am willing to let him run the world, and my life, from here on out." I looked at my son, knowing from middle-aged wisdom that the world indeed holds complicated problems crying for answers. Like him, I was glad that God was back of the universe. I was thankful that the world still held together, despite people's mistakes. My son and I knelt together in prayer. Yes, God answers prayer in his own way and time if we keep praying and believing. And the young who are taught to pray early, won't forsake the natural instinct of every Christian. They may depart from communion with God for a span. Yet they will return to him, and when they do, their faith will have matured immensely. It will be deeper and more meaningful and serve them amid even the most trying situa- tion. IE MENNONITE 93 Choosing to lie si Good SaiiKiritai Donna Lehman At times I have wondered if there is a mark along our street to identify our house as a place to seek aid similar to marks made along roads during World War II identifying homes that would give free meals to hungry people. I have watched people who have car problems look at the homes along our street, cross the busy street, pass several houses, and ring our doorbell to ask for help. Time after time I have asked, "Did I choose to be a good Samaritan?" One warm, winter evening I cringed when my husband offered to drive a neatly dressed young man to a filling station to purchase gas for his car. "Would they return together?" I won- dered. On the way to the station the young man explained he was driving around the city most of the evening and simply forgot to check his gas gauge until the car engine sputtered and stopped. It seemed like an hour instead of fifteen minutes until the men returned with the gas. "I only want enough gas to get to the filling station," the young man said, and he left the can half-filled to show his appreciation for the assis- tance. Saturday afternoon of the same week the doorbell rang again. I glanced out the front window and noticed a truck with its hood propped up. "Another person stalled," I sighed and signaled my husband to join me at the door. A middle-aged man, dressed in dirty work clothes, nervously said, "I'm not sure what is wrong with my truck but it acts as though it is out of gas." My husband offered him the gas from the young man. The man with the stalled truck soon returned to the house with the gas can and reported his engine was still dead. He was so nervous he could hardly speak and he asked to use our telephone to call for help, His fingers shook so hard he had to redial the number. As he hung up the receiver, it began raining outside. The man graciously accepted our offer to stay in the warm house until aid arrived. He refused to leave the kitchen for fear his clothes would soil an upholstered chair. After smoking a few cigarettes, he began to relax and share his feelings. "It has been many years since; I have been stranded, and I wondered what I would do if you refused to help me. I was even afraid to knock at your door. I am ashamed of these clothes which are greasy from working on the truck, and I am embarrassed lor not taking lime to shave this morning. I am a salesman ami normally wear a neat suit and am cleai shaven." He continued, "As I travel I often sto and offer assistance to people who ar stranded, even though many peopl warn me not to help strangers. Som people say they wait a long time t receive help." An hour quickly passed as we listene to this man talk. When help arrived, th man wanted to pay us a generou amount of money for our time. W suggested he keep the money and hel the next person he saw who needed aic I While relating our experiences t ■ guests, my husband and I discovered that I distrusted the first man with th clean clothes while he distrusted th second gentleman with the soile< clothes. Obviously both judgment were wrong. I was confused as to wha criteria could be used to distinguisl whom to trust. Then I asked, "Why die both people choose our house whei other homes were closer?" "It's the sign in your living roon window," said a guest. I was stunned. The sign, a picture of ; schoolhouse, was placed in the window to indicate I am willing to assist a chik who encounters problems walking to 01 from school. Apparently it also conveys a message to citizens of the city travel-: ing the busy street. For several days I contemplated] taking the schoolhouse sign out of the! window for fear an adult with cat trouble would use that sign again. Could| I trust the next person at the door? Then I read james 2 which talks ahoul showing favoritism to people because ol I heir dress. It concludes by saying, ". . . You must love and help your neighbors! just as much as you love and take care of yourself" (The Living bible). If I love my neighbor as myself, the' question, "Do I choose to be a good Samaritan?" becomes "Do I trust God enough to be a good Samaritan?" 96 FEBRUARY 8, 1977 pprooting at fh "To uproot yourself when you're fifty isn't all that simple," said Elsie Dyck, ifylennonite Central Committee volun- teer in Akron, Pennsylvania. Elsie, husband Nick, and Alfred and Bertha Penner are two couples at MCC's ' headquarters who are part of a minority Lvho join voluntary service at middle lige or retirement time. Why do people j settled in a church and community ijecome volunteers? The Dycks asked themselves that nuestion many times before making the If'inal decision to move from Winnipeg, vlanitoba, to Akron. They had often alked about their wish to spend some I ime in voluntary service. With only two Inarried daughters they were not tied jlown with a family. Yet why leave, they 1 isked, when everything was going so , veil? i Nick had worked for a furniture store E n Winnipeg for twenty-five years. The lliusiness was doing well, and the owner I'Junteer Bertha Penner, hostess at IjC headquarters in Akron, Pennsyl- ' nia, prepares a meal. did not want Nick to leave. The Portage Ave. Mennonite Brethren Church, Win- nipeg, to which they belonged had elected them as deacons. Friends, chil- dren, and grandchildren were nearby. "The older we got, the harder it was to decide," Elsie said. Yet they remem- bered the decision they had made. "If the Lord called us somewhere we wanted to obey." When a specific offer came to Nick — to work as director of the Self-Help program — friends and family wanted them to stay, saying there were plenty of opportunities for service in Winnipeg. In the end, Elsie said, they left because, "We felt this is what the Lord wanted us to do." They wanted to see if they could actually let go of the comfortable life they had. After they came to Akron, Elsie worked first in the MCC kitchen. She now works part time in the Re-Uzit Shop in New Holland, Pennsylvania, a thrift shop that also sells Self-Help gifts, and part time in the production room at MCC headquarters. For Alfred and Bertha Penner, a couple with four sons who ran a dairy farm near Beatrice, Nebraska, for thirty-six years before retiring, there were several reasons for volunteering for service. Alfred is the maintenance man for MCC buildings in Akron, and Bertha is hostess for guests, orientees, and trainees who visit the headquarters. "We felt the Lord had been good to us — had blessed us more than we expected or deserved," Alfred said. When he and Bertha visited two voluntary service projects in which their sons had worked, Alfred noticed the smiles of people who had been helped by their children. First there were the smiles of boys at Wiltwyck School, Isopus, New York, where son Harold worked with boys with delin- quent records. "It got me to thinking," Alfred said. Then at the construction project in Maryland in which son Milbert helped install a bath for a widow, Alfred noticed again, "She was all smiles." Through their contact with their sons' experiences, Bertha said, "We felt if we had health and opportunity, we wanted to go for a couple of years." When retirement time came, she continued, it all worked out. They turned the farm over to Marvin, the oldest son, who wanted to go into farming. They sent their applications to MCC and sold much of their furniture and belongings when they decided to come to Akron. Although there have been adjust- ments to make — the adjustment of working with people instead of alone, of moving from the farm to town — Bertha said, "We haven't felt a bit out of place." They have joined a house church in the Akron Mennonite Church which they attend. Both the Dycks and the Penners agree their experience with the seventeen younger VS workers at Akron has been enjoyable. Alfred tells of the first Thanksgiving they spent with the Akronunit. Forpast holidays he had always gone home at 4:00 p.m. to milk the cows on their dairy farm. Here in Akron he and Bertha spent a relaxed day with the young people, singing, playing games, and enjoying each other. "It was the best Thanksgiv- ing we had ever had," he said. Elsie explained the two generations look at voluntary service from different viewpoints. The young people look ahead to life after voluntary service. Older volunteers can already look back on a full life. Although they come with different views, she thinks it is just as satisfying to become volunteers when one is older. Neither the Dycks nor the Penners know for sure what they will do at the end of their terms. Because the Penners turned their farm over to their son and sold much of their furniture, to go anywhere would be to start over. No matter what they do, Alfred said, they consider these years in service as some of the best of their lives. Elsie Dyck said even if she and Nick go back to their friends and work in Winnipeg, they will never be the same. Meeting many people with different ideas and ways has broadened their world. Wherever they go, she said, "We'll be filled with our three years in MCC. It has meant so much to us." For those who want to do some service, but cannot make a two-year commitment, there are many opportuni- ties for one- to four-months terms with Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS). Nelson Hostetter, executive coordinator of MDS, said MDS is currently pushing for more mature volunteers. He encour- ages retired people with travel trailers to donate some time to MDS on their itinerary. | E MENNONITE I 97 Bolivian church faces opportunity, problem Jose Godoy leads a Sunday afternoon worship in Bolivia. After five years missionary work, the Godoy family returned to Argentina. They continue j maintain ties with the congregations in Bolivia through letters and tape recording] The Mennonite Mission in Bolivia continues to work toward forming disciple groups who cultivate Spirit gifts for carrying on the work of the church in rural villages east of Santa Cruz. Harriet and LaVerne Rutschman, General Conference Mennonite mis- sionaries who were part of the Bolivia team for the past two years, reported current Mennonite witness in Bolivia while on furlough in North America. "People in Bolivia today are open to the gospel," the Rutschmans said. "While a military dictatorship limits the church, the limitation is much less than in neighboring countries." "Missions abound, however, and voices are many," they explained. More than twenty Protestant agencies are working among Bolivia's five million. "It is urgent that Mennonites work closely with others who share our faith." Four of the six Mennonite groups have been organized as churches — Cosorio with six members, La Crucena with eighteen, Las Gamas with ten, and Los Tajihos with fifteen. Communities at El Trillo and San Julian have no official members. Each believing community, the Rutschmans said, is encouraged to conduct Bible study and worship with its own leadership. Leadership training is emphasized on the local level. Al- though young people want to partici- pate in more intensive academic study, few have secondary educational back- ground adequate for seminary. "This will change as the congrega- tions mature," they said. Harriet and LaVerne singled out three areas of relationships which offer both opportunity and problem: with Menno- nite Central Committee, with Menno- nite colonies, with Roman Catholicism. Mission relationships with Menno- nite Central Committee workers have been positive from the mission's begin- ning in 1971, t he missionary couple said. Missionaries work where service volun- teers have lived and witnessed. The executive committee includes national Christians along with both missionaries and service workers. "But emphasis on community devel- opmenl presupposes community soli- darity," the Rutschmans pointed out, "while mission efforts toward church planting often create division. This dichotomy demands continuing dia- log." Another potential problem relates to the several thousand Old Colony Men- nonites in eastern Bolivia. They are known locally as good farmers with strange customs living completely closed to others. "New believers find it difficult to interpret the identity of Colony Mennonites in relation to total Mennonite witness," the Rutschmans went on. Roman Catholicism represents a third potentially problematic relationship. About 85 percent of the population are identified as Catholic with perhaps 85 percent of its clergy being foreign. "Most Roman Catholic missionaries are Bible centered in their teaching, and welcome Mennonite friendship and cooperation," the Rutschmans ob- served, "but there are questions." "In what ways can we respond to this openness without sacrificing something of our own integrity? Are there areas where we can work together? Where does sectarianism end and syncretism begin?" Harriet and LaVerne expressed grati- tude to God and four cooperatirj agencies — Argentine Mennonite Coy ference, General Conference Commij sion on Overseas Mission, Mennonij Board of Missions, and Mennonit Central Committee — for guidance arJ encouragement during their two yean in Bolivia. After furlough they plan tj locate in San Jose, Costa Rica, when LaVerne will be a seminary teacher, j Coordinator required MCC (B.C.) requires a coordinator to direi! the existing programs, as well as develop ne> programs, with the adult mentally retardec Educational and practical experience is pre ferred. Contact: Wally Kroeker MCC (B.C.) Box 2038 Clearbrook, British Columbia V2T 3T8 Phone: 859-4141 98 FEBRUARY 8, 1977 Coordinator outlines state of urban mission David M. Whitermore, coordinator of Chicago area Mennonites, outlined a "state of missions in the city" message after one year on the job. His tone was realistic and not without hope. Metropolitan Chicago, with a popula- tion approaching eight million, has seventeen Mennonite congregations or fellowships representing four ' conferences — Evangelical Mennonite, 1 General Conference Mennonite, Menno- nite Brethren, and Mennonite Church. I Three congregations are black, four Latino, and ten mixed or all Anglo. In his letter to church leaders most directly involved in the Chicago minis- J try, Mr. Whitermore identified three i ] urban concerns: leadership burnout, !' attitudes and reactions generated by > mission subsidy, and future of the city ; projections. I Leadership burnout. Quoting from a [year-end Chicago tribune feature, 'Burnout — Is misery contagious?" Mr. phitermore described signs of emotion- hl stress he has noticed among urban phurch leaders. Burnout is an emotional jjiilment, so labeled by Christina Mas- j ach, University of California psychol- ogy professor. "After nearly two years if research Ms. Maslach is convinced j hat burnout is a widespread though ■little-recognized affliction among those ■whose jobs draw them near the prob- lems and miseries of others," wrote ' jeporter Michael Coakley. t "Physicians, psychiatrists, social ■workers, prison personnel, mental I ': ealth nurses, child-care workers, pov- erty lawyers, policemen — all were ■ound to have difficulty coping with the 1 ^motional stress from intimate involve- Bjient with troubled human beings," Mr. I sloakley reported. Mr. Whitermore :'ould include urban church leaders I jmong those who most readily exhibit I urnout symptoms. I "It is not unusual to have pastors and [ jiaders exhibit detachment from those I ley serve," he said. "Often I have heard I tastors and leaders speak of their sople and communities as 'they, them, I lose people.' The rejection is real, even j it is not recognized. Exhaustion, I ppression, and the seeking of diversion om the daily crush of poverty, misery, I olence, ignorance, and their own sense | impotence is common." i j Conditions. He outlined some of the !:nditions urban dwellers face: "When iu look out of your church door and see x bars, you know you are in a mission field. When you do visitation without your wallet because of the possibility of armed robbery, you know you are in mission work. When most of the homes you visit are protected with steel gratings that cover doors and windows, you know this is an ideal place for proclamation of good news. "When your congregation and constit- uents are regularly exploited in employ- ment, shopping, and housing or else ignored by people designated to help them in their concerns and needs, you know you live and work in a calloused, sin-cursed world. When your six-year- old is forced by older children to fight another youngster for their entertain- ment, you know this isn't the hometown you are used to. When you go from one crisis to another with little or no respite, when there is seemingly so little prog- ress made and you wonder why no one seems to understand or care, you wonder if you are in missions." Suggestions. Mr. Whitermore intro- duced a number of suggestions for administrators to consider on future policy for urban workers, policy which would build on the best of patterns for relating to workers in overseas mis- sions, worker fellowship, and clear vocational expectations. He under- scored that workers are needed. "There is no work of God without workers." Denominations and nonurban congre- gations often reflect an attitude ques- tioning why urban churches and pro- grams should be financially supported, Mr. Whitermore said. While allowing the need for inner city churches to work at improving their financial steward- ship, he emphasized that the larger church family should accept the fact "that some of our city churches proba- bly will not become self-supporting." Mr. Whitermore named especially those churches in changing neighbor- hoods, in foreign culture and language settings, and in poverty areas. "Their roles are often that of a house of refuge. These churches have not and may not ever be self-supporting, but they have touched the lives of thousands with 'cups of cold water' in Jesus' name," he said. "City churches are not second- class citizens in the kingdom, but we often make them feel that way." Future projections. On the future of the city, Mr. Whitermore reported on a conference with Christian futurist Thomas Sine of the University of Washington, Seattle. Cities, for at least the next twenty years, Mr. Sine said, will lace the continual exodus of busi- ness and the middle classes. The con- tinued migration will result in a steadily growing tax-base loss and an ever increasing demand tor financial servi- ces by the unemployed and the poor. According to present trends, city, state, and federal budgets will be able to provide for only education, hospitals, and police and fire services. "Welfare will be one of the first to go," Mr. Whitermore said. Such a situation would leave a large gap for those below eighteen and over sixty-five who make up two-thirds of the public assistance roll, he noted. "It is my feeling," he concluded, "that the Anabaptist experience and under- standing of the good news has been a providential preparation for mission and service on a scale we never contemplated — if Mordecai's admoni- tion to Esther (Esther 4:13-14) has an application for Mennonites in the last quarter of this century." He asked the administrators, "to come over and help us in exploring the concerns I and my fellow workers have on our hearts." Bible society activities under way in Lebanon Bible society activities in Lebanon are recovering and the society plans to relocate its offices in the city of Beirut again, according to Russell Self, region- al secretary of the United Bible Socie- ties' Asia-Pacific region. Before the outbreak of the Lebanese civil war in April 1975, Beirut was a center of Bible society translation, publication, and distribution work in the Arabic-speaking Middle East. Work continued in spite of the war until December 1975 when the Bible House in Beirut was demolished by a bomb. Throughout 1976, Bible society staff members were scattered. Temporary offices opened in Amman, Jordan, to supervise the work in neighboring coun- tries. To help heal the spiritual wounds of the war, the society is now planning to produce and distribute in Lebanon a packet of five selected biblical passages dealing with understanding, love, and forgiveness. Plans are also under way to produce 25,000 copies of a life of Christ with narratives in Today's Arabic Version, the new Arabic translation of the New Testament. IE MENNONITE 99 3 Record Letters Deal Iks Hugo Scheffler died [an. 20 in Belling- ham, Wash., al the age of seventy-six. He served pastorates in Kaiserslautern, Germany, and in Black Creek and Clearbrook, British Columbia. He had served with MCC in Germany and in Bienenberg, Switzerland. He was also a writer for the German Sunday school quarterly Bible Studien fuer Erwach- sene. Workers Cordon Miller, Congerville (111.) Church, is serving a ten-months term of service with Mennonite Disaster Ser- vice in Georgia. He assisted in a project at Clayton which is now complete and is moving to a tornado relocation and inner city rehabilitation project in Atlanta. He has attended Goshen (Ind.) College. Gordon's parents are Owen and Eunice Miller of Congerville, 111. Verney Unruh, secretary for Asia under the General Conference's Com- mission on Overseas Mission, will serve as General Conference representative at the American Bible Society's National Advisory Council in New York, April 12-14. Over 100 church leaders will attend the council which is meeting to plan long-range activities for the socie- ty- Ministers David P. Neufeld, pastor of the Bethany Church, Virgil, Ont., has re- signed effective Apr. 15 of this year to become pastor of the Olivet Church, Clearbrook, B.C. Jacob F. Pauls, copastor of the Berg- thaler Church, Altona, Man., will be- come pastor of the Bethel Church, Winnipeg, effective June 1. Calendar Mar. 21-25— Project Teach, Bethel College, North Newton, Kans. Apr. 1-3 — Festival of the People, Goshen (Ind.) College May 16-18 — Ministers' get- acquainted seminar, General Confer- ence central offices, Newton, Kans. July 28-Aug. 3 — General Conference triennial sessions, Bluffton, Ohio Had a beautiful Christmas Dear Editor: In response to the artml "Some new ideas for Christmas" (El cember 7 issue) I'd like to share Ijl following incident involving friends! Barbara and Susan are mental retarded. They have spent the grea I part of their lives in an institutitl Christmas is a time of uncertainty al longing for them. Will mom and d|j come to take me home? They did | make it last year. They see th [I wardmates dressed in Christmas fineli Parents, grandparents, brothers, al sisters arrive to claim their own. One 1 one the ward gets emptier. The day! endless. Each time the door opens th| run in anticipation, only to be disal pointed. No one comes to claim Barbai and Susan. But this year was different for Barbl* ra and Susan. They went home fl" Christmas, to a new home, to a new mc| and dad. Herb and Katie Isaac decidel to open their home to these two retard; girls. Herb worked afternoon shl during the Christmas week. Katie woul have extra time on her hands. Why nj invite someone to spend the holida;' with them? Once the decision was man and arrangements planned, Katie wefl shopping. Not having children of h| own, she knew these girls would lil| toys and games to fill the day. Extij cooking and baking were necessary. Bij on Thursday all was ready and Barbail and Susan arrived. It was a happy da for them and for the Isaacs. There wei tears in Katie's eyes when she told ho\' Barbara called her "mom" and Susaj asked if she could stay up until "dad came home. Yes, it was a happy Chrisj mas, both gave and both received Bertha Tiessen, 7 Robinson St., Lea mington, Ont. N8H 1Y5 Jan. Director-staff openings: Swan Lake Christie Camp, Viborg, South Dakota (Northet District Conference retreat grounds). Sta involvement includes responsibility for cam operation (maintenance, cooking, rentat development) and the year-round retreatin program. Contact: LeRoy Epp Retreat Committee Chairman Marion, South Dakota 57043 (605) 925-7635 Full-time pastor required The Bergthal Mennonite Church, Didsbury, Alberta, invites applications for the position of full-time pastor. The church consists of 175 members and a congregation of approximately 250 people. It is located in a rural setting approximately twelve miles from the town of Didsbury and fifty miles from the city of Calgary, and is complete with a modern, three-bedroom bungalow. Applications are to be forwarded on or before Feb. 15 giving: qualifications and experience, marital status, age, two character references, one employ- ment reference, and availability. A complete information package with picturesand historical information will be supplied upon request by any interested individuals. Send applications or further inquiries to: H. D. Epp, Vice-chairman Bergthal Mennonite Church Box 612, Didsbury, Alberta Phone: 335-3894 (residence) 335-3311 (business) 100 FEBRUARY 8, 1977 the child in the congregation the Bible the teacher in the congregation in the congregation The Foundation Series No other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:1 1 CHECK YOURSELF! The Foundation Series is . . . □ an Anabaptist curriculum. □ for church school classes, nursery through grade eight. □ cooperatively produced by four Anabaptist denominations— General Conference Mennonite Church, the Mennonite Church, the Brethren in Christ, and the Church of the Brethren. □ a championship series. □ edited by Cornelia Lehn, James Horsch, John Arthur Brubaker. □ executively directed by Paul Lederach. □ written by thirty-seven people, aided by almost 200 consultants in the four participating denominations. □ published by Evangel Press, Nappanee, Indiana; Faith and Life Press, Newton, Kansas; Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania. □ a tool to help you teach your children. (See Deuteronomy 11:18.) (I take a firm stand for the Commission on Education.) Check every box. Every answer is correct. E MENNONITE 101 A literal meaning of "cynic" is "doglike," or "sneering." "Cynic" was the name given to a school of philosophy that looked with skepticism upon conven- tional morality and institutions. Dio- genes wasthefirstoftheCynics.andwe know how he took a lantern to go in search of an honest person. He and the Cynics who followed him, some within the early Christian era, were calling into question the materialism of their day. Much of their teaching was beneficial for it challenged people to be more thoughtful about life's purpose. As time passes, language changes. For most people today, cynicism is not connected with any strong moral purpose — it is, rather, an unhealthy pessimism or skepticism about the motives of others. Cynics find it hard to see anything genuine or heartfelt in the intentions or actions of others. Cynics even doubt the earnestness of the Christian message. Era of cynicism. Commentators in the media have spoken frequently about the cynicism that is "rampant" in our nation as an accompaniment of our recent political history. And as they cite examples of cynical behavior on the part of people in the public eye, they them- selves exhibit the same kind of pessi- mism. They fan the fires of the very attitudes they deplore. (But I must take care lest I sound cynical about the commentators!) We do not have to look far to be convinced that we really are in an age of cynicism. So the big question is how to get beyond it. Surely we are not well served to wallow in sheer skepticism. An acquaintance of mine says he is cynical about the ability of schools to effect the changes that make for more effective teaching and learning. Another acquaintance, a friend, confesses to cynicism about the church and its lead- ers. While one can certainly understand and condone discouragement and even occasional exasperation, it is innappro- priate, in my opinion, to be cynical. We need less cynicism and more childlike Moving beyond cynicism Locke E. Bowman, hopefulness, less cynicism and more simpleminded dedication to making things work, less cynicism and more trust that God will use us in working out his purposes. The prophets of God have never been cynics. If they had been so inclined, they would have been allies of God's enemies rather than speakers in God's behalf. Similarly, good pastors and teachers are not cynics. The resurrection faith, the faith of Pentecost, bids them (and us) to lay cynicism aside and to believe that with God all things are possib The future is hope-filled even wh everything looks dark. That is message of our faith, and it is far fro cynical. Our roJe as teachers. Quite specific ly, I suggest that every teacher in churches can strike a blow again cynicism by doing at least the followin 1. Making a sincere effort to be well-informed, prepared leader. If we going to teach, we should be willing give the job the time it takes. A 102 FEBRUARY 8, 1977 Contents eaching requires a lot of study and hought beforehand: about subject mat- er, about the students and their back- rounds, about our educational task. 2. Exhibiting an attitude of openness o learning. We ourselves must be earning, growing people if we hope to oster such an attitude among our stu- lents. 3. Resolving to be more inquisitive, to sk more questions, to "wonder" about hings. Life is so full of stimuli, many of hem awe inspiring. If we can be more ensitive to their impact, we will be lore lively Christians. 4. Squandering upon others the rich reasure of personal friendship. People re hungry for friends, and the more we pend ourselves in being friendly, the reater our capacity for friendship rows. Of course, none of these things in and f itself will kill off cynicism. But if they are coupled with a close relationship to Jesus Christ himself, they take on new dimensions. He called himself a "vine," and he graciously said that we are "the branches." Apart from the vine, we are worthless. But sustained and tended, we can do great things! Beyond the gloom. I dare to believe that if we get up each day and look upon it as a fresh opportunity, not just an extension of yesterday's problems, we are coming closer to being the kind of people Christ wants as branches. And I believe, in a spirit of true hope, that we can convey such a mood to our students. By appreciating their best efforts, by providing security and needed discipline, by struggling with them to help in unraveling the meaning of God's Word, we teach. And to be a teacher in the church of Jesus Christ is to become someone who has moved beyond the gloom of cynicism. CONRAD GREBEL COLLEGE Conrad Grebel College, one of four church colleges within the University of Waterloo, is located southwest of Toronto. Conrad Grebel College, sponsored by Mennonites, isecumenical and evangelical in spirit. The residential (120 students) and academic (ten faculty) programs foster intellectual and personal maturity because students live in both a community and in a 14,000- student university. Students register and receive degrees through the University of Waterloo which offers virtually all majors. The college specializes in peace and conflict studies, religious studies, music, history, sociology, and philosophy. Tuition is approximately $750 per year (higher in technical faculties) for Canadians and $1,500 per year for non-Canadians. Residential fees are about $1,600 per year. For information write: Conrad Grebel College Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G6 c/o Director of Student Affairs Teaching children to choose 82 They chose to get involved 83 Drifting into a career 85 News 87 The choice to be uniquely you 89 CHOICES 90 Choice can be a heavy burden 92 Choosing to be a Good Samaritan ... 96 Record 100 Letters 100 Moving beyond cynicism 102 You can decide 104 CONTRIBUTORS The Commission on Education helped to plan and develop this special issue. Mary Lou Cummings, Route 4, Quakertown, Pa. 18951, a member of the C0E depart- ment of education, planned the special articles and wrote the editorial. Marjorie Geissinger, Route 1, Zions- ville, Pa. 18092, is a member of C0E and is editor of the Messenger of the Eastern District. Bill Dick, 61 Fairfield Ave., Kitchener, Ont., is the director of counseling servi- ces at the University of Waterloo. Rachel Moore, Earlham, Iowa 50072, is a free-lance writer. Jim Deacove, Route 4, Perth, Ont. K7H 3C6, works with Family Pastimes. Donna Lehman's address is 5111 East State Boulevard, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46805. Locke E. Bowman, 6947 East McDonald Drive, Scottsdale, Ariz. 85253, wrote "Moving beyond cynicism" for Church Teachers magazine. It is reprinted by permission. CREDITS Cover, Darlene Schneck, 28 Park Valley Road, Schnecksville, Pa.; 82-84, pre- schooler, name withheld; 83, Hill St. Children's Center; 85, Priscilla Taylor Rosenberger, Porter Road. Quakertown, Pa. 18951; 89, David Hiebert, Scottdale, Pa. 15683; 90, 91, 94, 95, artwork by Mary Lou Cummings; 92, Strix Pix, Newville, Pa. 17241; 96, RNS; 97, Christine Wiebe, MCC; 98, Boyd Nelson, Mennonite Board of Missions; 102, Joan Cicak, UpperState Road, New Britain, Pa. The Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boule- vard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Tele- phone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main St., Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. HE MENNONITE 103 You can decide Mary Lou Cummings God made us — man and woman — in his image. "His image" includes the basic freedom — a free will, the gift of choice — that is a foundation for all other freedoms. It may seem surprising that we need to remind ourselves of this gift. But the weight of responsibility that it carries is not wholly welcome. We often don't make choices, we drift along. The decisions we do make, are done unthinkingly, without real benefit from this basic privilege. "What are your alternatives? You cannot be said to hold a value if you had no real choice in the matter or if you were not aware of the possible choices. You have to decide deliber- ately, instead of drifting unthinkingly into action or inaction. You have to know what options are available, and you have to check them all out," says Sidney Simon in his latest book on values. Many of us do not choose, but drift on the waves of society's expectations. Unaware, we accept choices made by others. Unaware, we accept other people's goals and values as our own, bothered dimly by a vague discontent. Consciously or unconsciously, our day-in- and-day-out choicesmoldus,ourjobs,and our families. They create and recreate our environ- ment. We are fluid, changing personalities, made up of the thousands of little choices that we made all our yesterdays and today. Poor choices, shaky choices, determinations, joyful decisions, peaceful choices — they all do their part to shape our individual spiritual charac- ter, determining what we become. A sensitivity to our ability to decide can help us to become more thoughtful and prayerful about past responses. It can teach us to look ahead. We can choose what we need to buy before we enter a store. We can decide how we'll respond to our child's tantrum before it's thrown. We can plan the nature of our evening before we turn on the TV. It is our privilege to discover how we can best worship God, and then we can do it. When we refuse to consciously and deliber- ately choose specific behaviors, the powerful ocean society that we live in is ready to wash us out to sea. There we can bob helplessly along with the crowd. Today's person seems besieged by a feeling of impotence and angry helplessness. This is partially a result of the conviction that there really are no alternatives. The Christian does have alternatives. Begin- ning with our first basic decision — to accept Christ or not — choosing can create a life of adventure, a life in which the Spirit moves in miraculous ways. The fear of freedom and the fear of the unknown are lessened, because we can believe that God uses even our failures and mistakes to teach us better choices. God's love begins to flow through us and enables us to choose the love alternative. As we grow and choose the loving way more often, we become more and more free — free from cynicism, anxiety, other's expectations, even from repressed anger. The loving choice is not always the prettiest one. It may call for confrontation as it did for Jesus. It may call for movement and growth. Even the Spirit-filled choice may be threaten- ing to others. Differences of feelings may need to be honestly and openly expressed. God took humankind very seriously when he gave us the gift of choice; perhaps more seriously than we take ourselves. We frequent- ly and almost carelessly and gladly abdicate our autonomy and let the community, the government, or the church decide for us. The special articles in this Commission on Education issue of The Mennonite are de- signed to increase our awareness that we are specifically called of God — called to choose, called to be free, called to follow Christ. You can decide. OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO MAN LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST 92:7 FEBRUARY 15, 1977 Philip Bender o/*g>p)^6gTJjr betel? lAjO&Hl. Boga, Zaire, is exceeded in its spectacu- lar beauty only by its spectacular isolation. The three of us in the Teachers Abroad Program at Boga were probably the most isolated MCC workers in Africa. We possessed neither a vehicle nor did we have access to a mission airplane. Only three other white faces were there, a British public health nurse and an older British couple who were overseeing the work of the Anglican church at Zaire. Tucked into a range of hills running along Zaire's northeastern frontier, Boga (which means "vegetable" in the local language) looks out over a broad, grassy valley. Thirty miles away in Uganda, this valley melts away into the blue and purple foothills of the Ruwen- zori Mountains, the third highest moun- tain cluster in Africa. On a clear day, these massive Ruwenzoris, capped by the glistening, snowcapped Marguerite Peak, shot upward directly across from my front door. The nearest town is seventy miles away over a torturous, rocky road, which became impassible during the rainy season. A Toyota bus came at best once weekly and sometimes not for months. In this picturesque slice of grassland on the edge of the great African equato- rial forest, the Anglican church of Zaire operates a secondary school with over 300 students in grades seven to twelve. I taught history, geography, and religion — all in French, Zaire's official language. A normal teaching load was twenty to twenty-four lesson prepara- tions per week. The years 1972-74 were filled with exciting events and impressions. Now I am also aware that I learned some new lessons about serving "in the name of Christ." My discoveries might seem self-evident to North Americans who have never undertaken Christian ser- vice in a foreign land. For me, these learnings were forged in the hard fire of experience. They stand out to me as truth because they emerged from my daily encounter with people vastly different from myself, yet whose hu- manity I shared. Learning 1: True Christian service does not begin until one understands, accepts, and commits oneself to the people one is serving. This is the elementary precondition for service. Without it there can be neither a contribution of lasting mean- ing to someone else's development nor a sense of fulfillment for the person doing the serving. I do not mean a naive effort to "be like they are," which ignores obvious cultur- al, economic, and educational differen- ces. Rather, I am speaking of an identifi- cation of spirit in which the would-be servant acknowledges and respects those real differences, but commits himself to his people in acceptance and understanding nonetheless. Boga taught me that I cannot serve others unless I make an ongoing effort to see the world as they do, to feel what they feel, and to understand why they think and act in certain ways. In Zaire I saw other North American teachers engulfed with disillusionment and frustration. Some missionaries could barely hide their feelings of suspicion, scorn, and dislike of the native people. I found myself struggling to identify, often falling short. Students would seem listless and uninterested. School management appeared inept. All my efforts seemed to accomplish so little. As I reflect now, I realize that all of us as servants need to make special efforts to understand, accept, and commit ourselves to people we want to serve. This meant recognizing that my stu- dents had not grown up with such educational stimuli as books and televi- sion. It meant a recognition that going to school without any breakfast (many did not have enough food) can create listlessness. I needed to understand thj pressure to getadiplomaatallcosts.nd because it was necessarily a sign m learning, but it was one of the fe« tickets to an income. It meant accommo dation to the still lingering Belgia; colonial system of education whici stressed rote memorization rather thai understanding. It meant learning t appreciate the fact that my schoc director did not have a western mentali ty of managerial efficiency. Had I been able to understand thesi things more objectively, accept them ai part of my assignment, and commi myself to the Zairians in spite of all else I probably could have coped better wit! my frustrations, done a better job, and. been more loving. This is the kind of identification wit! the people around one which Paul had irj mind when, in his letter to the Corinthij an church, he asserts, "For though I an free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order tq win Jews; to those under the law } became as one under the law, that 1- might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law, that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak,! that I might win the weak. I have! become all things to all men, that I might; by all means save some." Christian service has come to mean giving myself freely to those whom I ami serving, saying to them, "I understand, you; I accept you; I am standing with, you, come what may." That is the cornerstone for effective and satisf ying| service, both for the servant and for those being served. Such an identif ica-j tion may take a lifetime, but being with| another in understanding, acceptance,; and commitment is the key to loving. Learning 2: The most meaningful service often comes through the small- est things. My most creative, constructive, and 106 FEBRUARY 15, 1977 i lasting contribution to Boga often came in the smaller and casual events outside of the classroom. The context of my truest service was in personal rather than in structured relationships, and the I content was my personal self rather than my lectures. Thirty-mile walks through the forest with my students at vacation time, ' entertaining them for tea at my house, helping one to find a bed, or going to j their homes and sharing their food — in lall these encounters something of last- ring value was shared. Maybe more than pin the classroom, we gained an aware- jiness of our shared humanity, the reali- ;!. zation that caring can transcend many ! barriers, and learned that the media of j true caring are those simple acts where sharing occurs. Jesus expressed this insight in his high valuation upon a simple cup of cold water. I learned it through the many occasions in which my students and I were able to relate and share in simple but authentically personal ways. Learning 3: Being a servant of Christ will involve a cross. This dictum has tended to become such a cliche that I hesitate to assert it, yet Boga taught me its truth. My experience taught me to take Jesus seriously when he promised that going out in his name would necessitate risks, entail difficulties, demand sacrifices, and precipitate sufferings, all of which might be subsumed under the rubric of "cross-bearing." In the middle of Africa, the cross for an MCC worker can take the form of loneliness. It can take the form of indifference or hostility on the part of the people with whom one is working. It can take the form of difficult living and working conditions. It can take the form of a gnawing sense of inadequacy and impotence in the face of need. Whatever its form, a cross is bound to be present, and bearing it will not be easy. Some overseas workers react to their crosses with bitterness and cynicism. Sometimes our church organizations are not candid and realistic in advising volunteers about the difficulties they need to anticipate. The servant and the sending agency both need an open and honest aware- ness that service for Christ will inevita- bly involve difficult circumstances. Also essential for both is a commitment to be supportive and constructive when difficulties come up. Learning 4: Servanthood means to see oneself as a channel through which a greater love is working. In Zaire I sometimes felt that my work was accomplishing little and that my efforts to show love either were not being perceived or were being exploited. Now, after a distance of two years, I wonder whether I was too proud in believing myself capable to assess the final outcomes. Maybe I was too "re- sults" oriented. It seems to me now that I needed the grace and humility to believe that God might be accomplishing something creative and good through my efforts even when they seemed futile. Some lives might be changed for the better and I might not know it. Christian servants must be able to see their efforts as fragmentary and imper- fect and to see that the good which comes through them must be worked by God. Such humility frees them to a true and legitimate pride — the assurance that in God's eyes their sincere efforts are worthy and acceptable for God's greater work. Leorning 5: Christian service is a life-style. You cannot engage in Christian ser- vice simply by joining a church mission and going to a foreign land. All Chris- tians are servants for Christ, regardless of their occupations. Whether I am a farmer, a teacher, a student, a pastor, a factory worker, or a housewife; whether I live and work in Boga, Zaire; Markham, Illinois; Ros- thern, Saskatchewan; or Newton, Kan- sas, I am first of all a servant of Christ. That is my most basic and primary vocation. It accompanies me each day wherever I go. Christian service can take place wherever Christians encoun- ter other human beings. The first four learnings from my two years in Africa should be principles to guide us generally in our human interac- tions. When these guidelines come to operate in our lives always and every- where, then we shall be serving in the name of Christ and be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Lloyd Wiebe, another MCC teacher af Nyanga, Zaire, teaches the boys about chemistry. ■ The notice boards for a number of churches in Canada read something like this: Laidlaw Memorial The United Church of Canada Presbyterian, Congregational, Metho- dist Such congregations are members of a fifty-one-year-old union of churches whose members believe theirs has been just about the most successful church union in the world. I don't know a member of the United Church who considers union a mistake. Canada began from colonies which federated into a nation. In the frontier days, thousands of new congregations and over forty scattered Congregation- al, Methodist, and Presbyterian denom- inations came into being. The church union movement paralleled the move- ment to confederation, and during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, regional Methodist, Presby- terian, and Congregational churches united into national organizations. Over a hundred years ago, the Anglicans initiated a movement to unite all the major Protestant churches in Canada. The hope was expressed that the Roman Church eventually might join, too — and conversations began. The Baptists and Anglicans later withdrew but the others worked on. In many small places, the congrega- tions moved ahead of their leaders. By 1923, over three thousand congrega- tions had united into 1,200 local union pastoral charges. In 1925 the United Church of Canada was born, including all the Methodists, the Congregational- ists, and about two-thirds of the Presby- terians. Since 1925, a number of individ- ual congregations and the Church of the Evangelical United Brethren have en- tered the union. And it is expected that in the near future the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) will enter tls union. To the fathers and mothers of tS union this was to have just been t| beginning. They said in "The basis f union": "It shall be the policy of t> United Church to foster the spirit F unity in the hope that this sentiment f unity may in due time, so far as Cana i is concerned, take shape in a churii which may fittingly be described I; national." The United Church has wakened frcji that dream. One never hears now om "national church." Those of us who st 1 believed in organic union were rude-' disillusioned two years ago when t!i Anglican Church in Canada, which h;| been in union conversations with tfl United Church since 1943, finally ai almost at the last moment, rejected tji Plan of Union, which was to ha] brought the two denominations and tt Christian Church (Disciples of Chris into a new church in 1977. There is danger now that the Unite Church will become just another d! nomination rather than the ongoiij uniting body envisioned by its leader) A "United Churchism" has begun j emerge. In the book "The Canadh mosaic," John Porter says the Unite Church is as Canadian as the maple lei and the beaver. It is Canada's largei Protestant church, to whom nearly 4 THE UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA A. C. Forrei WHAT TRADITION AND WHOSE THEOLOGY? percent of the Canadian people adhere — the majority rather loosely, if (|j It is a vigorous, active church, usually n ([{outspoken on social issues. Most con- ,is . gregations have a busy social life, and fl|i their members are likely to be active in •j( jcommunity affairs. .„(! The United Church never propagates nad itself outside Canada's borders, except Jin Bermuda. Its missionaries serve with or under other communions in Asia, Africa, and elsewhere, and its members yusually join one of the three mother 0i churches when they move abroad. lSl|United Church ministers go rather J freely to any of the uniting communions I in the United States or England. , y The man on the street and the theolo- i ||;,;gian in the pew will likely agree that the W| United Church is "liberal." The theologi- jjfcal spectrum is wide across the United dji Church, but I know no ministers who ]|[|would insist on a literal interpretation riJof the Scriptures. There are some fundamentalists in the pew, and some of the young evangelical churches which have been growing rapidly in Canada charge that we have drifted far from John Knox and John Wesley. Among us there are conservatives, humanists, radical social activists, probably a Marxist or two, and many who were deeply influenced by the neoorthodox theologians. The official teachings of the United Church are twenty articles in The Basis of Union called "Doctrine." But the significance of a brief phrase, insisted upon by the Congregationalists in 1925 — I understand at the price of their entry into union — that candidates for ordination must be "in essential agree- ment" with the Statement of Doctrine cannot be overestimated. There has been wide latitude in interpreting "es- sential agreement." About the only doctrinal matter I have known to postpone or block ordination has been the doctrine of baptism. Candidates for the ordained ministry who are commit- ted to "believers' baptism" only have not been acceptable to the United Church. , Preceding the twenty articles on Doctrine are the words ". . . we build upon the foundation laid by the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone. We affirm our belief in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the primary source and ultimate standard of Christian faith and life. We acknowledge the teaching f 1 i I s "1 ; m M ■ m m ' 1 mm mm mm Typical interior of a contemporary United Church building. Noli: thi communion tabic in the center with pulpit and lectern on the sides. of the great creeds of the ancient Church. We further maintain our alle- giance to the evangelical doctrines of the Reformation, as set forth in common in the doctrinal standards adopted by the Presbyterian Church in Canada, by the Congregational union of Ontario and Quebec, and by the Methodist Church. In addition to the Statement of Doc- trine, the United Church has produced a semiofficial Statement of Faith, a cate- chism, and a creed. The creed says, "Man is not alone, he lives in God's world. We believe in God: who has created and is creating, who has come in the true Man, Jesus, to reconcile and make new, who works in us and others by his Spirit. We trust him. He calls us to be his church: to celebrate his presence, to love and serve others, to seek justice and resist evil, to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen, our judge and our hope. In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God." Another document, read at the service of consummation of union June 10, 1925, seems significant. Each of the uniting churches summed up what its spokes- men felt it offered to the new church. Each of the communions said, "commis- sioned to make disciples of all nations." The Presbyterians spoke of "care for the spread of education and sacred learn- ing," the Methodists emphasized "evan- gelical zeal and human redemption and the testimony of spiritual experience," and the Congregationalists spoke of "the liberty of prophesying and the love of spiritual freedom." And a fourth group, often forgotten, representing those congregations that had moved on ahead to form local union churches, spoke of "the furtherance of community life within the kingdom of God ... in things essential, unity, and in things secon- dary, liberty . . . . " In some ways the neglect of or the continuing emphasis on these inheritan- ces, which came out of the faith of the churches of Great Britain and Ireland and were tested and shaped on ihe Canadian frontier, seems even more significant than the formally stated doctrines of the church. THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It is ; published weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton, Kans 671 1 4, by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonite Church Second- I class postage paid at Newton, Kans 671 14, and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions in U S. and Canada, $8 00, one year; $1 5 50, two years, $23 00, three years, foreign, $8 50 per year, j Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg. Canada R3P 0M4 Business office: 722 Main St.. Box 347, Newton. Kans. 671 1 4 Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Box 347. Newton. Kans 671 1 4 THE MENNONITE 109 The deep commitment to unity as expressed in organic unions has seemed as much an article of faith in the United Church of Canada as the teachings of Knox and Wesley. But the emphasis has changed. The words now are ecumenical and unity rather than organic union. The United Church of Canada says much more about ecumenicity than about the doctrine of sanctification. As for making disciples of all nations, there has been a radical change. The original Board of Foreign Missions is now a Division of World Outreach. The em- phasis is no longer on sending mission- aries to convert the heathen, but on responding to invitations from sister churches or councils of churches for a well-digger in India or support for rural development in Bangladesh. Missionar- ies are committed to witness to Christ by serving and dialog with the adher- ents of other faiths, more than preaching from John 3:16. But scratch a little more deeply and John 3:16 is still the gospel for the United Church, preached more effectively in action than in words. Coercion and manipulation are recog- nized as sins in the United Church. Outspoken criticism of multinational corporations or government policies in South Africa, Washington, or Ottawa may be considered virtuous. The prophetic ministry in the earlier days of the United Church is likely to be remembered as the continuing war News against "beer, booze, and bingo." Many feel those battles were lost. So was the fight to keep Sunday free from work and commerce. But others were won. The United Church as early as 1932 advocated birth control — a controversial thing then. Twenty years before the nation abol- ished capital punishment, the General Council voted unanimously against the death penalty. In 1952 the United Church officially called for the recogni- tion of the People's Republic of China and its inclusion in the United Nations. On Vietnam, Chile, and the Middle East, the United Church was ahead of public opinion and government policy, and the same is true about dozens of other social and international issues on which a position has been taken. And its leaders were usually ahead of the people in the pews. And sometimes United Church prophets have been articulate and probably wrong. Critics would say the United Church has lacked evangelical zeal; not many congregations have a midweek prayer meeting, an evening service, and cer- tainly not a revival meeting. The big church schools have gone; Bible study is found here and there, but is not general. And while there is constant urging for more "expository and biblical teaching," many sermons are what is called topical or issue oriented. Congregations are more committed to service within communities and h e 1 p i i ; the folk of underdeveloped countril help themselves. Thousands of chunl members are engaged in "meals c| wheels" for the elderly and shut-ins arl caring for the lame, the halt, the deaf, til blind, the mentally retarded, and til emotionally disturbed. And generaly United Church members have be™ moving away from past methods M arms-length delegated charity and tfl ward social and political action. A great Methodist leader a centurl ago said that the concern of a Christie should be to escape the wrath to com!,. One does not hear that in a Unitelf Church today. The emphasis, to put , perhaps crudely, is not to be saved il order to go to heaven, but to understan and appropriate the gospel in order t ; celebrate life and be obedient to Jesuj. Christ in the here and now: The chief activity of the Unite! Church is still the regular gatherini together of believers for the worship ol God and the celebration of the sacral ments, the nurturing of the young in th faith uniquely and savingly revealed it Christ, and the sending out of th congregation into the community anq the world to apply the gospel that thej have learned. This is the second article about othe Protestant churches. Words & deeds All six churchwide boards of the Men- nonite Church held their first joint meeting January 13 in Chicago since the denomination was reorganized in 1971. About 100 board members and board executives met for study of the "Role of trustees" and then reported to each other on Iheir activities and future plans. Boards met separately before and after the joint session. The shortage of natural gas in Ohio because of severe winter temperatures has forced Bluffton College to adjust its calendar. The January module ended February 2, a day earlier, and the spring term will begin February 16, eight days late, so that the heat can be turned down in most buildings. The spring vacation will be reduced in length to help make up the lost time. The Mount Royal Church, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, held a series of four Prayer Week services January 16-19 with Carl Ens as special speaker. His topics included false cults, Jehovah's Witnesses, and Anabaptism. Four per- sons also gave presentations on "What prayer means to me." Neither the view that atheistic Commu- nist governments should be rejected nor that socialist governments represent the highest ideal is entirely valid, believes Walter Sawatsky, who has returned to Europe for a second term with MCC in Neuwied, West Germany. His assign- ment is to increase information and understanding between eastern Euro- pean and Soviet churches and those in the West. "To those who have expe- rienced the evils of those governments, I can say that I know and am against that evil," he said. "But the way of peace demands that our behavior be deter- mined by love rather than by what has! been done to us." He plans during thej next year to complete a book on evangel-, icals in the Soviet Union from 1945 to 1976 and to interview Mennonite emi-l grants from the Soviet Union, recon-l structing a history of local churchj fellowships. His first MCC term was) spent with the Center for the Study of j Religion and Communism, London, Eng-t land. The thirty-fifth annual convention of the National Association of Evangeli- cals will convene February 22-24. A special feature of this year's convention will be thirty-five workshops spon- sored by NAE's commissions and affil- iates. Session topics will include: family crises, the psychology of leadership, discovering congregational goals, con- textualization of Christianity, and vio- lence in society. 110 FEBRUARY 15, 1977 \/ICC— An extension of the same lecause snow and wind shortened the nnual meeting of the Mennonite Cen- ral Committee January 27-29 in Meta- tiora, Illinois, committee members took are of little agenda besides the essen- ials: passing an expenditure budget of nore than $9 million and electing new ifficers and members-at-large. Taking over from resigning chairman L Ernest Bennett, who served in that losition for ten years and on the ommittee for sixteen, is Newton L. Gingrich of Tavistock, Ontario, execu- ive secretary of Region I of the Menno- lite Church. With Mr. Bennett's encouragement, /ICC also voted to limit board members 0 three 3-year terms and members of he executive committee to two terms. Because the planned 2 '/--day meeting vas interrupted for a day by snow Irifting over the roads, MCC members lad little time to raise many questions bout the budget, which calls for 15,339,000 in constituency contribu- ions. This is about half a million dollars ess than last year's budget, but about 1300,000 above last year's actual giving. The proposed budget included no adical adjustments, but was primarily n extension of the same, Edgar Stoesz, ssociate executive secretary for over- eas services, told the committee. New programs are planned in: —the Philippines, where two develop- rient workers are being recruited to vork on Mindanao Island in rural ievelopment and peacemaking. —Lebanon, where a $36,000 short- erm postwar relief program is planned. — Transkei, a new black "homeland" nclosed in the Republic of South Africa, where MCC is projecting at least five-year program of development sing ten to twenty volunteers. — Thailand, where study is being iven to beginning a ministry of service nd reconciliation. Only $10,000 is mdgeted for 1977. MCC is planning to phase out its work n Crete, turning over the agriculture evelopment center to the Orthodox Ihurch in May. The Poland program will be cut back uring its evaluation in the coming year. Aid will continue to go to Vietnam, nd there is a possibility of assigning ome short-term (four to six weeks) olunteers at the Science Research Center in Hanoi. The goal of providing 1 million in aid to Vietnam last year /as not reached; about $703,000 was spent. But part of the carryover plus another $200,000 will be given this year— a total of up to $375,000. Most of this is projected to be used for an irrigation project. During the first day of its meeting, the MCC continued last year's discussion of MCC work in countries with authoritar- ian governments. Reports were given on MCC involvement in South Vietnam, southern Africa, and the Soviet Union. The most extensive research had been done by Luke Martin, former MCC Vietnam director, on Mennonite in- volvement in South Vietnam in 1954-75, on the part of MCC and Eastern Menno- nite Board of Missions and Charities. Mennonites were active in promoting peaceful understandings among Chris- tians and others, he said, but without much success. The Mennonite protest was directed primarily toward moral, not political issues, and Mennonites suggested political alternatives only when pressed to do so. The MCC committee's discussion of the reports centered on definitions of "politics" and to what degree MCC should be "political." "MCC is too political already," charged Siegfried Bartel, an MCC (Can- ada) representative. But "when there is an immediate problem, like the draft or getting Men- nonite refugees out of Russia, we don't waste a lot of time deciding about what needs to be done," countered LeRoy Beery, Mennonite Church representa- tive. "It is only in those cases where we H. Ernest Bennett, right, outgoing chair- man of MCC. hands the gavel to Newton Gingrich, who was elected at the Janu- ary meeting. are not so immediately connected with the ethnic group that we have problems with 'politics.' " "We all agree that we have some responsibility to alleviate suffering of any kind," said Elmer Neufeld, General Conference Mennonite representative. "Some are suffering from repression. Today in our caring, we need to develop an understanding of the political, social, and economic problems people have and work at them." The discussion produced no resolu- tion, but was one more addition to MCC's continuing discussion of justice, repression, and MCC involvement abroad. Another continuing issue is MCC (International)'s relationship to MCC (Canada), particularly now that MCC (Canada) is beginning a small interna- tional program of its own, to the Kanadier in Canada and South America. MCC accepted the invitation of MCC (Canada) to a consultation sometime this year on MCC-MCC (Canada) rela- tionships, including relationships in work outside North America. The planning committee will consist of two people from each body. A related issue was the effect of the remodeling of MCC's Akron office on possible decentralization and relation- ships with MCC (Canada). Over a few objections, MCC voted to spend $279,000 for an addition to and remodel- ing of the existing office building in Akron, Pennsylvania. In other business, the committee: — raised questions about the Self- Help program of selling crafts from overseas in North America. "Are we encouraging North Americans' wants rather than their needs?" asked Norman Shenk, Lancaster Conference represen- tative. Reg Toews, new associate execu- tive secretary for administration and resources, agreed a major evaluation was needed in the next year, but also raised the questions of whether produc- ers of the crafts were getting a fair price and whether the crafts should be the ones which bring the most money or those which best foster artistic and cultural values. — reviewed the administrative reor- ganization of MCC in which the board brought in two associate executive secretaries to share the load with executive secretary William T. Snyder. Lois Barrett. A Meetinghouse news article HE MENNONITE 111 MCC (Canada) steps into international arena Cautious moves toward CIDA MCC (Canada) in its thirteenth annual meeting January 21-22 at Winnipeg demonstrated a strong sense of common purpose, confidence, and vitality. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) wants to assign some major contracts for overseas develop- ment to MCC. Matching funds have been provided previously, but in this arrangement MCC would be the agency with total responsibility and total funding. After the most prolonged and vigorous discussion of the two-day session, this offer from CIDA was tabled until MCC staff could produce an actual contract proposal. A new newspaper, Die Mennonitische Post (The Mennonite post) to be printed especially for the 100,000 Kanadier (Canadian) Mennonites in North and South America, was readily approved and voted into existence. Concerns for native, rights and development were also endorsed. To be prepared later is a statement on Project North, which is seeking justice in native land settlements for those areas affected by the massive pipeline projects. Cash plus in-kind contributions for 1976 totaled $3,157,000, an increase of 11 percent over 1975. The budget adopted for 1977 calls for a further 10 percent increase. Problems cited were mostly of the pleasant kind. Alberta had $160,000 in government money waiting to be spent in MCC projects before March 1. The Food Bank in its first year has been hampered somewhat by grain quotas because of the record harvest in Canada. Considerable staff changeover was experienced in 1976, but all positions are filled. The Thursday before the business sessions was devoted to discussion of missions and service, with the initial input provided by CMBC professor David Schroeder. Moderators and other persons from the eleven MCC constituent bodies had been invited. Friday night was a public celebration of the people and services related to MCC (Canada). This was my first attendance at an MCC (Canada) meeting. I was impressed and sensed here an inter-Mennonite body that is actually working together at the "nitty gritty" level. The high point of the business sessions was reached when one board member challenged his fellow Mennonites to take a look at their own inconsistencies before considering the more conservative and possibly less educated Mennonites as targets for evangelization. Instead of a defensiveness, a deep silence fell over the group, a stillness that seemed to encourage the Holy Spirit to deal with each one present. There was only one point at which I was disappointed. In both the Project North and the MCC-CIDA discussions, the conversation tended to become defensive and almost apolo- getic. It seemed paradoxical that MCC (Canada) could not state its principles before seeing an actual CIDA contract. The work of the Lord can take the offense and be prepared to move ahead for the government if and whenever that body sees the Lord's way as the best way. At points like this, the Mennonite vision may still be too small. We are ready for little deeds of charitable development (and I believe in smallness) but the giant corporations and the giant fear of the unknown call for a vulnerability that will trust only upon the Holy Spirit of God. If we really love our native people and those of the third world, this step of faith may yet become imperative. An interpretive report by Bernie Wiebe Review of Canada-U.S. structures The search continues for an MCC structure that takes ii account different agendas of the Canadian and U.S. cons uencies. At the MCC (Canada) annual meeting January 21-22, 1 focus for discussion on MCC-MCC (Canada) relationshi was a paper presented by vice-chairman Frank H. Epp Waterloo, Ontario. Mr. Epp's paper suggested the creation of a U.S. natioi MCC similar to the MCC (Canada) structure and a thill organization made up of members from the two natioril bodies. This continental body would perform those ministri that can best be done together. Secondly the paper suggested that some of the institutio in the partnership could be based in Canada. Certj programs now done through the U.S. office but actually clos to the Canadian Mennonites could be done from Cana( Immigrants from the Soviet Union are considered to be o such Canadian concern because of the family relationshi between Russian Mennonites in Canada and their brothe and sisters in the USSR. The migrations and concerns Kanadier Mennonites in Canada and South America a another. "Is this nationalism?" asked Peter Dyck, a Canadian on tl MCC staff for more than twenty years. "Is nationalism wroil when one country carries it too far but not when anoth nation does?" Anne Warkentin Dyck of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, MC (Canada) member-at-large, questioned whether the suggest* structural change was necessary. She pointed out that MC has been making a number of provisions for more Canadh participation in the decision making of MCC and is movii toward a structure where matters related only to the U. scene are treated by U.S. Ministries rather than as part of tl MCC international program. "It seems like an awfully big stick to push a cow that already going in the right direction," she said, drawii appreciative laughter from the board and gallery of aboi fifty. The consensus was that the MCC-MCC (Canada) structui should be reviewed as a first step to a new approach i international interdependence of independent entities. Tf board approved appointment of a four-person committee ( Canadian and U.S. representatives to develop plans for consultation. This consultation would probably invoh conference leaders as well as MCC representatives. Two actions taken by MCC (Canada) were seen by som members as another step toward a division of prograi responsibility providing for more active Canadian constiti ent involvement in particular overseas matters. One such action was the starting of a paper for communica tion between Kanadier in the Western Hemisphere. Die Mennonitische Post's primary language will be Ger) man, and the Steinbach Post will be regarded as a precedentif style and format. MCC (Canada) support will be graduallf phased out over five years. A staff person for Kanadier concerns will be hired for two tj three years. MCC (Canada) also supported the Ontario constituency ii developing services to Mennonites who have come to Ontarij from Mexico. Lydia Penner, MCC' (Canada) staff 112 FEBRUARY 15. 197 Consultation asks bread and justice for all iVonne Piatt ^legations from sixteen denomina- siiwns and seven ecumenical agencies "Sftended a National Council of | lurches Farm and Food Issues Consul- -.' ition January 21-23 in Omaha, Nebras- * k p( Representatives sent by the Menno- ■ te Church and General Conference it i ennonite Church joint farm issues I t sk force, a cosponsor of the consulta- i« on, were Harold Regier, Dale Linsen- >t >eyer, Ronald Preheim, Keith Waltner, iGraydon Wilson, and LaVonne Piatt. The consultation was organized so rtijat producers and consumers of food Is jiuld discuss their mutual interests, li iieir potential conflicts of interest, and " jj eir common concerns with hunger, li )th within the United States and E j ound the world. Hunger action leaders sponsoring denominations and ecu- enical agencies attended as listeners seek guidance for policy, strategy, lid program. Experts presented short source papers on five issue-clusters ihich were then discussed by the 122 irticipants divided into nine small joups. If Although the consultation was de- ilsgned to include a balance of commer- ||al farmers, subsistence farmers, 1 ijiddle-income consumers, and low- I come consumers, few participants j ere from the two less affluent groups, I i! fact noted by Shirley Greene, one of I free cochairpeople for the consulta- tion, as illustrative of the composition of I j e majority of churches. (Farmers discussing stewardship of jitural resources pointed out the influ- j jice of price fluctuations and other \ jonomic concerns, as well as the i plogical implications of various farm- I g practices, but they could not agree i whether land-use legislation would lprove the use of resources. They I ;reed, however, that the best land-use ilicy was to keep the family farms : able. Caucuses of low-income consumers, iiddle-income consumers, subsistence jrmers, and commercial farmers de- | led the issues of economic survival for embers of the groups they represent- I, I A related cluster of issues, "The food 'e eat: Problems of producers and i'nsumers," was delineated by Daniel IcCurry, director of the Food and jooperatives Project of Chicago City alleges, who trains farm and consumer Frances Lappe, author of Dietforasmall planet, spoke at the January Farm and Food Issues Consultation in Omaha, Nebraska. groups in community organizing skills. Mr. McCurry called for decision- making power to be exercised by people who are willing to exert influence on Congress and on food processors whose additives, junk foods, and overpackag- ing have caused deterioration of quality in the foods we buy. One of the groups who met to discuss the issue-cluster following Mr. McCur- ry's presentation was moved to action by his description of an agricultural land investment fund (Ag-Land Fund I) of $50 million which has been an- nounced by Continental Illinois Nation- al Bank of Chicago and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc., one of the nation's largest investment firms. The fund would be used to purchase top farm land in five midwestern states, resulting in a strongly negative impact on family farm operations. While the consultation was not set up to take action as a body, many participants signed a telegram to the IRS, requesting congressional hearings on the bank's request for tax exemption on the A-Land Fund I instead of the "letter-ruling" which IRS had announced. Frances Moore Lappe, codirector of the Institute for Food and Development Policy, author of Diet for a small planet and coauthor of the forthcoming book, Food first, spoke about international food policy. "There is no country in the world that does not have the potential to feed itself," Ms. Lappe asserted. "Our re- sponsibility is to help them remove obstacles." She said U.S. development in third world countries was geared largely to benefit corporations setting up export systems in those countries rather than helping the people find ways to grow crops for themselves. Development assistance should be people-to-people, she said, rather than government-to- government. The consultation spoke clearly about economic problems of farmers, but was less clear about solutions. Some farmers wanted to organize for bargaining power and encouraged government price supports and other legislation to deal with the problems of production and marketing. "We need to be assured of cost of production plus a small profit," was frequently voiced. Others were opposed to any government inter- vention and to organizing farm bargain- ing groups. In looking at international food prob- lems, most participants at the consulta- tion agreed that a carefully designed grain reserve could stabilize prices and would help developing countries during times of famine. Participants differed on what the shape of the design should be and whether the farmers, the nation, or an international body should control the reserve. Summarizing the issues of the consul- tation, Joy Dull, national staff represen- tative of the Church of the Brethren, drew resounding applause when she suggested that we try to persuade Congress to "declare war" on hunger. "That would give us the whole Pentagon budget to solve the problem," she said, illustrating an earlier point she had made that if the problem of hunger was a high enough priority we would solve it. Consumers and farmer representa- tives at the Omaha consultation were mostly from states west of the Missis- sippi. A similar consultation for the eastern states was to be held in Louis- ville, Kentucky, February 11-13. The farm food task force of the Mennonite Church and the General Conference Mennonite Church was to send dele- gates also to the Louisville meeting. HE MENNONITE 113 Record Workers Ernie Bachman, First Church, Newton, Kans., has begun a two-year term of Mennonite Voluntary Service in Denver, Colo. His assignment is in housing rehabilitation with Brothers Redevelopment, Inc. Ernie holds a BA from Bethel College, North Newton, Kans., and has previously worked as a carpenter. Dennis Boese, Cedar Hills Church, Surrey, B.C., is serving a one-year term of Mennonite Voluntary Service in a church-sponsored day-care center in Beatrice, Nebr. He holds a two-year degree from Swift Current (Sask.) Bible Institute and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Boese, Delta, B.C. Ivan Kauffmann, an associate secre- tary for the General Board of the Mennonite Church, Lombard, Illinois, has been named general secretary, effective Sept. 1. He replaces Paul Kraybill, who will increase his work load to full time as executive secretary of Mennonite World Conference. Ty KroehJer, Ageo Shi, Saitama-Ken, Japan, has been assigned to Arvada, Colo., for two years under Mennonite Voluntary Service. He is a member of the West Tokyo Union Church in Japan, where his parents are missionaries. He Conference budget * IP Bachman Boese Kroehler Manning 4\ E. Waltner has more recently lived in Powell, Wyo., and Seattle, Wash. Paul Manning, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, has joined the Mennonite Volun- tary Service program in Seattle, Wash., for two years. He will work in mainte- nance at Seattle Mental Health Insti- $3,000,000 M. Waltner Zachar Budget for 1976 includes: Commission on Education $220,800 Commission on Home Ministries $547,092 Commission on Overseas Mission $1,966,933 Mennonite Biblical Seminary $265,064 Total $2,999,889 December receipts of $673,084 brought the 1976 General Conference total to $2,929,467 which was 97.7 percent of budget. This compares with 1975 totals of $2,798,743 and 105.3 percent of budget. Although General Conference did not meet budget, less money was spent than was received. We are very grateful for the tremendous support of General Conference individuals and congregations. Ted Stuckey, conference treasurer 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 tute. He is a member of the Cathol Church and a graduate of St. Vincei College, Latrobe, Pa. Blake Ortman has begun a term || service with Mennonite Central Com mittee in West Berlin, the Federa Republic of Germany. He will serve a| an orderly at the Evangelisches Joharj nesstift, a Protestant institution fd sick, handicapped, invalid, and elderl people. Blake attended Friends Univei sity, Wichita, Kans., and holds a BS if mathematics from Southwestern Co] lege, Winfield, Kans. His parents an Leslie and Hope Ortman, of Freeman S.D. He is a member of Silverlak Mennonite Brethren Church, Marion S.D. Ruth Teichroeb, Stirling Ave. Churcr Kitchener, Ont., has been assigned b; Mennonite Voluntary Service to tw* years in Seattle, Wash., working a Seattle Mental Health Institute. She ha attended Wilfred Laurier University Waterloo, Ont., and previously servei under MVS in Elkhart, Ind., in 1974-75 working at Aux Chandelles. Marlene Tiessen, United Church Leamington, Ont., has begun a two-yea term of service with Mennonite Centra Committee at Timber Bay, Sask. Sh will work as an assistant to the dorn parents at Montreal Lake Children' 114 FEBRUARY 15, 197 ime. She graduated from the United jnnonite Educational Institute in amington. Her parents are Nick and Iina Tiessen of Leamington. Everett and Margie Peters WaJtner, jeman, S.D., are serving two years — der Mennonite Voluntary Service in j.lahoma City, Okla. Everett, a limber of the Salem Church, Freeman, (working in the home repair program, j has graduated from Freeman Junior 1 1 liege and Bethel College, North New- fli, Kans. Margie, a member of the ■thesda Church, Henderson, Nebr., ■ working in the Headstart preschool Bd as a part-time secretary. ■ 3len Zacharias, Rapid View, Sask., Ij's joined the Beatrice, Nebr., unit of J|innonite Voluntary Service for one Bar, working in a church-sponsored ■y-care center. He has attended Swift Irrent (Sask.) Bible Institute. lUnisters to Hamm, Peter Fehr, and Jake esen were inducted into the lay ministry at the Bergthaler Mennonite Church, Morden, Man., on Jan. 16. They will serve the congregation for a two- year term. Calendar Mar. 4 — World Day of Prayer Apr. 14-17— Central District Confer- ence annual sessions, Calvary Church, Washington, 111. Central Mar. 4-6 — Congregational teamwork workshop, Bluffton (Ohio) College, resource persons, Chet Raber, Howard Raid, Benjamin Sprunger Apr. 29-30— Central District Council of Committees, Camp Friedenswald, Western Feb. 27 — School for Peace, Lorraine Ave. Church, Wichita, Kans.; speaker, John Swomley of Kansas City; theme, "Militarism in education" Mar. 20 — Peace Institute, Eden Church, Moundridge, Kans. Apr. 2 — MCC relief sale and auction; Hutchinson, Kans. Deal lis AJida Schrag Cummings, Eden Church, Moundridge, Kans., died Jan. 20 at the age of sixty-six. She had been a General Conference Mennonite missionary in India in 1944-46 and after her marriage, she and her husband, Abe, served for more than thirty years in India with the International Christian Fellowship. Amy Talesnemptewa Schirmer of Tempe, Ariz., was born Nov. 4, 1908, and died Jan. 31. Herself a Hopi, she had been an Indian ministries worker for the General Conference Mennonite Church for more than forty years. She and her husband, Daniel, served in Arizona in 1935-49 and 1964-75 and among the Northern Cheyenne inMontana in 1950- 64. Agnes Wiebe, First Church, Reedley, Calif., was born Jan. 5, 1890, and died Jan. 26. She and her husband, Alfred, had served in Indian ministries under the General Conference Mennonite Church in Montana in 1910-15 and 1920- 22 and in Oklahoma in 1947-57. Celebrate World Mission Sunday March 13 ENCIRCLING THE GLOBE If the Mennonite Church continues to grow at its present rate, predictions have it that by 1980 there will be more black, brown, and yellow Mennonites than white. The message of Jesus Christ, proclaimed by Mennonites for450 years, is encircling the globe. Commission on Overseas Mission I E MENNONITE 115 Letters Caring for small churches Dear Lois: Being behind somewhat in my reading I have just finished reading your good article "It's all right to be small" (October 12, 1976, issue). Having been a pastor in two small churches for fifty years I can appreciate your posi- tion, especially in my last pastorate of forty years in the Apostolic Mennonite Church, Trenton, Ohio. My first pastor- ate of ten years in the First Mennonite Church, Halstead, Kansas, was not quite so characteristic. In my last years before retirement at Trenton, when the church was seeking a replacement, we especially felt that our conference and schools could do more to help small churches, by counseling and concern for the churches themselves. J. E. Amstutz, Lakeside Manor, Apart- ment 107, 2500 Lee Road, Winter Park, Fla. 32789 Jan. 9 Tax-issue from another angle Dear Editor: I write in response to the brother who wrote (January 11) that people try to be more conscientious towards the tax issue than Jesus was. He gives five seemingly logical reasons why we should pay our taxes and ask no questions. But sometimes things look different from another angle. I have often wondered just what it was that Jesus meant when he said (Jn. 14:12), "You will do greater things than these." Perhaps this is what he meant. He laid down the foundations, and we should build on these and develop them. At the time of Jesus, orthodox Jews hated the Romans and did not believe that they owed them anything, even though the Roman Government built roads for them, protected them, etc. But Jesus said, "You do owe the government something — give Caesar what belongs to him," and of course to God what belongs to him. It was moreover a very small tax that they paid if the shekel found in the fish's mouth was enough to pay taxes for both Jesus and Peter (Mt. 17:24-27). Another thing, in those days the government was absolute and the peo- ple had no ways of telling the govern- ment what to do. It is quite different for us today who live in a democracy where we elect our own government, or neglect it, but in both cases we are responsible for what our government does. We don't have to be told that we should pay taxes; we do that. But what those of us who work for the World Peace Tax Fund ask for is not to be relieved of our taxes, but that our taxes might be used for con- structive purposes and not for destruc- tive purposes. It seems to me that we are building on the foundation that Jesus has laid and developing it further, quite in harmony with the words of the Prince of Peace, "Put down your sword." I have always been very much in favor of the World Peace Tax Fund, but I had never thought it through from a biblical background until now. Thank you, brother, for making me think. Marie /. (Regier, Frantz) Janzen, Box 205, North Newton, Kans. 67117 Jan. 11 Family agony and liberation Dear Editor: Whenever I come across the word agony, I' involuntarily think of Jesus. What he experienced in the garden and at Calvary on my behalf is described in the Bible as agony. Conse- quently I find it shocking when a conference attended by Christians to discuss family life can be described as having "agonized" (November 30, 1976). My guess is that the majority of participants were middle-class people with comfortable salaries, fairly good health, and very few real problems. If we were ruled by a dictatorship government which forced both parents to join the labor force, which forced parents to place their children in state- controlled day-care centers, which forced parents to keep their children away from Christian education and all forms of worship, then we would be justified in "agonizing" about the family at a conference. Then seeking "libera- tion" could be justified. I stay away from magazines which advocate women's lib or abortion rights, etc. I do not want to be "infected" by secular viewpoints or trends contrary to Bible teachings. Can't a church periodical provide the influence we so desperately need — the Holy Spirit influence — and not the spirit of the age influence? I am truly thankful that at least one person doubted the validity of what he heard and sensed at that conference, namely Erwin Cornelsen. His letter to the editor "Ceasefire for liberators" (January 4) clearly indicates this. As for those gentlemen out there v\ still believe in opening a door for a la I love you! Any woman who can accept this gesture graciously is insult to my sex, and my husband ad should be given a "kick in the pan Mary Friesen, Box 9, Gretna, Man. E 0V0 Jan The Heart of Man booklet Dear Editor: Quite a number of read are asking where they can get copie the booklet I described in the article little witness with a big. impact" § cember 7, 1976). To secure an English language copj the Heart of man book in its origi unabridged form, write to All Nati Gospel Publishers, Pretoria, So Africa. The condensed form of booklet which has been so widely u as an evangelistic tool may be ordei from Bible Literature International, B 477, Columbus, Ohio 43216. WJ ordering specify "English version of Heart of Pak." Levi Keidei, 1104 W Wildwood. Fort Wayne, Ind. 46807 Jan About Letters: To encourage readers express themselves on a variety I issues, we try to use ail letters submitt 1 for publication. Brevity is encourage Longer letters will be shortened. Edit Help wante Male to assist in promotion and coordination Volunteers in Corrections in Oklahoma C Oklahoma. Secretarial skills helpful. Paralegal worker needed in community service Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Two-year terms preferred for both positions Room, board, travel, medical coverage plus " a month allowance provided. Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 116 FEBRUARY 15, 19 EMENNONITE 117 Discussion Basic principles for planting new churches Leonard Wiebe In Matthew 16:18, Christ said, "I will build my church." Jesus Christ initiated the church and is now choosing to work through us in building it. A question that has been frequently asked is, "What kind of churches is Christ asking us to build?" We discussed this question in a church planting reference council meet- ing and formulated some basic princi- ples which we felt were important in beginning new churches. I would be happy to hear from anyone who desires to respond to these principles. First, as a church-planting agency or extending congregation, we begin from the conviction that the answer to life is found in Jesus Christ. We will communi- cate in our life and work that "there is salvation in no one else" (Acts 4:12) and that there is "no other foundation" upon which achurchcanbebuilt (lCor. 3:11). We shall establish churches where Christ is both preached and followed, where he is both talked about and talked with. They will begin where two or three are gathered in his name and his spirit is in the middle of it all (Mt. 18:20). Second, we want to operate from the premise that the General Conference Mennonite Church can experience both qualitative and quantitative growth. We do not believe that quantitative growth automatically implies that we will need to compromise our faith. Many people are looking for the principles of faith which are a part of our Mennonite heritage. We believe that people are drawn to a group which has a clearly defined identity and message. And we believe that the members of that group grow in quality as they radiate that identity and communicate that message. Third, we will work towards planting churches that can be identified by their Christ-centered theology and by their invitation to a life of peacemaking and service. The Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition has hied to follow seriously the teachings of Christ, even though at times it meant martyrdom. We will unapologet ically hold to Anabaptist- Mennonite teachings such as believers' baptism and biblical nonresistance. New Christians shall be expected to live a life of peace, seeking to end all wars, both public and private. Fourth, we will help train leaders and pastors for the task of church planting. Our colleges will be encouraged to produce graduates who can build groups and maintain them. We believe the seminary may want to develop a program for helping pastors who feel called to plant new churches. "In- service training" experiences are also needed for those who are already in the work of church planting. We want to also offer training to our lay people so that they can more effectively share their faith and invite others to follow Christ. Fifth, we feel the need to focus our energies in those areas where we see that God is giving us a response to the gospel. This does not mean that we cancel our programs where outreach is difficult. We will witness through a ministry of presence, a message of proclamation, and a specific invitation to respond according to the readiness of the people to whom God has called us. We do feel, however, that God would call us to concentrate our energies in those areas where "the door is openf Sixth, we want to remain flexiblel our church-planting methods. Differ! groups and localities will wish to follJ different patterns in church plantij Some may wish to begin with a n| building, while others may wish to mj in home groups, using rented facilits for larger worship experiences. Leadj ship styles will also vary. Many kinds churches and leaders are needed fori work of church planting, but all mustj committed to Jesus Christ and the wc of his kingdom. Finally, we realize that with all of oil work and planning, it is the Holy Spijf that gives power and direction planting new churches. The eaij church began in an atmosphere prayer which resulted in the outpouriT of God's Spirit. Acts 1:8 still serves an effective formula for church plantiij, today: "But you shall receive powl1 when the Holy Spirit has come up<[ you; and you shall be my witnesses Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samarj and to the end of the earth." Mere is my God? Kiki Klassen Where is my God? Is he in the hidden meanings of the Bible? Is he in the church — if so, which one? Where do I search for my Father? Is he in heaven judging me? Is he in Jerusalem the holy city? Where is my God? Perhaps he is in those places But that is not where I find him. I feel him in the glory of nature. I see him in the faces of lovers. I hear him in a child's laughter. I smell him in the scent of spring. I taste him in the first strawberry of the season. Where do I find God? I sense him in the miracle of life. 118 FEBRUARY 15, 197' Contents Looking back upon my MCC Teachers Abroad Program experience in Africa 106 The United Church of Canada 108 News 110 Record 114 Letters 116 Basic principles of church planting 118 Where is my God? 118 Call to World Day of Prayer 119 The Christian faith in black and white 120 CONTRIBUTORS Philip Bender, Box 120, Altona, Man. R0G 0B0, is an instructor at the Elim Bible Institute. A. C. Forrest, 85 St. Clair Ave. East, Toronto, Ont. M4T 1M8, is the editor of the United Church Observer. LaVonne Piatt, Route 2, Box 209, Newton, Kans. 67114, attended the Farm and Food Issues Consultation on behalf of the Mennonite farm issues task force. Leonard Wiebe, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114, is the pastor of Faith Mennonite Church and part-time secre- tary for CHM in church planting. Kiki Klassen lives at 59451 CR 9S, Elkhart, Ind. 46514. Evelyn Minshull, Route 4, Airport Road, Mercer, Pa., is a free-lance poet. CREDITS Cover, RNS; 107, Don Lloyd, MCC; 108- 109, UC Observer; 111, Meetinghouse; 113, Terry Evans, 740 Highland, Salina, Kans. 67401. The Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boule- vard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Tele- phone: (204)888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main St., Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager. Dietrich Rempel. Circulation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L. Ramseyer, 488 West Elm St., Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588South WestMapleSt., Dallas, Ore. 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kans. 67117; Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. The Christian faith in black and white "I believe we poor folks, we black folks, the disinherited, the Pentecostals, the charismat- ics, the radical Christians — we are today's Anabaptists." Hubert Brown in his book Black and Mennonite goes on to say that most present-day Mennonites do not fit these categories and have drifted away from what it means to be part of a dynamic, oppressed, prophetic minority movement that listens to God instead of to society. "Mennonites have become acculturated, melted-down, average John Q. Middle-class Americans with all of society's vices, materialism, and arrogant snobbery!" Mr. Brown has been a black Mennonite for the past twenty years. He was converted at age fifteen during a George Brunk revival meeting. In his early years as a Mennonite, he denied his blackness and tried to live up to white expectations. However, he came to experience a sense of not being affirmed and of not having his own past history respected. He sensed among Mennonites the same white arrogance that has been obvious in western civilization for centuries. The black experience in America has been vastly different from that of the early Menno- nites, and yet there is a commonness. Anabap- tists immigrated to the new world to escape tyranny and seek religious freedom. Africans were dragged to America as less than human beings. Their experience has been radically different but black theology finds a kinship with Anabaptist theology. Black theology sees God as being identified with the liberation of the oppressed and reconciling blacks to a wholeness of self without rejecting their heritage. Like the Anabaptist movement, blacks yearn for justice, are concerned about moral pollution, and strive for change through prayer, nonresistance, caring love, and the occasional outburst of violence. History shows that the creative, church- forming religious movements are often the work of the lower strata in society. There is a fantastic spiritual potential waiting to be expressed, if only the white people allowed blacks to express themselves. Mr. Brown feels that the model of the Anabaptists believers' church, a caring and sharing community, and commitment to disci- pleship is one that could allow for many blacks to identify themselves as followers. But it cannot happen among most of today's Menno- nites because we have departed from that model ourselves. There is need for a new coalition of God's people — "the young, the poor, the black and nonwhite people, the oppressed, and those who identify and have solidarity with the oppressed." Seekers among all people can find some stimulus from black theology and the Anabaptist heritage. An authentic new fellowship for God is possible, but only as we learn to recognize our distinct and conspicuous differences and relate to each other as equals. It will come when both black and white communicate and appreciate their differences as a source for mutual learning and enrichment. If you haven't yet read Mr. Brown's book, you ought to. The feeling that kept me glued to its pages until I completed the book was a feeling of hope. I sense that Hubert Brown has put his finger on some key issues for Menno- nites. These have far-ranging consequences. If we as Mennonites could creatively come to terms with black theology, it might free us from the basic isolationism that has plagued our history. Like the Anabaptist alternative in the sixteenth century, we could become a twentieth-century movement that would draw people to Jesus Christ from among all those who are oppressed and alienated. Even deeper, not only is Mr. Brown's challenge for us to begin understanding and appreciating "blackness," the challenge is for us to begin giving back their own unique dignity also to the red and the yellow, the young and the old, the rich and the poor, the timid and the bold. All of our missions and service efforts will be to little avail so long as we proceed from a perspective of paternalism and charity. In fact, we have no right to expect strong mission churches unless we can identi- fy much more than we have to date with those whom we wish to serve. BW The tenth Mennonite World Conference is scheduled for Wichita in August 1978. When it happens, and even before it happens, it will be good for us to think about the nature of our international Mennonite peoplehood. My thesis is that our biggest obstacle to true internationalism is a false internationalism. This false interna- tionalism is the result of: (1) our inade- quate dealing with nationalism and (2) our inadequate approach to interna- tionalism. We tend to deny national dimensions of the church, though unsuccessfully. So our internationalism tends to come through as nationalism with a thin internationalist veneer. Another way of saying it is that our nationalism constantly spills over into international arenas. We North Ameri- cans call that "internationalism." From the other side of the fence it feels like imperialism. In our approach to the third world, we tend not to take those steps of helping stance, relationships, and structures which the third world could recognize as a true internationalism and genuine peoplehood. Because of this, at least two things need to be done to achieve true interna- tional peoplehood. First, the national dimensions of peoplehood must be identified, moved out of the international arena, and placed where they belong. Second, the requirements of internationalism must be spelled out and acted upon. This article deals mostly with the former. What is needed now as the first step toward true internationalism is to place our nationally based institutions where they belong. To achieve this, nationality must be an ingredient in peoplehood, though for different reasons in different national settings. At the risk of oversim- plifying, I differentiate, on the one hand, between nationality in the "bigger" and "older" nations, such as the United States, and, on the other hand, nation ity in the "smaller" and "young nations, such as Canada, Indonesia, Zaire. For U.S. Mennonites it is importan identify as U.S. citizens for the folio ing reasons: Such identification rep sents acknowledgment of a unique a rich heritage, of a beautiful and w developed country. It does not have be idolatrous. Resistance of national incantations does not of necess require a national damnation. 'I USA is a wonderful country. It beautiful. It is well-developed physic ly, culturally, scientifically, educati ally, philosophically, and institution ly. One can and should acknowle that fact. Such identification is an hon recognition of cultural realities. T subject of discussion in one confere was "Nationalism and the churc Several persons insisted that they h come to Canada not as Americans, Can Mennonite peoplehood truly international? Frank H. Epp Gateway to the lntemation Peace Garden on the borders Manitoba and North Dakota. Tl Peace Garden straddles tl longest unmarked and unguarde frontier in the worl 122 FEBRUARY 22, 197 i Christian brothers and sisters. tOne can, of course, understand and i knowledge the positive motivation of ich statements. Yet, in fact, they are lit accurate. It is not true that people mp outside of their cultural and ciological skins by a mere semantic ap. One doesn't leave one's national entity and character behind just by ying so or by crossing an internation- border. Such identification may be a confes- on of sin. Nationalist sentiments iually represent pride. They can also ean true humility. It is a human ndency to appropriate national identi- in proud moments, to avoid it in days weakness and sin. Canadians had similar problems iout the Olympics. People from the nited States have had a problem ever nee they woke up to the bad imagery of letnam and Watergate. Occasionally iristians need to admit to their citizen- lip as a confession, as admission of guilt or weakness, and as the acceptance of a collective responsibility. Such identification helps to contain Americanism. Quite a few of my U.S. friends agree with this point of view. They know that their institutions spill over the boundaries with a dominating effect on other cultures and peoples. Thus, at every occasion one notices appeals to internationalism and North Americanism, as committees and pro- grams are reshaped in the image of "North Americanism." True North Americanism and true internationalism, however, are rarely that from the U.S. side. In North Americanism, Canadians are almost always an appendage. It is therefore necessary for U.S. citizens to contain themselves by a proper identification of who they are and a rightful definition of what their presence outside their borders means. Such identification represents a rec- ognition of the national mission of the church. From the outside it sometimes appears that the Christian churches in the USA, including those of the Menno- nite denomination, have not always taken their national mission (that is, the Christian mission to the nation) serious- ly- Organizations (the U.S. components of them) like Mennonite Central Com- mittee and the General Conference Mennonite Church should long ago have been adjusted structurally to allow for vigorous pursuit of the national mis- sion. As things stand, they try to serve national, continental, and international interests, but they are not properly structured for any one of these. A clear separation is now called for, on the one hand, to allow for national mission and, on the other hand, to allow for truly continental and international structures to emerge. The younger and smaller, less power- ful nations are much more numerous. Canada cannot always be counted among these younger nations. Abroad, the Canadian burden is often similar to the U.S. burden. Yet, when it comes to nationality as a factor in Christian brotherhood, the analysis of the Canadi- an situation varies from the U.S. situa- tion. The examples at least are different. Let me list the reasons why Mennonites or Christians in younger nations may, even must, identify with their nations: They, too, have a loyalty to uphold and a heritage to exalt. Governments every- where have the same calling, namely to work for the welfare of the people, to help people do together what they cannot do alone. In that basic calling, all Christians are supportive and coopera- tive. They are, in the words of the Scriptures, obedient and praying citi- zens. In special situations it is necessary to establish national identity and loyalty. The churches in the former colonies have had a special problem. They had their beginnings in foreign missions. Through the years they established strong foreign connections. When inde- pendence came, the churches needed to shake their colonial bonds and mentali- ty, to become indigenous, and to seek the welfare of their country. Many "national" issues are in a sense Christian issues. Let us look at Canada, an example not necessarily applicable in every way to all the young nations. I can list at least seven issues that are of concern to both the nation and the church: (1) the issue of multicultural- ism, which allows also the church and minority groups like Mennonites to survive and thrive; (2) natural resour- ces; (3) unemployment; (4) the French- English issue; (5) the cultural invasion; (6) the flow of funds; (7) militarism. Admittedly, when the common de- nominator of church and society is so large, a special danger exists, namely the marriage of church and society. But danger may not keep the church from walking a necessary path. It must be more vigilant. So, it is right that the new constitution of the Mennonite World Conference recognizes delegations built up from national church bodies. That is the base for pursuing the national mission and for true transcendence of nationalism to something even greater. Let us now consider transcendence and true internationalism. In one of our confessions we say, "I believe in the holy catholic church." Catholic here means "universal." The doctrine of the universality of church requires no defense or even elaborate explanation. We do not easily place racial, denomina- tional, or national boundaries on the church. A number of things are essential to a true international peoplehood. Here I concentrate on the structures. Have we ever considered the extent to which North American, more particu- larly U.S., structures and institutions dominate world Mennonitism? So much do we use basically U.S. national institutions to serve continental and international functions that we don't realize the extent to which the rest of the world is simply treated as an extension of the USA. The first priority should be to reduce the number of Mennonite agencies operating abroad. Since the greatest proliferation is in missions, that is where the reduction should begin. The formation of COMBS, a Council of Mission Board Secretaries, was a good idea, but it has suffered the same fate as the U.N. Mission boards, like nations, were unwilling to give up their sover- eignties, with the result that mission "empires" continued to exist and expand in spite of COMBS. The large number of agencies can no longer be justified from the viewpoints of stewardship, peoplehood, and servi- tude. The inter-Mennonite approach, now accomplished in Zaire, is indicative of the possibilities. The second need is to bring together that which we now call missions and that which we now call MCC. One of our African brothers has said quite bluntly: "Why do we have to write to Akron when we need a blanket and to Elkhart when we need a Bible?" This is an oversimplification, of course. The mis- sion boards have been engaged in MCC- type service (medicine, agriculture) from the beginning, and MCC people have not hesitated to distribute Bibles when this was called for. But the point is clear. The evolution of our agencies makes sense to us. But what makes sense over here doesn't always make sense over there. The third step, and this is actually most crucial, is truly to internationalize that helping agency (or, "helping agen- cies" if steps one and two are not fully realized). This means sharing the con- trol of our international instituti with our people in other countries continents. Several moves already may poin that direction. First, we have said that money which North America has JotsJ is not only resource of the church. Personffl counts, too. So do special insigj:, experience, and zeal. We have discos ered, for instance, that the third wo : can teach us about church growth aT what it means to be Anabaptist toda This means that the resources I mission are international. Since tha are many gifts, variously distributed,! people can say that they are richer thi others, consequently having greai right to control. Our concept of peopj hood in terms of gifts to be shared sai something about the structures whi| we create to help share those gifts. Second, the Mennonite World Confi ence constitution has now been chang to allow for equalized representation conferences from all over the world. T real test of the constitution, howevi will be when the mission boards ai MCC are invited to surrender some their sovereignty and agenda to th representative group. All of this may sound new ai strange, perhaps even radical, but tl concept is as old as Mennonite relief 1920 a delegation arrived from Russ seeking relief from famine. They foui committees in various parts of Nor America anxious to help. There was oi in Ontario, one in Pennsylvania, anot er on the West Coast, and several between. "If you really want to help us, yc[ must form a central committee, becau we can't work with so many differei groups. Besides, it isn't good stewar ship." And that's how Mennonite Cei tral Committee came into being. Toda we are grateful that only one centri committee is operating abroad. Now the needy world is saying to again: If you really want to help and you really want peoplehood, fori another central committee, reduce t' agencies, merge the interests, let us part of the decision making. The question is, What will be 0 response? Will we be able to pull in ou nationalism to where it belongs? Wi we be able to expand our concepts an reform our structures in the direction true international peoplehood? Ik I; THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. It published weekly except biweekly during July and August and Ihe last two weeks in December at Newton, Kans 671 1 4, by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonite Church Seconi class postage paid at Newton, Kans 671 1 4, and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions in U.S. and Canada, $8 00, one year, $1 5 50, two years, $23.00, three years, foreign, $8 50 per yea Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P0M4 Business office 722 Main St , Box 34 7. Newton. Kans 671 14 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 34 7. Newton. Kans 671 1 124 FEBRUARY 22, 197 Dorothy Friesen |)on after the Quebec election results pre made public, I was talking with an Jdian woman at a small gathering here I Singapore. My fair skin and light hair jarked me obviously as non-Asian. (When she found out I was Canadian, he said, "Oh, you've got problems lere, don't you?" I "Well, it seems that way," I replied. "The French must have their own [nguage and culture, you know. That's iry important," she continued and ctured me in that vein for several inutes. I have been mistaken for an American any times and suffered through accu- tions, criticisms, and remarks about merican imperialism, racial discrimi- ltion, Watergate, and the CIA. In sponse, I paraphrased the pharisaic 'ayer, "Thank God I am Canadian, not merican." This was the first time I had been \ through CHM), not any dissatisfaction -n with the work of the Peace Section. h — endorsing the New Call to Peace \ making, a cooperative campaign wit| j| the Mennonites, Brethren, and Friends — reducing the amount for povert; \w projects from $30,000 to $24,000 thi > year, but promising to bring the amoun -: back up next year. — dividing the work of the peace am !: social concerns office into two half-tim positions: one to continue to work witl j[ task forces on issues and one to travel ii | congregations encouraging the peaci witness. — reaffirming that voluntary servici units should be related to local congre gations, but allowing for some excep tions. — accepting a project for churc growth training, but asking that the "approach not be only through Fulleii (Theological Seminary) and that atten- tion be paid to the nonnegot iables of ouii Anabaptist faith." Lois Barrett eaae to the captived and zovering of tight to the blind* cet at liberty thode who Nadenia Myron (third from left) of Bacavi, Arizona, secretary of the Mennonite Indian Leaders Council, tells the Commission on Home Ministries about plans for expansion of Hopi Mission School. From left are Joe Walks Along, Marilyn Decker, Ms. Myron, and /no/a Waters. 128 FEBRUARY 22, 1977 .ong-term personnel needed, COM says Ne are beginning to feel a shortage of areer missionaries," executive secre- iry Howard Habegger told General onference Commission on Overseas lission members at the annual Council F Commissions. "Many workers today are short-term, ad they perform a most valuable ?rvice," he added, "but we must en- )urage more long-term workers who in provide stability and guidance to :jr work." Missionary Margaret Dueck from [exico supported this concern stating tat she has spent much time training 3W workers. The mandate from the 1974 St. Catha- nes conference, to send out thirty new issionaries and open several new elds, was mentioned several times. Since 1974, COM has sent out eighty- yo new missionaries. However, 'nety-seven others have terminated, a /omen strengthen iternational ties lomen around the world were on the j;enda of Women in Mission at its rinual meeting February 5 in Newton, 'ansas. [General Conference women agreed to !ionsor the women's choir from the Lin- jien Road Mennonite Church in Tai- uung, Taiwan, on a tour of North Imerican churches around the time of e Mennonite World Conference in 'immer 1978. Women in Mission will also help j'onsor an international hospitality »om for women at the Mennonite World inference sessions in Wichita, Kansas. Two representatives from Women in ission will go to the first All-India ennonite Women's Conference No- mber 8-13. The conference is spon- red by General Conference Menno- jte, Mennonite, Mennonite Brethren, id Brethren in Christ groups in India. JWomen in Mission will also work lith the General Conference's Commis- )n on Education in sending a woman | a nutrition workshop in Jamaica this |ly. This person will then conduct j trition workshops in women's groups North America next fall and winter, fusing on third world food needs, jln other action, Women in Mission's I visory council voted to send material I its local groups on the use of j evision — and how to respond to 1 jectionable programs. Lois Barrett net loss of fifteen. While the mandate did not expressly say so, Mr. Habegger said he had hoped for a "net gain of thirty in the triennium." In 1976, thirty-two new people went to Taiwan (eight), Mexico (eight), Zaire (seven), India, Japan, and Colombia. Twenty are from Canada. As of January 1, COM had 147 missionaries in service. Personnel secretary John Sommer said, "We are getting experienced and mature people as new members of our COM team." The majority of personnel going out since 1974 were between thirty and thirty-nine years old. Mr. Sommer reported increasing interest in missions by Mennonite young people but stressed the need for congregations to encourage people from their midst. The issue of missionary kidnapping and ransom probably generated the most excitement. The abduction of Patricia Erb in South America last summer has brought this subject close to COM. In addition, the Africa Inter- Mennonite Mission board had recently adopted a policy not to negotiate ran- soms. With a third of COM personnel working under AIMM, the issue was delicate from the outset. Several missionaries said they were uneasy with what sounded like a "hard, violent" policy, not in keeping with Anabaptist theology. COM adopted a policy to negotiate according to the situation if a kidnapping occurs. It was not clear what this means for COM workers with AIMM. COM looked seriously at the role of missionary women on furlough. Mis- sionary wives and single women are experiencing stress because of the drastic cultural changes on furlough and the feelings of dependence upon charitable relatives or friends. As a step in solving this problem, COM will permit missionaries to work up to one- half time during furlough and to keep the earnings as extra income. New cooperative ventures were en- dorsed for AIMM, Mexico, and Hong Kong. James Bertsche reported the addition of the Mennonite Brethren as partners in AIMM. Jerry Hildebrand, executive secretary for missions of the Evangelical Mennonite Mission Confer- ence, attended the COM sessions be- cause of EMMC interest to cooperate in Mexico and possibly in Bolivia. COM will also pursue a new work in Hong Kong with the Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, Salunga, Pennsylvania. Training efforts, both by national churches and in North America, are being given a high priority. COM agreed to work closely with the new theological school in Paraguay, to contribute to- ward the China Graduate School of Theology in Hong Kong, and to place staff on the faculty of Presbyterian seminaries in Taiwan. During 1976-77, five national church leaders are study- ing at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries in Elkhart. Two new forms of Anabaptist wit- ness in Japan will be support for the Anabaptist Center at Tokyo, estab- lished by the Japanese Mennonites, and the appointment of Stan Butler to the World Friendship Center in Hiroshima. James Juhnke of Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, was appointed to write the COM seventy-five-year mis- sion history. Tribute was paid to Harold and Ruth Ratzlaff, Tina Quiring, and Sam and Leona Entz upon their retirement. To- gether, they represented 148 years of missionary service. Bernie Wiebe Commission on Overseas Mission members ond staff listen to reports during the annual Council of Commis- sions. IE MENNONITE 137 Canadian boards increase budget 17 percent Jake Harms, Conference of Mennonites in Canada chairman, opened the annual council of boards January 27-29 at Winnipeg with a reminder from Jesus: "You will do greater things than these." In a time when we see limitations to our natural, financial, and personnel re- sources, Mr. Harms told the board members, "This may not suggest new buildings and brand new programs, but rather a greater emphasis on the heal- ing, liberating, teaching, and redemp- tive ministries that we are already committed to." The elected representatives from the Canadian churches accepted the chal- lenge. Canadian Mennonite Bible Col- lege board members heard the first detailed report of a self-study initiated in 1975. Based on responses from 173 alumni, 51 parents, and 20 current students, Frank K. Isaac, one of the evaluation committee members, said: "The constituency has shown a real appreciation for CMBC. By far the majority responded very positively. There are some criticisms that we did hear and need to learn from." The study is to be continued and the findings will be communicated to the constituency. Henry Poettcker, CMBC president, said the process is the first such detailed report about CMBC to the members of the conference and other friends of the school. In other action, the CMBC board approved a single music degree program and a more aggressive program of constituency relations and student re- cruitment. The Congregational Resources Board endorsed new evangelism with Oriental groups in Canada. The board will support a pastor for Chinese people to work out of the Mountainview Church in Vancouver. The worker will be supported by the conference but will be directly accountable to a provincial committee and the church in British Columbia. This action was regarded as encouragement for similar efforts. CRB also accepted plans for a training conference on evangelism. The Every Home Plan is now putting a Mennonite periodical into two-thirds of CMC homes. The Resource Centre has a new coordinator, Sharon Sawatzky. Fourteen churches are currently with- out leading ministers. Eighteen minis- ters and other students received some form of financial aid in 1976. Native Ministries board chairman Ernie Sawatzky said, "Our greatest Congregational Resources Board members and staff at the annual Council of Boards included (from left] Fred Enns, Edmonton, Alberta; Henry J. Gerbrandt, Winnipeg; Sharon Sawatzky, Winnipeg; Ed Enns, Winnipeg; and Rudy Goertzen, Surrey, British Columbia. need is workers. We have the funds, b we could immediately engage three ful time workers in the north, and we al need help with the native recepti homes in the city." Kay Martens, member of the board, said she is excit about a new street ministry to begin Winnnipeg. Native Ministries agreed I purchase the necessary equipment produce TV-quality sound-videotap to communicate its ministry to church and the public media. The Canadian Women in Missi advocated an awareness of the lonel single parents, and families in stres Women's services will be more peop oriented in the future, with less emph sis on the sewing and cooking. The CMBC pipe organ was dedicat during the sessions. This instrument f the music program was recently stalled as a gift. Conference general secretary Henry Gerbrandt, in his annual report, cha lenged the boards to more aggressi stewardship planning, a further attem to clarify U.S. -Canada conference rel tionships, more spiritual warmth in t churches, and another look at th meaning of congregational autonomy Finances reflected $20,000 inco over expenditures in 1976, a 2Vk perce increase over 1975. The 1977 budget wi be 17 percent over 1976 income, an 1978 projected budget will be 7 percer above 1977. The three-year-old history-archive project, headed by Lawrence Klipper stein, has generated enough enthusiasi that private sources were reporte interested in donating a special buildin for its future development. The 1977 conference sessions wi convene at Toronto, Ontario, July 23-2 under the theme "God's peopl dispersed — A light to the nations Bernie Wiebe Words & deeds Two hundred people registered for church music seminar January 21-23 i Winnipeg. The seminar, sponsored b Canadian Mennonite Bible College an Mennonite Brethren Bible College, fc cused on choral conducting but als included workshops in organ, voce solos, children's choirs, choral tech niques, and piano. Guest conductorwa Charles Hirt of the University of South ern California. 138 FEBRUARY 22, 197 Record Workers rjlobert and Betty Dent, Mountainview Ijphurch, Vancouver, B.C., have arrived fjn Chisamba, Zambia, to begin a three- ■'ear term of service with Mennonite fl]entral Committee. Robert will work as •I' secondary school teacher and in lletting up a school library. He holds a \ ! (Ed degree from the University of jiritish Columbia in Vancouver. His ■iarents are Robert and Corrine Dent of I j'dchmond, B.C. Betty is the daughter of f 'Vnnie Klassen of Vancouver, B.C. Mennonite Central Committee offic- ii rs elected for 1977 are Newton Ging- I ich, Mennonite Church, chairman; I plmer Neufeld, General Conference I jj/lennonite Church, vice-chairman; Roy ■iider, Brethren in Christ Church, assis- I ant secretary; and Norman Shenk, [Lancaster Conference, treasurer. IJ/lembers-at-large elected were Anne I'Varkentin Dyck, General Conference B. Dent R. Dent Mennonite Church, Saskatoon, Sask., and Jose Ortiz, Mennonite Church, Lombard, 111. Ms. Dyck and Mr. Ortiz were also elected to the executive committee along with Marie Wiens, Mennonite Brethren Church, Hillsboro, Kans.; Siegfried Bartel, MCC (Canada), Agassiz, B.C.; and AtJee Beechy, Men- nonite Church, Goshen, Ind. Ellen Kroeker, First Mennonite Brethren Church, Wichita, Kans., is serving a term of at least eighteen Kroeker Taylor months under Mennonite Voluntary Service in Seattle, Wash. Her assign- ment is in mental health. She holds a bachelor's degree from Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kans., and a master's degree from the University of Nebraska. John Taylor, jr., Decatur, Ala., is serving a two-year Mennonite Volun- tary Service assignment in Hutchinson, Kans., in the library program of Kansas State Industrial Reformatory. He is a 1976 graduate of Oberlin (Ohio) College. These are only some of the radio stations running the new CHOICE VI series of sixty-second spots: Produced by Mennonite Radio and Television CHOICE H IDEAS ON MORAL/ ETHICALDECISION MAKING "NEW, SHORTER LENGTH "60 ONE-MINUTE PROGRAMS CKGO— Hope, British Columbia CFAC— Calgary, Alberta CHYM— Kitchener, Ontario CJNB— North Battleford, Saskatchewan CFDR— Dartmouth, Nova Scotia VOWR-St. John's, Newfoundland CHAT— Medicine Hat, Alberta CHTM— Thompson, Manitoba How about your congregation? Have you thought of placing CHOICE as a part of your ministry in your community? For further information write: Waldo Neufeld Mennonite Radio and Television Box 2, Station F Winnipeg, Manitoba R2L 2A5 Lois Hertzler Mennonite Media Services Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801 HE MENNONITE 139 Calendar Apr. 1(3-18 — Workshop on nuclear weapons research and the university, Baltimore, Md.; for information and applications contact: Fellowship of Reconciliation, Box 271, Nyack, N.Y. July 28-Aug. 3 — General Conference triennial sessions, Bluffton, Ohio Central Mar. 4-6 — Careers and vocations retreat, Camp Friedenswald, Cassopo- lis, Mich. Deaths Jacob /. Nickel, Rosthern, Sask., died Jan. 13 at the age of ninety-one. He served pastorates at Aberdeen, Sask.; the Zoar Church, Langham, Sask.; and the Rosenort Gemeinde, Rosenort, Sask. He served as Bible teacher at the Rosthern Bible School and at Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg. He was known for his ministry in Bible exposition, traveling throughout Cana- da for this purpose. Graduate program in religious studies The universities of Winnipeg and Manitoba are now offering a graduate program in religious studies leading to the MA degree. Areas of concentration: Biblical religion, world religions, and religion and culture. Admission requirements: BA (honors); Pre-MA or equivalent. Designed for: Teachers of religion (in schools or congregations); people desiring to deepen their knowledge of religion or preparing for theological studies. Scholarship aid, teaching assistantships available to qualified candidates. Course offered jointly by the two universities in cooperation with their approved teaching centers (Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Mennonite Brethren Bible College). Address inquiries to: Chairperson, Joint Graduate Program Department of Religion University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2 ENCIRCLING THE GLOBE If the Mennonite Church continues to grow at its present rate, predictions have it that by 1980there will be more black, brown, and yellow Mennonites than white. The message of Jesus Christ, proclaimed by Mennonites for 450 years, is encircling the globe. Celebrate World Mission Sunday March 13 Commission on Overseas Mission 140 FEBRUARY 22, 197 discussion also have a conscience ari Lehman is good that the General Board and inference officers took time to discuss e tax question troubling some of our •ople. The conscience of all of us is volved. We who covet freedom of mscience must covet it for others, too. lis becomes difficult and may seem lpossible when I am asked to violate ine for the sake of someone else. We need to be willing to understand ich other and to avoid emotionally larged language and hasty assump- ms. When headlines in The Mennonite k: "Should the conference withhold xes for war?" (November 2, 1976) lose who know there really are no war xes think this is like the proverbial Ihen-are-you-going- to-quit-beating - iur-wife question. The conference, of course, does not ithhold taxes for war. To claim it does no more warranted than to claim rmers grow wheat for war or that we 'oduce sons and daughters for war. irthermore taxes are notfundamental- | as important to military needs as the ods and services all of us add to the loss national product. It would be at , ast as logical and more basic to lculate the portion of the gross nation- product used for military purposes i id reduce our working hours accord- gly, as it is not to pay a portion of our xes. It would also be legal. It might i so attract national attention. This is partly so because the United ates has no war tax. To be sure, when mgress initiated the excise tax on lephone service in 1941 and reenacted in 1966, it was called a "defense tax." jwever, the tax has always gone into e general treasury and become a part 'I the general revenue just like the "ome tax, which is not a war tax. In recent years concerned citizens ve broken down the president's dget and shown that about 60 percent for military purposes. This tells us lere the really big tax dollars go. iwever, lumping it together for wars esent, past, and future may not be too lpful. Most of us believe our govern- ;nt should pay its debts and take care injured veterans drafted against their 11. To decide not to pay 60 percent of our taxes because 60 percent of the budget is for military purposes is not a proper use of the data. It assumes a cause-and- effect relationship that does not exist. Common sense tells us that, if we stopped to think. A farmer who feeds hogs would not think of putting less slop in the trough when the big hogs get more than their share. That would only starve the runts. Yet this is what the tax re- sister is doing by not paying taxes and what the conference is being asked to help do. To think that such action bears a relationship to money for military purposes is pure fantasy. It may well effect low-priority poverty programs instead. Calling church agencies "tax collec- tors" is not warranted. The telephone company does collect taxes. Church agencies do not; they merely pay wages, part of which goes to the government and part to the employee. They do not really take anything out of a paycheck — that is only a manner of speech. True, these distinctions are important only in their overtones, but since effective witness is what we are talking about, the overtones can be important. Of course, some are more interested in a symbolic or dramatic witness than in the monetary or real impact of not paying taxes. There may be a place for that kind of witness through demon- strations, but Mennonites havegeneral- ly found it difficult to reconcile demon- strations with compassion for all people in the spirit of Christ. If you do witness against war by refusing to pay taxes, your confronta- tion will be with good people at the telephone company or in the Internal Revenue Service. These are all folks who have nothing whatsoever to do with the spending of tax money, and you will only succeed in making life more difficult for them. It would make as much sense to argue with the janitor of your bank about a loan. In contrast, your congressman does have every reason to want to see you, and he does vote for or against military appropria- tions. I am surprised that some think we are now living in an era when the dollar is more important in waging war than manpower and that now with conscrip- tion not an arena for protest we must turn to nonpayment of taxes for its moral equivalent. Actually there is nothing new about not having conscrip- tion during peacetime. Dollars without manpower are useless. It was not lack of dollars that brought the Vietnam War to a halt; it was only after nearly a million men had deserted or refused to be drafted that the war ended. The millions of people engaged in production of war material plus mil- lions in the armed services continue as they always have, to be the irreplacea- ble ingredients of military effort. To suggest there has been a shift to the dollar in relative importance is econom- ic nonsense. We may not know precisely what Jesus had in mind when he said, "Render to Ceasar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's," but for him to be casual about taxes as a secondary matter was not only consistent with the rest of his teaching, but also in harmony with modern economic thought. Money should be kept in proper perspective as a tool humanly created and not as an inherent part of human existence. Those who have a troubled conscience about paying taxes must continue to be heard. If this leads them to civil disobe- dience, we will admire their courage. We hope they will be able to respect our conscience as well, for we do not really believe they want us to violate it on their behalf. family in focus, bluffton 77 RNs wanted RNs are needed at Mennonite Bethesda Hospital, Goessel, Kansas 67053. Openings are available on the 3-1 1 p.m. and 1 1 p.m. -7 a.m. shifts at hospital and nursing home. Pay is comparable. Contact Dean Kroeker, ad- ministrator, at (316) 367-2291. IE MENNONITE 141 - Letters Never cease for liberation Dear Editor: Erwin Cornelsen's letter (January 4 issue) entitled "Cease-fire for liberators" left me more than a little disturbed. I saw red everytime 1 reread his question, "How can I be repro- grammed from the old school of gentle- ness toward those human beings which God made so beautiful and attractive — to me at least?" The question is loaded with overtones of condescension. Remember it is a new ball game for us women, too. If we occasionally get carried away and refuse to walk through an open door, perhaps it is due to growing pains. Personally, I think those little details have very little to do with the real issues. I'll be happy to walk through any door you open for me. However, if I arrive at the door first I will not step aside like a helpless child, but will probably open it and expect you to accept my courtesy, just as you expect me to accept yours. I am proud to be identified with any one of my male relatives, my husband, son, father, father-in-law, my many brothers and brothers-in-law. It seems to me that the painful experience you had in not being able to identify your seatmate's husband is insignificant in comparison with the inconveniences we as women face in this respect. Consider (as a woman) arriving in a large city far away from home. You know that a good friend of yours lives in this city, but you have not heard from her for some years and cannot remember her husband's name. The phone book is no help, so you leave the city without being able to contact your friend. Your admission of being afraid and your plea for a cease-fire tell me that you do not fully understand the issues. At the time of creation, man and woman were created equal (in His image). It was as a result of sin that domination of male over female came into this world. When Jesus came, he tried to restore the unity and wholeness that God had envisioned. After thousands of years of domination, it is inevitable that there be a struggle, but every couple I know who are working at this in a positive manner have a happier relationship now than before. To me liberation means simply thai I am a person. Something as simple as abiding by the Golden Rule would set us all back on the right track. Cease-fire for liberation? Never. In 1977, 1 am happy to be a woman, a person, made in His image. Elsie Neufeld, Box 478, Boisse- vain, Man. Jan. 20 Land use and peace tax fund Dear Editor: My letter concerns two subjects: first, your issue of August 17, 1976, regarding farming and land use. Some of the information on farming is worthwhile. However, Gordon Huns- berger, with his paragraph beginning, "Effective control of land requires government action," apparently has not considered countries where government controls all land. There, incentive is lacking to produce more and better crops, and many people live in various states of poorest nutrition. But then, many of The Mennonite's writers seem to favor a socialistic approach to solving the world's problems. The remainder of my letter concerns the World Peace Tax Fund Act. Surely those supporting this act do so out of a heartfelt desperation to stop wars. One's conscience may ease in support- ing this act, but do you think that our huge centralized government and those who profit from war will actually hesitate to use whatever means is available to create war? Those who profit from war are the same group who have caused inflation by actually print- ing and putting into circulation more money. What will stop them from printing more federal reserve notes to finance more Vietnams? Do you so blindly believe that Henry Kissinger is concerned for the blacks in southern Africa? Or is he merely setting the stage for conflicts in which the lives of many will be lost to further secure the fortunes of people such as the Rocke- fellers? The peace tax proposal does nothing to remove the makers of war from power. "Using the system" is commend- able, but being used by it to strengthen an already too powerful government shows a complete lack of understanding of how governments receive their pow- er. Voting records of congresspeople, such as Bella Abzug, who introduced this act in 1973, show that they consis- tently support legislation increasing taxes and increasing our dependence on lirl fit 10! government. Congresspeople, such a Garner Shriver of Kansas, cannot hel but consider the "Mennonite" votes the will win in their support of this act What is to keep ill-intentioned peopl from giving "peace tax" money to th -i[ United Nations? Even uninforme Christians continue to support the ide of world government and the Unite Nations. Others with hearts as humane ai those of Mennonites could propose tha taxes be cut from the Health, Educatio and Welfare budget and placed special funds. Abortions kill, too. Why not support measures cutting at : excessive government spending? Quit a lot of work has been done on a measur called the Liberty Amendment. Thi would do away with the persona income tax, but not corporate taxes. Th Liberty Amendment would force th; government to sell to private enterpris approximately 3,000 businesses it i unconstitutionally involved in. Why have Mennonites jumped fron shunning politics to support of extrem liberal politics? Are opinions expresse by leaders in liberal-leaning churche really those of a majority? Many do no understand issues and follow th : strongest, most educated-soundin; voices. The direction this country am our churches have taken should warnu that higher education, such as in th field of political science, doesn't alway endow one with common sense, an certainly not the right to plan for the res of us. One or two in each church periodical ly raise voices against political liberal ism. We become known as the "dissatis fied with life" or even "old fogies Some silently leave to find other churc homes. Some remain with the hope o praying these problems away. Writing this letter took parts several months. I certainly had mor interesting things to do with my time 1 Praying alone doesn't put words oi ^ paper. Time and experience have showi ^ that those who dream up ideas like th World Peace Tax Fund, in addition t< :| praying, work exceedingly hard to mak their dreams come true. However, evei unanimous support of this act by th \ General Conference is not final majority can be wrong. Pamela /. Unruh 1857 North Ridge Road, Wichita & Kans. 67212 142 FEBRUARY 22, 197 tali Ion Meditation ;he died before she lived I was a quiet New Year's Day, except for a drive around the city. And on the way, a sisturbing sign — the customary black and white funeral curtains in front of our Ivorite local store. "What a way to start off a year! Who could it be? Was it her jisband, who was in the accident last fall?" jThe next day my friend said, "Did you hear that Mrs. S. died?" r'Who? Mrs. S? Surely you must mean her husband." I "No, Mrs. S. died. New Year's Eve, about 8:00. She came over in the afternoon to I)rrow money, said she had to pay some last-minute bills. Seemed relieved that we lilped her out. But in the evening, she just dropped over. The doctor says it was jom working too hard. It's really too bad, isn't it." Tears came to my eyes. I felt liGck, Grief. Sadness. Memories flooded my mind. [Mrs. S. was the friendly lady at the corner grocery store. Always so busy. Always | energetic. Always a smile for anyone. I remember the day we were passing out J erature in her neighborhood. We debated about whether to go to her home. But she j w us, asked us what we were passing out, and said she wanted one, too. We gave It one, a message about how God's love can change a person. She often expressed Iterest in coming to our Sunday afternoon meetings. Said she had even played Jgan at a church occasionally when she was single. She liked church music and janted to come but had no time. Other memories. In fall, she let us put up a poster in the store window for a film leeting. When she saw that it was about Whof does it mean to live? she remarked, what's a good question to think about, isn't it?" It was a good film, about a high fihool girl who lost her mother and out of her despair found new meaning to life in liirist. Mrs. S. was too busy to attend. But her sixth-grade boy came. JNow it was his mother who died. The drama goes on. When her husband was in id out of the hospital in fall from a car accident, we often prayed for him and quired about him. She seemed to appreciate our interest. When he was finally (leased from the hospital, we thanked God for it. We thought the funeral curtains tight be for him, that he might have had a relapse. Surely not for her. It couldn't be. it it was. Dead at forty-four! So young, so energetic, so cheerful, but. ... A shock to . What must it be to the family? She died from overwork. | We knew she worked hard. Especially when her husband was sick, she was up j:e after getting up at 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning sometimes. She needed money to y bills, to pay employees' salaries. She told us those things. She was also, no lubt, trying to save money for the children's education, perhaps a larger store, a |w house, retirement, and who knows what all. Probably felt she had to work now, Id someday when she had more time she would be able to reflect on more iportant things. She worked hard. But in the end, what for? Ker one day off each year was New Year's Day. That was the only day her store is closed. Undoubtedly she was looking forward to this year's day off. But she ver made it. What a way to end a year! What a way to end a life! Dying without ing. The words of the psalmist come to mind: "Teach us to number our days and ihognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should" (90:12). If Mrs. S. lid known that the thirty-first would be her last day, surely she would have Sprdered her priorities. She would have taken time, made time, no matter how busy Be was, to consider the more important things of life. But she didn't know. {And neither do we. What are we busy with? The things that really count? Or what ' 1 can't take with us anyway? What about you? Are you ready for the last day of Bur life? Are you ready to meet your Maker? If not, why not put your life in order Blay, before it's too late. As the Scripture states, "Today (not tomorrow!) is the day ijsalvation." Today is the day. Christ, the Way. The smiling lady at the corner store. Interested. Too busy. All over. Only forty- ir. Memories flood my soul. I feel deeply. Lord, she said she had no time, but it was all the time she had. / Lord, in your :at love, have mercy on her soul. / Lord, teach us to put our fragile lives in your ads. / Lord, help us to tell more of these wonderful people about you before it's 1 late. Amen." Fritz Sprunger, a missionary in Japan Contents Can Mennonite peoplehood be truly international? 122 Canada— The view from Singapore.. 125 News 126 Record 139 I also have a conscience 141 Letters 142 She died before she lived 143 The courage to be a letter from Christ 144 CONTRIBUTORS Frank H. Epp, Conrad Grebel College. Waterloo, Ont. N2L 3G6; is president of CGC. His article is based on a presenta- tion made to an inter-Mennonite editors' retreat last October. Dorothy Friesen is in Indonesia with MCC. Her address is Jin. Penjawi 48, Pati, Jateng, Indonesia. Carl M. Lehman. 218 Grove St., Bluff- ton, Ohio 45817, is treasurer of the Central District Conference. Fritz Sprunger, 2-1-16 Takao, Miyako- nojo, Miyazaki 885, serves under COM in Japan. James H. Collins is a consulting psychologist with a practice in Eagan, Minn. CREDITS Cover, National Film Board of Canada, Ottawa, Ont.; 123, Manitoba Tourism, Winnipeg. Man.; 125, John Hiebert; 127, 128, 137, Lois Barrett, GCNS; 138, Rudy A. Regehr. The editorial "The courage to be a letter from Christ" is reprinted by permis- sion from the Evangelical Beacon, maga- zine of the Evangelical Free Church of America. The Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boule- vard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Tele- phone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main St., Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury. Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circulation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. E MENNONITE 143 The courage to be a letter from Christ James H. Collins The Bible says, "Be filled with the Spirit" (Eph. 5:18); "love one another, as I have loved you" (jn. 15:12). These words are so familiar we can recite them in our sleep. We often speak of the joy of following Jesus. Yet, as I sit in church board meetings, visit with other church members, and at rare moments share my subjective experiences with others of the faith, I am impressed with something different. I often find anger, strife, jealousy, fear, and sadness. Moreover, when intensely involved with Christian clients in my work as a consulting psychologist, I find these same experiences. There is a lack of real peace. As I struggled to gain a deeper understand- ing of Christianity, I was told that it was sin, lack of commitment, or lack of faith that was causing the problems. These reasons seemed valid in many, but not all, cases. I became cynical, challenging the reality of the Christian experience. I vaguely remem- bered a story from my youth. It seems a tailor (a real "con artist") convinced an emperor that he could sew that ruler a beautiful suit of special clothing. Only the "true and worthy" would be able to see this unique garment, the tailor said. The ruler was delighted with the idea and fittings began. As the tailor began to work, the emperor, to his dismay, could see no thread or cloth. But not wanting to admit his lack of righteousness, the emperor went ahead admir- ing the "garment." So did his court and the townspeople, as he went "on parade." Then the innocent voice of a child was heard, "Look, Mommy, the emperor has no clothes." Was Freud right? Has humanity created a god to meet human needs? But Christianity is real! My own experience, the treasured friends to whom God has led me who are truly filled with the Spirit, truly at peace, cannot be explained away. What then is wrong? Suppose two churches decide to have a football contest. The unique factor in this imaginary contest is that none of the players have ever heard of football. Team A's coach decides to prepare his team by a series of chalk talks. He does this twice on Sunday and, to reduce forgetting, once again during the week. In addition, the players pray together and ask the Spirit to guide them and provide victory. The coach of team B follows much the same procedure. His team, however, takes to the field several times per week and practices the principles set forth in the chalk talks. The plays described in the chalk talk become real. An end run becomes a total experience of meeting head on, carrying the ball, and giving and receiving feedback on one another's per- formance. The outcome of the contest between the teams is easily predictable. The meaning of the example is clear. It is not always sin, a lack of commitment, that brings Christian clients to my office in despair and conflict. They lack the knowledge of how to translate the command to be filled with the Spirit into their personal existence. I believe that we, as Christians, share the responsibility for our personal inability, and that of others, to demonstrate the love and to enjoy the experience which God intended. As Paul describes this responsibility, we are to be "a letter from Christ . . . ministers of a new covenant ... of the Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:3-6 NIV). Paul, by his life, demonstrated how we meet our responsibility. First, he shared his strug- gles, disappointments, and failures as well as his victories. Second, he gave feedback to others of both the good and bad which he saw in their behavior. Paul's life gives meaning to 1 John 1:7, "If we walk in the light as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another. . . ." In other words, when we are open and genuine with each other, as he is with us, we have true fellowship. Not always does sin, the devil, or our lack of sincerity alone prevent the fullness of our Christian experience. Rather, it may be our lack of courage to be what we are with one another — to share our struggles, as well as good times, and to give feedback in love both to the positive and negative factors we see in the lives of our brothers and sisters. I am totally convinced that the Spirit can best provide its healing and edifying work when we conquer our fear and relate to each other in a humble, open, genuine way. The Mciiiionik* OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO MAN LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST 92:9 MARCH 1, 1977 ministry of small GRoaps Joseph Roher On the way to the office, I turned on the CB radio. Voices called out for contact. The morning was quiet and dark. It seemed that any subject was open for discussion as long as someone was able to "copy." As I continued toward my destination, it occurred to me that the CB craze is another one of the indicators of our society — a society that is lonely. When I get in the car and turn on the receiver, I feel as though I belong to a group that cares enough to listen and respond warmly. It is fun to be called "good buddy" and to have someone wish me a good day. I believe I am a part of a society that longs to be known and to experience feelings of intimacy. Bruce Larson in his book The relation- al revolution tells of a study of three cultures in which people normally lived to be 150 years old. Even though there were differences in climate, diet, and geography, there was one common denominator: each had discovered the gift of intimacy. They were intimate with many people, not sexually, but they had many relationships where they felt known and loved. As I read this account, I evaluated my own situation. I was raised in a neigh- / believe I am a part of a society that longs to be known and to experience feelings of intimacy. borhood that changed little in the eighteen years I lived there. You could set your watch by Andy Gatchling feeding his chickens. Mary Hinchcliff always had her clothes on the line by nine on Monday morning. When Ernie Bruterly delivered the milk, he always gave you a pat on the head and a piece of candy on holidays. He always called you by name; that in itself was worth a million. If someone was sick, the word went out and meals were prepared and carried in to the sick person's family. The neighborhood was part of our family. We belonged to each other! This type of relationship is difficult to discover in our urban secular society. I find it impossible just to keep up with the names of those people moving into our neighborhood. I have discovered a sense of belonging does not emerge naturally in our culture. Yet many long for the security and joy of belonging to each other. This is why the church has such an exciting mission. The Master has given us a model that offers the best hope for communicating God's love to our age. The model Jesus used to launch his kingdom and penetrate the uncaring membrane wrapped around society was to take twelve people and experience life with them until they belonged to each other. This sense of belonging to each other provided a place to ask questions as they tried to incorporate the teach- ings of Jesus into their life-styles. There was encouragement as they experienced failure and celebration when goals were realized. Since that first small group that met with Jesus, small groups have been meeting throughout the history of the church. The use of small groups has been a common element in most signifi- cant movements of the Holy Spirit, and now small groups are best seen as an essential part of the church's structure and ministry. George Webber has written two books on the small group as essential to the church: The congregation in mission and God's colony in man's world. Mr. Webber ministered in the East Harlem Protestant parish. Out of this urban ministry experience, Mr. Webber de- fines small groups as something more than a method of ministry: "A new structure of congregational life is called for which makes provision for genuine meeting of persons, a context in which the masks of self-deception and distrust will be maintained only with difficulty and in which men and women will begin to relate to each other at their tr humanity in Christ." When we view the worlds in which v function as people, it's difficult in o culture to identify a structure th provides opportunity for "a meeting of persons." Where can relate to another person in. our succes oriented society, our "true humanity Christ"? Where in the life of our comm nity do we provide a context affirmation? How do we provide genuii fe| IK :,j ■ in As a smali group meets regularly and begins to share Jove through thegi God has given each member, soon one senses being nurtured and bei enabled to penetrate secular society with a divine force. The use of small groups has been a common element in most significant movements of the Holy Spirit, and now small groups are best seen as an essential part of the church's structure and minis- try. perience that will promote a level of ie that enables our community to love conditionally? How do individuals in Community of believers make them- ves available to others within the 'itext of the meeting? Where are we Id accountable for our gifts of minis- ' and service? Serving my first pastorate out of ninary, I thought it impossible to rvive the loneliness and isolation. jo years passed and my body and nd were revealing to me my sad idition. I attempted to overcome it by ling myself this is the cost of being died" to serve. I was constantly iking for a way out of the pastoral nistry. I was even at the point of iping that the doctor would tell me it I would have to find a different nation because I was under too much assure. But the doctor did not say that, d I did not have the intestinal ferti- le to quit and take the responsibility that decision. 3ne evening as I was meditating it ne to me so clearly: "Who are some in you trust to father your two boys if were impossible for you?" I jotted wn a couple of names. Within a short •iod of I ime I called these men to meet and shared with them where I was ing. To my amazement they were ling the same isolation and loneli- ;s. This was the beginning of a new ease for me. After one of our first icheons together, one of the men made romise that he would pray for me as I )ke at morning worship — and he sn't even of my denomination! sensed a new freedom. My expe- nce in this small group allowed me to e myself to the world rather than mding lots of energy centered on self and my dilemma. Sometimes we ghed, sometimes we cried, some- ies we questioned each other as to dsions we were making or priorities t we had established as we studied ' Word and discovered how we fit into at God was doing in the world. )ver the five years, the group has changed because of vocational changes and the changes in the group members' priorities. But the ministry of the group dynamic remains the same. The group remains a place where I can discover humanness in the context of Christ's love and teaching as I am being obedient to Christ's call to service. As I reflect upon my experience as a member of a group and reflect upon the group life of Christ's disciples, one aspect of community life emerges that seems to be lost in many of our Christian communities. That missing ingredient is accountability. If as a member of a Christian commu- nity I am not exercising the spiritual gifts given to me, I am denying the community aspect of ministry God intended it to receive. It is difficult for members of a congregation to be ac- countable to each other for their gifts if the only encounter they have during a week is in worship. There is not much opportunity to discover gifts and to clarify one's growing edge outside the context of a small group that is committed to each other and to Christ. As a small group meets regularly and begins to share love through the gifts God has given each member, soon one senses being nurtured and being enabled to penetrate secular society with a divine force. This nurturing and accountability function of a small group can be illustrated by the husband-wife rela- tionship. As a husband, I find it difficult to move out of the context of my home and communicate with other people when I am out of harmony with my wife. I have tried to speak to a group or complete a task when I have left home angry or was upset with my wife about something. The result was usually disaster. The closer I relate to my wife, with whom I have made a commitment to share life, the more effective I am as a person. As I look at the New Testament as a member of the body of Christ, as a member of the community of believers, it is imperative that I experience a sharing of ministry with the Christian community if I am going to release the fragrance of the divine within secular society. Let's look at a few instructions we are given in reference to mutual ministry. We are to do the following: (1) bear one another's burdens (Gal. 6:2); (2) be kind to one another, be tenderhearted to one another, forgive one another (Eph. 4:32); (3) be subject to one another (Eph. 5:21); (4) teach and admonish one another in all wisdom (Col. 3:16); (5) stir up one another to love and good works (Heb. 10:24); (6) encourage one another (Heb. 10:25); (7) practice hospi- tality ungrudgingly to one another (1 Pet. 4:9); (8) employ gifts for one another (1 Pet. 4:10). These experiences among the Chris- tian community enable us to move in secular society and release the gifts of God's love. Is it possible that wherevera Christian community is bringing about positive change in society, we find the people of God have discovered "team- ness" through mutual ministry and accountability to one another? Where in thelifeof the congregation is there a context to help us in this limited list of experiences? As we look al the history of the church, small groups encouraged Ihis mutual ministry and promoted accountability. It is true that the small group ministry is not a cure-all for every church. No method of ministry can bring the people of God to greater effectiveness in carrying out the mission of Christ in meeting the needs and problems of our age except as the Holy Spirit directs. But the small group does provide a context that is essential to the life of the Christian community. Look at the disci- ples. After three years of group expe- rience they moved from a position of competition with each other to the creation of a movement that was de- pendent on each other, and we are still seeing the effect of the world they "turned upside down"! EMENNONITE 147 didn't know I was poll Written by a mother after reading in the newspaper that her family income was below the poverty level. I see here in the newspaper it says I live below the poverty level didn't know I was poor takes time to cook from scratch, but the bread in the oven smells so good plenty of food in the garden, even some left to share with neighbors no money for pop, potato chips, and candy, but that's all right — we've got plenty to eat and the kids are healthy didn't know I was poor first dandelions in the spring make such special good eating clothes hanging out on the line smell so fresh nothing better than wild blackberries picked on a sunny afternoon didn't know I was poor feels so good to be surrounded by old, familiar things that belonged to grandma never threw much out — can find uses for most anything haven't traveled much, but folks here — they all care about you didn't know I was poor not much under the tree this Christmas, but we h lots of warm, lovely traditions there's always something to give — a start of my favorite plant cards and ornaments made with loving care a kind word, a friendly smile didn't know I was poor it's such fun to find bargains at garage sales a auctions — never know what you'll find friends exchange hand-me-downs that clothe children with love keep lights and heat turned down, don't let the wa run — such precious commodities didn't know I was poor the children are such a pleasure — lives to nurtu watch grow, and mature they repay me in so many ways for the gift of life there are so many fun places to go — museums, parad libraries, picnics, church, walks through woods — don't cost a thing didn't know I was poor come to think of it, guess I don't have a new house, t latest model car, new clothes, vacatio memberships, season tickets, don't even have mu to give to charity guess I'm poor. . . . THE MENNONITE seeks to wilness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit, published weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in Decern be r at Newton, Kans671 14, by the General Board of the Genera I Conference Mennonite Church Seco class postage paid at Newton, Kans 671 1 4, and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions in U S. and Canada, $8 00. one year; $1 5 50. two years; $23 00, three years, foreign. $8 50 per y Editorial office 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg. Canada R3P 0M4. Business office; 722 Main St , Box 34 7, Newton, Kans 67114 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 34 7. Newton, Kans 671 148 MARCH 1, 19 The courage to allow for leaders Donald Gerig eople without leaders wander aimless- about like sheep without a shepherd. ? this article, Donald Gerig asks if we ave the courage to allow for leaders to dvelop. A concern among many Christians is the need for more and better leaders. Many congregations and denominations find their progress retarded not because they are unwilling to move ahead, but because they do not have enough qualified people to fill leadership posi- tions. And outside the churches the problem is more acute; in many disci- plines the voice of committed Christians is not heard at all. While we seek to preach the gospel to the masses, we discover that agnostics, secularists, and skeptics still dominate the places where the minds of the masses are being shaped. It is they who are editing the newspapers and magazines, writing the plays, producing the films, and teaching in the schools. Three factors in Christian homes, schools, and churches contribute to this lack of leadership. The first is overprotection. Whether physical, psychological, or spiritual, this stifling ghost haunts many Chris- tians. We confuse legitimate love and concern with a "mother hen" approach to development. A father who argues with the Little League umpire to "protect my kid," a pastor who seeks to solve all the new convert's problems for him "so he won't get discouraged"— both are hindrances to the goal of developing leaders. We find it difficult to give others — especially our children — the freedom God has given them, the freedom to succeed or fail on their own. Jay Kesler has put it well in his book Let's succeed with our teenagers. Doing bad, he says, is an option for every human being, "even . . . our child. This is hard to accept. We would like to influence him to choose only right and good. If we do this, however, we find ourselves doing the very thing that God himself refuses to do." It is interesting to look at the develop- ment of some of the leaders in the Bible. Repeatedly one finds people who con- fronted difficulties but came through them and became leaders. David fought his bears, lions, and giants and became king. Joseph faced his angry brothers and an Egyptian prison and became a leader. Daniel was taken into captivity when he was young but rose to leader- ship. And Peter was tested, was allowed to fail (under the eye of Jesus himself, by the way), and emerged as the leader of the new church. One suspects that each of these men was a better leader because someone allowed him to face difficulty on his own and learn from it that freedom to choose must be included as a part of a person's development. Closely related to the problem of overprotection is the matter of encour- aging docility. To be a leader demands what we often call "spunk." A leader must be creative and willing to go beyond some accepted ideas. Great leaders often do not fit into our cultural molds, but that is precisely why they are leaders. If, on the other hand, our habit is to honor docility, it is little wonder that we are not developing leaders. As a boy, Ma Christian may have been taught by bqBH; parents and church that good bcM never got into trouble or questiorjM authority. If he went to a Christi grade school, he might have been tauj >/\ that the good child, the one parents a IV teachers liked and rewarded, was t obedient child who accepted all he w ^ told. When he went on to a Christi college, he may have faced again t * understanding that good students we W those who followed all the rules withe question. In fact, it may well have be 'd< suggested that such behavior was a si of spiritual maturity. And so if J Christian, having learned his lesso * about "fitting in," were to become '" leader, he would do so despite 1 It background more than because of it. sine Paul's teaching about the necessity! Ill variety in the church (1 Cor. 12) shouj iMi. help us. Instead of honoring the persi) lit who always fits in, we should perha p do more to encourage the one who shovj w the courage and initiative to be creativi ii ly different. A third way in which we can thwa leadership development is by promoti, ,| negative seJf-concepts. In Help.' I'm parent, Bruce Narramore discusses t relation between a child's sense j autonomy and his self-image (principle icf that could also be true of the "babe j a; Christ"). He says, "By encouragii p independent thoughts and actions, v |( promote a sense of confidence ai ^ strength. By overprotecting or squelci ing a child, we undermine his conf ||t dence. This makes it harder for him |E cope with adult life." The negative self-image all too oft( :?J found among Christians may be one > ^ the serious results of overprotection an m docility. It may have been formed undi the guise of spirituality: are we not "crucify self" if we are to grow spiritua ly? n This self-denying concept is ofte ■, misused. Jesus was never at war wit our humanity. The glory of the incarni lion is that God came in the flesh! I stating the two greatest command Jesus made it clear that self-love is rigl and proper: we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. In our homes and pulpits we should b reminding others that being made in t image of God is good, not bad. Childre and young people need to be encourage by parents and other leaders to acce{ ibemselves for what they are — peopl made by God and worth the price o redemption. That can be an excitin climate for leadership development. A boy eyes l have looked into his eyes Searching for a boy I once knew And listened to his voice S Hoping to hear words that faded away forty years ago, And listened to his cry and heard a faint-far cry of some boy long lost. Peter Hilty j have ;00^ed int0 ms eyes Searching for a girl 1 never knew And listened to his voice Hearing words I had dreamt about, Searching for her whom / love enfolded in another. 1 have looked into his eyes To find reflected alpine canyons and terraced vineyards of the Palatinate Melting in Iowa wheat and the rivers of Ohio. And i have looked into his eyes And seen the mist-filled figures of a race I do not know, A saga still a thousand years away. Dear God, deal gently with our little boy that he be not crushed. 150 MARCH 1, 197 News Conscientious objectors can become citizens ie Canadian Government has changed ; citizenship law to strengthen the isition of conscientious objectors to ilitary service. William Janzen, director of MCC !anada)'s Ottawa Office, said the new gulations for the Citizenship Act say, effect, that Canada will accept as tizens people who are conscientious ijectors because of their religion. The need for changes in the law came evident several months ago hen the applications for citizenships a Mr. and Mrs. Jensen were refused by :ourt because they said they would not pport a national war effort, even if the w required it. Although the Jensens are not Menno- tes, MCC (Canada) took up the issue Home missionaries ill leave Rhodesia We Brethren in Christ Board for Mis- Ions has decided to implement an early lurtial phased withdrawal of expatriate Missionaries from Rhodesia. (The plan was reached jointly by the iard in North America and the execu- te board of the church in Rhodesia. The basic plan grew out of the meeting Ij the leaders of the Rhodesian church |id the missionary field committee ibruary 5 in Bulawayo, Rhodesia. The jlorth American board's response was {mmunicated to the missionary staff in lodesia February 9. Following are some decisions already ade: (1) Some missionaries will plan to ave Rhodesia at the end of the first hool term in April. (2) A continuing missionary presence ill be maintained in Bulawayo, a city ! southwestern Rhodesia that is at the Inter of Brethren in Christ activity in je country. Up to eight to ten mission- ies may remain to help the church as jeded. Those persons having special inistries needed by the church at this jne will remain in assignments there lily if they choose voluntarily to stay. | (3) Bishop Philemon Kumalo, current- | studying at the Fuller School of World ission in Pasadena, California, fanned to return to Rhodesia in Febru- y- (4) Earl Musser, director of missions because of its strong implications for Mennonites and Brethren in Christ. The change in the regulations does not have the power of a clause in the constitution or in the Citizenship Act. But Jake Epp, a member of Parliament, is planning to introduce a bill in the House of Commons that will protect conscien- tious objectors in the Citizenship Act itself. MCC (Canada) first tried unsuccess- fully to appeal the ruling to a higher court. Just before Christmas, MCC representatives met with John Roberts, minister in charge of citizenship, who said he would try to have the regula- tions for the act drawn up in such a way that this would not happen again. MCC (Canada) was invited to write out a regulation thewayitwouldliketoseeit. The regulation now states that a judge questioning an applicant for citizenship about the responsibilities of citizenship does not have the right to question the person in certain areas. Among the prohibited areas is "where the person is a conscientious objector by reason of his religion, his obligations to Canada during time of war." The word obligations covers both noncombatant service and objection to all forms of military service. Since the attorneys, Ian Hunter of London, Ontario, and John Laskin of Toronto, were willing to work at far below normal rates, only a small part of the $3,000 which MCC (Canada) had allocated for this effort will be used. A woman sits in the ruins of her home. It was burned by black nationalist guerrillas in a recent raid on a "protected village" of blacks near Mount Darwin in northeastern Rhodesia. The village of Kandeya — a group of thatched huts surrounded by wire fencing and guarded by soldiers — is one of a growing number of enclaves into which the government is gathering thousands of blacks. overseas, and Wilmer Heisey, executive secretary of the mission board, planned to go to Rhodesia in March to share in working out administrative details. (5) Rhodesian missionaries are in some cases considering making them- selves available for reassignment to other fields of service. (6) Some missionaries will leave earlier than April, if deemed advisable. Such decisions will be worked out among Earl Musser; Robert Mann, Brethren in Christ field secretary in Rhodesia; and the missionaries. ME MENNONITE 151 Canadian arms not produced for defense" The Canadian arms industry is based on the profit motive, and the arguments used to rationalize it publicly are myths, said Ernie Regehr, researcher with the peace and conflict studies department of Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, On- tario. He told students at Canadian Menno- nite Bible College in Winnipeg recently that Canada produces military hard- ware specifically for sales abroad and to improve economic ties, not to meet its own defense needs or promote peace- making, as it claims. Canada is one of the world's net arms exporters, he said. In 1967, at the height of the Vietnam War, Canada's export sales of military hardware were around $450 million, or $22 per capita, making it the world leader in sale of arms per capita. However, Canada has no capability to supply its own forces, Mr. Regehr said, and is dependent upon the United States for its equipment and supplies. In fact, Canada's arms industry is so integrated with the U.S. military that it functions as a department of the Pentagon. Canadian subsidiaries of U.S. indus- tries produce component parts and specialized equipment for U.S. arma- ments, he said. Because of trade agree- ments, the external affairs department of Canada has no control over these subsidiaries. All Canadian military equipment is American designed and built. Mr. Regehr, author of Making a killing: Canada's arms industry, said production of arms is not good for the economy. Although a detailed study has not been done in Canada, Mr. Regehr said U.S. economists "are more and more coming to the conclusion that it [the arms industry] is one of the least efficient ways of creating employment and technical innovation." Actually, he said, the arms industry has a detrimental effect on the economy because it is inflationary, does not contribute to the standard of living, does not improve the productive capaci- ty of the economy, and takes tax dollars away from social services. Mr. Regehr pointed out that, because the arms industry is highly mechanized, it provides limited employment and the capital would be better spent on a more labor-intensive industry. Mr. Regehr said it is possible to defend Canada's peacekeeping efforts such as its participation in the United Nations Peacekeeping Forces, but main- tained there is no good national reason Graduate program in religious studies The universities of Winnipeg and Manitoba are now offering a graduate program in religious studies leading to the MA degree. Areas of concentration: Biblical religion, world religions, and religion and culture. Admission requirements: BA (honors); Pre-MA or equivalent. Designed for: Teachers of religion (in schools or congregations); people desiring to deepen their knowledge of religion or preparing for theological studies. Scholarship aid, teaching assistantships available to qualified candidates. Course offered jointly by the two universities in cooperation with their approved teaching centers (Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Mennonite Brethren Bible College). Address inquiries to: Chairperson, Joint Graduate Program Department of Religion University of Manitoba Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2 for the sale of military commodity abroad. Pushed by CMBC students on th|^ traditional Mennonite peace witnes Mr. Regehr said he hasn't been "aware how to apply that to the current politic situation. There must be an effort 1 convince the government of the immd ^ rality of the arms industry." alt strict ■ I Military production could be converted to civilian Military production is one of the mo:li ^ significant causes of inflation, accorc ing to Seymour Melman, Columbia (i University professor. Quoted in the January issue of Peac< W and freedom, Mr. Melman said ever! bomb, military plane, tank, gun, ani submarine is a wasted resource thi F puts nothing back into the economy mis Wages are paid for articles no one ca buy. Corporations get billions in profits ^ pumping up the economy without adc p ing to the total of goods or servicqpa consumers will pay for. Moreover, since there is no fim consumer to judge whether these good are worth what they cost, they ar manufactured inefficiently. Mr. Melman said $1 billion spent fo :ic. the B-l bomber will generate 55,00 - jobs; for mass transit, 85,000 jobs; fo ■ > education, 118,000 jobs. Citing these statistics, Doroth Steffens, executive director of th tii° Women's International League for Peac >: and Freedom, concluded, "A shift national priorities from military wast and technical overkill to civilian pro duction for human needs is possible." She suggested that airplane plants b id converted to produce high-speed rai cars to modernize and expand obsolet public transit systems; electronics am data control industries could automat railroads, improve medical diagnosi techniques, and reduce pollution; idl In shipyards could make modern the U.S fishing fleet. She said a study of the missil industry in California showed that mos jobs have counterparts in civilian in dustries 'What is lacking," said Ms. Steffens "is the incentive on the part of industn iu to make the shift. As long as militar; if cost-plus contracts continue to fattei profits, our economy will continue t< lis stagnate at the cost of jobs, inflation ils and human needs." 152 MARCH 1, 197^ <[ lords & deeds he Faith Church, Minneapolis, Minne- ita, has joined the Iowa-Nebraska anference of the Mennonite Church. It as already a member of the Northern istrict Conference of the General onference Mennonite Church. elegates to the fourth annual session of ter-Mennonite Conference (Ontario) jted January 15 to change the guide- les for decision making. Because of ustration about the authority of deci- ons made by the interconference ulegate body, the delegates approved, |'-31, a recommendation by the execu- te council that the delegate body icome a discussion body to make jcommendations rather than to make Jicisions. In the future, interconference Incisions will be referred to the three ^operating conferences for separate scussion. The Inter-Mennonite Con- Irence also approved negotiations jjward a graduate theological training rogram at Conrad Grebel College. The I'ogram would be a satellite of Asso- ciated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries. fty-six bales of bJankets have been nt by MCC to be distributed to .igrant workers in Immokalee and omestead, Florida, caught in Florida's ! orst freeze in fifteen years. Most of the ea's Spanish-speaking and black igrant workers live in camps of •ivate houses which do not have lough insulation or heating for the 'lexpected cold. round-breaking for a new 'mnasium-recreation center at Bethel allege, North Newton, Kansas, was heduled February 25. Completion is ojected for December. ankets, clothes, and money for fire- ood were sent by churches in the uffton, Ohio, area to residents of dams County in southern Ohio, one of e most severely economically de- 'essed counties in the state. Terry lappell, formerly of Bluffton, now a i mily physician in Adams County, had lephoned his mother-in-law, Betty ;eiks of Bluffton, asking for blankets id wood for families in his area who id run out of fuel. Ms. Heiks contacted |e Bluffton College campus pastor, i ho in turn worked with Bluffton finisters. Eight Bluffton College stu- jints helped distribute the material to dams County residents. Churches respond to fuel crisis After three people froze to death in January — two of them an elderly couple whose gas was cut off for failure to pay a $19 bill— Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish congregations in Durham, North Carolina, decided to act. Durham Con- gregations in Action got permission from the president of Duke University, Terry Sanford, to cut wood from the college's forest. Three hundred volun- teers, half of them college students, have been cutting trees there to provide fuel for the poor. The project has also collected over $10,000 in cash to help pay electric and gas bills. Above, two volunteers cut firewood. Columbia Bible Institute, Clearbrook, British Columbia, hosted forty pastors and church workers at its annual minister's course. Speakers were Henry J. Schmidt, evangelist from California; Clark Pinnock, instructor at Regents College in Vancouver; and J.J. Toews, newly appointed instructor at Columbia Bible Institute. Wally Unger, academic dean of Colum- bia Bible Institute, Clearbrook, British Columbia, recently participated in a radio debate with Neil McMillan of the Bahai faith and Bob Gallager, world religions instructor at Capilano College. The topic was the "Unity of religion." As a follow-up to the radio program, Mr. Unger appeared on a panel at a Bahai celebration of World Religion Day. A number of CBI students attended and talked with Bahais in the question-and- answer period afterward. Mr. Unger said Jesus was the final revelation, not just the latest revelation of God. Mennonites were among more than 125 clergy and laity in the Seattle area who signed a letter to U.S. President Carter against production of the B-l bomber. The letter, mailed in January, asked the president not to fund "this costly and unnecessary weapon system" and to use the money instead for housing, mass transit, health care, nutrition, and education. "We encourage you to stand by your original position in opposition to the B-l," the letter said. The letter was distributed by the Seattle Religious Peace Action Coalition, of which Men- nonite Lauren Friesen is project coordi- nator. Signers included Catholics, Unit- ed Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans, Congregationalists, Christians, Presby- terians, Church of Christ, United Church of Christ, Quakers, and Menno- nites. The coalition also helped sponsor an informal picketing and demonstra- tion against the B-l bomber January 22 at a Seattle shopping mall. A three-man group called the Christian Committee for the Defense of Believers' Rights has been set up in Moscow, according to Reuters news agency. At an unofficial press conference, the three members of the Russian Orthodox Church — Gleb Yakunin, Varsonofi Ka- hibulin, and Viktor Kapitanchuk — said they want to help believers of all faiths who felt their rights were being violat- ed. The committee will publicize infor- mation on problems faced by believers in the Soviet Union, advise them of their rights, and work for improvements in legislation affecting religion. DiscipJeship workshops, focusing on social justice, are available to Menno- nite congregations on weekends throughout 1977 under the sponsorship of Evangelicals for Social Action. Five of the nine team members conducting the workshops are Mennonite and Brethren in Christ including Bev and Charles Lord who are serving half-time as MCC volunteers. More information is available from Ronald J. Sider, Disciple- ship Workshops, 312 West Logan St., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19144. HE MENNONITE 153 Irrigation project supported in Vietnam Observing the use of material aid already sent to Vietnam, exploring further help, and meeting with church leaders comprised the agenda of a three- person delegation which visited Viet- nam from January 4-18 on behalf of Mennonite Central Committee. The delegation consisted of Don Sensenig, who spent ten years in Viet- nam as an Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions missionary during the war; Max Ediger, a five-year MCC veteran in Vietnam who continued living there for a year after the war ended; and Harold Jantz, editor of the Canadian Mennonite Brethren herald. Dividing its time among the northern city of Hanoi, the central city of Danang, and their outlying areas, the delegation visited sites where medical equipment and vegetable seed had been sent. "The Vietnamese were eager to show us how our aid was being used," commented Don Sensenig. "We felt it was being used in a constructive, responsible way." The delegation was told that the seed sent by Mennonites raised the produc- tion of cauliflower, cabbage, and kohl- rabi 10 to 15 percent in Hanoi, bringing the supply of these vegetables up to the sufficient level for the area. They also saw the rotoprinter pro- vided by MCC in use at the Institute of Hygiene and Epidemology in Hanoi, the main medical research center in Viet- nam. The rotoprinter is used to produce materials sent to doctors and hospitals around the country to keep them up to date on medical research. Just as the delegation was leaving Vietnam, it saw the van and some audiovisual equipment arrive. These will be used by the research institute for public health education around the country. The delegation's attention focused on an irrigation project near Danang in central Vietnam that will serve three townships with 30,000 people and provide water for 5,000 acres of farm- land. "This area was a free-fire zone during the war," Mr. Sensenig remem- bered. "The people who lived there were open to being shot or bombed, so most of them left. The farmland to be served by this irrigation system lay fallow from 1967 until 1975 because of the war and is now being put back into production." The project involves digging a reser- voir near the Han River. Most of the work is done by hand, with only one Vietnamese workers dig by hand a reservoir for an irrigation project. MCC i supplying cement and transformers. bulldozer available. When the delega- tion visited the site, about 3,000 people were digging the reservoir and canals and laying footers for the pump build- ing. That number was expected to increase to 5,000 during February. The delegation proposed to MCC members at the annual meeting in January that MCC help the irrigation project by providing 500 tons of cement to be used in building the thirty miles of canals, lining the reservoir, and con- structing the pump building. The members approved the proposal and the cement was shipped to Vietnam from Bangkok in early February. MCC will also provide ten trans- formers for tlj£ project. The first cost estimate for the Mennonite contribution to the project was about $100,000. However, after gathering price esti- mates and actually shipping the cement, that estimate has recently been lowered to about $40,000. Besides visiting sites of past and future aid, the delegation had the opportunity to meet with Buddhist and Catholic leaders in the North and with evangelical church leaders in central Vietnam. "The Catholics speak positive- ly about the contribution they as Cath- olics can make to socialist Vietnam," Mr. Sensenig said. "But the Protestant church is really in a transition period, trying to learn how to make their way under the new government. For them, it is a radical change from two years ago." There is currently an official, national drive to unify organizations in the North and South that are similar. ■aba :,en heal :,: cal nda Private alternative schools talk with conference Mennonite education on the high schoo and Bible institute levels got attentioi from the Commission on Education o the General Conference at a one-da; session February 5 in Newton, Kansas just before the annual Council of Com missions. The commission had decided last yea | to invite representatives from Genera Conference Mennonite-related school to discuss how the commission migh support this level of Christian educa tion. Principals and other representatives ' from these "private alternative" schools told commission representatives that they wanted the conference to promote such Christian education, helping find staff, printing their annual reports with! other commission reports, encouragingi school displays at conferences, and! promoting regular meetings of these; schools. The proposed inter-Mennonite youth and adult curricula were discussed, and an extensive adult teachers' manual was a priority. Also mentioned was youth and adults' lack of Bible knowledge and Bible study methods. Participating were Jack Suderman, Rosthern (Saskatchewan) Junior Col- lege; Ken Loewen, Mennonite Collegiate Institute, Gretna, Manitoba; John Enns, Westgate Collegiate, Winnipeg; Oliver Heppner, Swift Current (Saskatche- wan) Bible Institute; and Leslie Ortman, Freeman (South Dakota) Academy. 3\ 154 MARCH 1, 1977 HERALD PRESS A Unique Approach to VBS nother Project each scheduled roject Teach, a weeklong workshop for unday school teachers, superintend- its, and others involved in Christian iucation in Mennonite churches, will held March 21-25 on the Bethel ollege campus, North Newton, Kansas. Sponsoring the fifth such workshop nee 1973 are Bethel and Hesston )lleges, the General Conference Com- lission on Education, and the Menno- ite Church's Board of Congregational [inistries. Directors are William Keeney of ethel and John Lederach of Hesston. esource people include Perry Yoder, ible study; Alvin Beachy, Anabaptist istory; and Miller Stayrook, "Develop- ent of the person." Music, art, drama, methods and laterials, and audiovisuals will also be salt with at some of the sessions. Participants will meet together for ible study, worship, and courses in nabaptist history and personal devel- oment. For all other sessions the Jucators will be grouped according to leir students' age groups. Christian iucation committee members and unday school superintendents will ave a homeroom of their own. Goals of the workshop are to: — help teachers acquire a basic under- landing of children and adults and the laching task, — develop skills in using the Founda- on Series and introduce teachers to the Titers of the Foundation Series, — make college resources available to mgregations, — develop an appreciation of the nabaptist view of the church and to ■eate an understanding of the impact of nabaptist theology on the church. Registration will begin at 8:00 a.m., tonday, March 21, and the sessions ill end Friday afternoon. All classes till be held in the Bethel College lennonite Church. Meals will be served i the college dining hall and lodging ill be in campus dormitories. Applications should be sent to Project each, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 671 14, / March 11. Cost of the workshop will be $85. ongregations are urged to pay the cpenses of the teachers they send, ubsidy from the Commission on Edu- ition is available for those persons or ingregations unable to pay. In 1976 such workshops were in luffton, Ohio, and Freeman, South akota. WE OFFER THE ONLY CURRICULA THAT ARE: • PERMANENT: Your child grows through the courses. Your teachers develop confidence that comes from the continuity of such a pro- gram. You are sure of what your child will learn this year, next year, and in the future. • CLOSELY GRADED: Whether yours is a small or large school, you will be able to meet the children right on their level. Nursery, Kindergarten 1, Kindergarten 2, Grades 1-10 are available in either curriculum. CHOOSE THE SERIES THAT MEETS YOUR NEEDS: •0. HERALD SUMMER BIBLE SCHOOL SERIES A Bible foundation curriculum. Each year is a complete course. Combined, all the courses pro- vide your child with a solid knowledge of the Bible. Available in either 5-day or 10-day curriculum. Each year there is a new devotional theme for your centralized worship period. We provide you with a free Leader's Guide for these periods. This year's theme is LEARNING TO PRAY. HERALD OMNIBUS BIBLE SERIES The Jesus Way A biblically-based approach to real-life issues. Each year the child is met with issues that he faces daily — problems like honesty, drugs, sex, obedience —and the teacher and the child explore together what a Christian response should be. Useful year-round, this curriculum is designed for a 5-day VBS and is adaptable for released-time programs, Sunday or Wednesday worship or camps. Excellent in urban, suburban, inter-racial, and _»* _| inter-cultural settings. ' Leader's Guides, filmstrips, and sample kits are available at your local bookstore or from: Wk J' Herald Press Dept. TM, Scottdale, PA 1 5683/Kitchener, ON N2G 4M5 HE MENNONITE 155 Record Ministers Herbert Da Ike, minister of First Church, Paso Robles, Calif., will become minis- ter at the Boy n ton Church, Hopedale, 111. He has been pastor in Paso Robles for eight years. He previously served in Indian ministries in Oklahoma and has served pastorates in Ransom, Kans.; Alsen, N.D.; and Marion, S.D. Dick Koopmans was installed as pastor of the Salem Church, Munich, N.D., on Jan. 2. He received a doctorate last June from the California Graduate School of Theology, Glendale, Calif. Peter Penner is currently serving the pastorate of the Winkler Bergthaler Church, Winkler, Man. Erwin Siemens has been appointed assistant pastor of the Eben-Ezer Church, Clearbrook, B.C. Deaths Jacob B. Hofer, Hutterthal Church, Freeman, S.D., died Dec. 5, 1976, at age seventy-eight. He attended Freeman Junior College and taught in rural schools. Following his ordination, he served the pastorate of the Hutterthal Church for over eighteen years. Workers Members of MCC (Canada) elected for 1977 are Frank H. Epp, Conference of Mennonites in Canada, reelected as vice-chairman; Siegfried Bartel, MCC (British Columbia), of Agassiz, B.C., and Herman Olfert, Old Colony, of Winkler, Man., reelected to the executive commit- tee; and Ron Mathies, Mennonite Brethren, of Elmira, Ont., elected to the executive committee replacing Ross Nigh. Larry Keh/er, Conference of Mennonites in Canada, of Winnipeg was elected as representative on MCC along with incumbent Newton Gingrich of Tavistock, Ont., chairman of MCC (Canada). Anne Warkentin Dyck will serve another term as member-at-large. Vernon and Phyilis Lehman, Salem Church, Kidron, Ohio, left Feb. 24 to begin a three-year assignment under Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission in Zaire. After six months of French language study in Brussels, Belgium, the Lehmans will be houseparents at the Mennonite Hostel in Kinshasa, Zaire. About fifteen children of missionaries live there while attending the American School of Kinshasa. Vernon has been working as a truck driver and Phyllis as an accountant. Margaret Polland, Berkeley, Calif., has begun a two-year term of Mennonite Voluntary Service in Seattle, Wash. Her assignment is in child care and recrea- tion. Margaret holds a bachelor's degree in environmental education and recrea- tion from Huxley College. Tina Quiring, Gospel Mennonite Church, Mountain Lake, Minn., has retired from her work in Kalonda, Zaire. She began her service in 1949 under Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (then Congo Inland Mission). She was in- volved in literature work, training Zairians to take over the Mennonite book depot and five bookstores. She also worked with the church's women's groups. Harold C. and Ruth Ratzlaff have terminated as General Conference mis- sionaries in India. They have served in India from 1940 to 1976. During their last assignment they were in Korba, where they were involved with Beacon School, the primary schools, and the reading room. Harold preached regular- ly in one of the branch churches; Ruth Uil Mi llflVl was treasurer of the mission. Previousl Harold had served in evangelistic wor in Champa and Jagdeeshpur and as are supervisor of mission primary schools Ruth, a registered nurse, had served i medical work in Champa and ha helped in literature work. Margaret Regier, Emmaus Church lie ! Whitewater, Kans., has begun a two jiior year term of service with Mennonite, Central Committee in Whitesburg, Ky She will work as a special reading ; teacher. She holds a BA in biology froir iiaybi Bethel College, North Newton, Kans., ar lierii MA in reading and counseling and a fclyin: PhD in reading from the University ol urce Chicago. Recently she has lived anc slack worked in Santa Fe, N.M., where sheisJiEr; affiliated with the Unitarian Fellow-i jmoi ship. |;;tall Calendar : i P Apr. 28-30— Eastern District Confer ence annual sessions, Camp Men-O- Lan, Quakertown, Pa. Canadian Mar. 11-12 — MennoniteConferenceof Alberta annual sessions, First Church, Edmonton, Alta. Mar. 11-13 — Conference of Menno- nites in Ontario annual sessions, Rock- way Mennonite School Mar. 25 — Performance of Bach's St. John passion, the Canadian Mennonite and Mennonite Brethren Bible colleges' oratorio choirs, Centennial Concert Hall, Winnipeg Central Mar. 20 — Cantata Singers' concert, Founders Hall, Bluffton (Ohio) College Northern Mar. 11-13 — Men's and boys' retreat, Swan Lake Christian Camp, Viborg, S.D.; resource people, John Gaeddert and Bruce Woods «1 St P. Lehman 156 MARCH 1, 1977 N; Eteview pur star-spangled faith jur star-spangled faith by Donald B. raybill (Herald Press, Scottdale, Penn- dvania. 1976, 216 pp., $2.50] is ■viewed by Tom Friesen, instructor of ible ond socio] science at Freeman mior CoJJege and Academy, Freeman, outh Dakota. i Our star-spangled faith, Donald raybill presents a critical reading of merica's "God and country religion." flying on information from numerous mrces, including quotes from inaugu- jil addresses of former presidents, the |ongressiona] record, and White House :rmons, Mr. Kraybill describes what ? calls "the strange blend of religious id political loyalties which demands 1 legiance from all American citizens." ^r. Kraybill then calls for a new litriotism — one that transcends coun- y and gives primary allegiance to God. royalty to family, nation, possessions, ;id self must be left at the door of the Ibw kingdom." The case is convincing. There is no oubt that much of what passes for •ligion in America is no more than a gitimation of political process and >cial reality. In its most obvious form, surfaces whenever church leaders ibber-stamp present government poli- / and western cultural values. Mr. raybill demonstrates this aspect of vil religion by quoting from a White ouse sermon given by Norman Vincent Bale. After having visited the troops in ietnam, Mr. Peale returned to the hite House to not only sanction our volvement in Vietnam and portray : od as being on our side, but to then end I s speech with a blessing from the Old estament. "The people that do know heir God shall be strong, and do cploits" (Dan. 11:32, KJV). J But more important than the obvious camples of the false marriage between i ligion and country, Mr. Kraybill is j hlpful in showing the subtle ways in ] hich the Christian faith is being rostituted by Americanism. ! The best chapter in the book is the jfth: "The star-spangled cross." Here | e are reminded of the significant role I symbols in human relations. Sociolo- 1 sts say that human beings are symbol- aking animals. We use symbols to talk A Herald Press Original $2.50 Star -Spangled Faith A plea for a fauh thai moves beyond America s "God and Country' religion to each other, to communicate with God, and even to talk to ourselves. We use symbols to describe acts, to interpret events, and to define objects. But too often we forget that symbols can change in meaning and events can be reinter- preted. Symbols are never "permanent- ly tied to the things to which they point." This is the problem of civil religion. We have confused the symbols of the military and the government with the symbols of religion for so long and in so many unconscious ways that we often use them interchangeably. Thus, found- ing fathers are made into saints, patriot- ic songs become our hymns, holidays become holy days, and military service becomes service to Christ. At other times, religious leaders are made into government priests, gospel hymns be- come military battle cries, holy days become commercial holidays, and ser- vice to Christ is confused with service to Caesar. Mr. Kraybill quotes a minister who expresses this confusion: "The red stands for the blood of Christ, the white for purity, and the blue for loyalty. The blue also becomes a reminder of heaven- ly blessing for the future. For those who think this color combination is an attempt to show our patriotism, we find an additional point of agreement." If this book has a weakness, it is that the analysis is too simple. While Mr. Kraybill accurately points out where Christian values are in conflict with civil religion, he says little about areas of overlap. Certainly there are areas of mutual concern where both church and state are doing God's will together. To deal only with the negative side does not allow one to recognize the constructive efforts which the government some- times initiates to combat social evils. The government, for example, was the first to place judgment on racism in America — the church joined the civil rights movement only as it became more popular to take a strong stand. One also has to hope that at least some government and public officials (in their public prayers) are sincerely asking for direction and guidance. Perhaps the author is right lhal most officials are praying in public merely to ask support for decisions they have already made, but let's not rule out the possibility of a president asking God's help for direc- tion because he knows the nation (in some ways) has yet to choose the direction it will go. President Carter made his inauguration into a religious ceremony. But since Mr. Carter had some religious scruples before he en- tered politics, which has not been true of some recent presidents, there remains the hope that his religion will influence him in a positive direction. But the point of the book is well taken and it is too seldom heard. When the church takes its role seriously, it will often come into conflict with Ihe government — not because it is wrong to be patriotic, but rather because those who seek justice and compassion for all people will often seek different ends from those which the government will choose, and even more likely, will choose different means to achieve those ends. HE MENNONITE 157 Maynard Shelly a Imagine John the Baptist with a transis- tor radio listening to Rebel Hebrew Radio broadcasting the top twenty tunes from a remote wadi in the Sinai. A young man from Nazareth asks for baptism. As the two go down into the river, the radio remains behind on a rock crackling to snatches of a golden oldie from Psalm 2, a song that had everyone in the bazaars from Bethlehem to Galilee snapping fingers and winking as the fearsome Roman patrols passed by. Those who hummed its first lines showed that they kept the faith: "Why do the heathen rage . . . against the Lord . . . and against his anointed?" (Ps. 2:1-2). God, they believed, wasgoing to ransom his people from the Romans. They'd soon have the laugh on the rascals who tried to rule their land. According to the rousing chorus of that familiar song, everyone clapped hands as God loosed the newly-crowned king on the enemy. "You shall break them with a rod of iron, you shall shatter them like a clay pot" (2:9, NEB). When Jesus came up out of the river, he did indeed hear the refrain of that popular song. The heavens opened and the Spirit came down on him like a dove. And Jesus heard a voice from heaven: "Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mk. 1:11). If you had been living in those days and had heard those words, you might have heard the music echo in the back of your brain. For the song of kingship carried just those words: "Thou art my Son" (Ps. 2:7), said God to the ancient monarchs of Israel. The crowning of a king was an act of God. "I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion" (2:6). And after hundreds of years wilhout a king, the Hebrews wanted to have the dream come true. And, finally, when Jesus came up out of the river to the sound of those kingly words, "Thou art my . . . Son," the long-awaited promise seemed about to be fulfilled. Everyone cheered so loudly, some never heard the words that followed: "in whom I am well pleased." Those words didn't belong to the old kingship song. Did a modern music arranger invent them? The theme of a leader "well pleasing" to God hadn't made the hit parade. But Jesus knew those, words well. Often, he must have pondered God's words from Isaiah: "Behold my servant ... in whom my soul delighteth" (Is. 42:1). The medley from heaven implies that the Savior will be a king ("Thou art my. . . Son"), but the song also shows the character of this redeeming king ("in whom I am well pleased"). The one who iv r ransoms will not swing a rod of iron oi fu crush his enemies like clay pots. Th Servant King who delights the soul o God has a different nature. He "will no break a bruised reed, or snuff out smouldering wick" (Is. 42:3, NEB), bu will "open eyes that are blind" an "bring captives out of prison" (verse 7) God laid out the blueprint for Jesus life in those eleven short words that th Spirit carried from heaven. Jesus ac cepted those words as his chart. He !SUS intended to be a king, but a king the like ' of which the world had never seen: a ?lf Servant King. According to the Servant Songs of * Isaiah, such a king would face a road of suffering. He will be "tormented and humbled by suffering" (Is. 53:3, NEB). | it Ei Imagine the transistor radio sitting on a rock crackling to Psalm 2 as a person goes into the water for baptism. Contents is obedient Servant with the birth- fht of a king would serve with the mility of a slave. "As many were :onished at him ... so shall he startle Bny nations . . . make many to be ! counted righteous ... he bore the sin of fny" (Is. 52:14-15; 53:11-12, RSV). esus claimed those words when he d, "For the Son of man . . . came not to served but to serve, and to give his ! as a ransom for many" (Mk. 10:45). esus blended the song of salvation 1th the servanthood refrain. The ijDple in the days of Jesus sang many good songs. They celebrated their hoped-for salvation but missed the notes of sacrifice in God's composing. Jesus could ransom many because he was in tune with the way God works through suffering. He harmonized the salvation songs with the somber re- frains of sacrifice which made the music well-pleasing to God. He brought that new song of kingship into our earthly lives. When we walk by faith with Jesus, we serve in the way he served. This is the first in a series of meditations for Lent and Easter. letters bliday editorial still speaks ar Editor: The editorial "A Christmas "able" (December 21) continues to aak. I reread it again today after a ■y busy holiday season (!) and in the r ddle of interterm here at seminary. nhe message transcends the holiday ison. It penetrates deeply into our ole Christian experience as many of become enmeshed in the style which iety and we direct ourselves — often lfully. jod grant our desire to taste a ferent style — life in him. hank you for this current word, derick J. OboJd, 3003 Benham Ave., hart, Jnd. 46514 Jan. 24 s, we hear the prophets ar Editor: I continue to enjoy The nnonite with great interest. Your torials are always thought provoking i challenging. Your report on your 3 to Russia was very interesting, ortitza and area were my home until I s fifteen. Can we hear the prophets? Yes, Katie Funk Wiebe, we can hear you! You are one of our prophets. Keep up the good work, you are an inspiration to many. To quote you: "Every once in a while we need someone with courage to take a hard look at what is happening." Thanks again, Mrs. Funk Wiebe. Helen Wiens, 9851 Herbert Road, Rich- mond, B.C. V7A 1T6 Help wanted Van drivers in Portland, Oregon; Markham, Illinois. Skilled home repair workers in Portland, Oregon; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Registered nurses in Kansas City, Kansas; Beatrice, Nebras- ka; Seattle, Washington. Medical doctor in Kansas City, Kansas. Community service workers in Hamilton, Ontario; Kansas City, Kansas; Wichita, Kansas. Community center administrator. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Two-year terms preferred. Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 The ministry of small groups 145 Didn't know I was poor 148 The courage to allow for leaders 149 A boy's eyes 150 News 151 Record 156 Our star-spangled faith 157 Sing a song of kingship 158 Letters 159 The power over regressive thinking 160 CONTRIBUTORS Joseph Roher is administrative assistant at the Canton branch office of Evangelical Friends Church. His article first appeared in the January issue of Quaker Life, Richmond, Ind. 47374, and is reprinted by permission. Donald Gerig is the pastor of Calvary Memorial Church, Oak Park, III. © 1976 by Christianity Today. Used by permission. Peter Hilty is professor of English at Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Maynard Shelly is a former editor of The Mennonite and a free-lance writer at 624 Westchester Lane, Newton, Kans. 67114. CREDITS Cover, Strix Pix, Newville, Pa. 17241; 147, 149, Bob Taylor, Cordell, Okla. 73632; 150, 151, 153, 158, RNS; 154, Harold Jantz, MCC. The Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boule- vard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Tele- phone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main St., Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circulation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L. Ramseyer, 488 West Elm St., Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588South WestMapleSt., Dallas, Ore. 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kans. 67117; Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114; and Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46805. E MENNONITE 159 The power over regressive After several church and related meetings, I was uneasy. It felt as if we were doing too much regressive thinking. I began to keep a diary of statements that sounded negative or regressive. Here are some of them: "We'll never make the budget. ""I don't expect any significant changes in those statistics from year to year." "That will never change." "You can't expect much from that group." "Too bad that we can do nothing about it." "It won't be any different next time." "We can't get anybody to do it." "You will never change that." "It sounds naive to think that much will happen." Depression, frustration, and anxiety are some of our most devastating problems. Such fears and feelings can make the strongest person helpless. Millions of people succumb to these pressures. What causes me anguish is to realize that people of the Christian faith may actually be contributing to this growing mental health problem. When two blind men came to Jesus, he said, "According to your faith be it done to you" (Mt. 9:29). Their eyes were opened because they believed. When an epileptic boy was brought to Jesus, he said, "All things are possible to him who believes" (Mk. 9:23b). The boy was healed because his father believed. It is a great psychological insight and a profound spiritual truth — our attitudes great- ly influence the course of events in which we are engaged. This is not to guarantee a "rose garden" of life for God's people. It is rather to build in us the kind of personhood that has confidence in the ultimate victory even when we experience defeat and weakness. Such a mindset creates resilience that may hang its head in sorrow at times, but then it rebounds and moves forward. The Apostle Paul ob- viously had grown to this stature when he confesses in Romans 7 that he often finds himself caught in moral dilemmas, but "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (verse 25a) because he delivers us through the "nitty gritty" facts of life. Regressive thinking patterns can retard our growth and close the door to the Holy Spirit. If all I can see is a reason not to expect lives to change, it is not likely that I will be able to help thinking a person in this process even when the person wants to change. If a congregation dwells upon reasons why a new stewardship challenge is too great, it is unlikely that individuals will ever pause long enough to look seriously at past patterns of giving. Regressive thinking is contagious. It pulls other people down to your level and holds them back, too. In fact, I wonder if that isn't the main reason why it becomes common amongst us? Some of us don't really want to grow; we love misery and we love to complain. It actually makes us sound pious and concerned to be faithful to Christ. Norman Vincent Peale wrote The power of positive thinking in 1952. Within four years it sold over two million copies. He declared that his book was about a simple, basic, applied Christianity. After all, the Bible also is a positive statement. It declares that God in Jesus Christ confronts the mightiest forces of evil and overcomes them. It is true that Mr. Peale's book is too one- sided. He fails to deal realistically with the human need for spiritual regeneration. It is not within people of themselves to overcome the world. We find our enabling power in Jesus Christ — his forgiveness and his atonement appropriated for our lives by our own free choice. That is the group of people I am speaking about. We are those who have voluntarily committed ourselves to become followers of Jesus. Therefore we are partners in this victory over the power of evil. The negative, regres- sive tendencies within and among us are remnants of sin. They are powerful forces and will be so as long as we live. Paul writes his letter of joy to the Philippi- ans, from a prison cell, ". . . In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. I can do all things in him who strength- ens me" (4:12b-13). Nothing is impossible — through God's grace. When you discuss people or the work of Christ's church, never set your sights too low. Dream the impossible, believe the unlikely, dare the difficult, stretch the imagination, and live positively. The unmeasurable riches of God's resources are at the beck and call of aggressive thinkers. BW Hie OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO MAN LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST 92:10 MARCH 8, 1977 Total world awareness Janet Kreider Welcome to the "Festival of the World" — the sign on the fireplace at Camp Hebron invited the more than 200 participants to visit Ethiopia, Germany, Haiti, Honduras, Israel, Jordan, Russia, Somalia, Tanzania, and Vietnam. Youth groups from ten congregations in the Lancaster, Pennsylva- nia, area had worked with resource persons from these ten countries to present glimpses of their life and culture and to show the church at work there. It was an intergenerational event, a TWA ("total world awareness") experience where age didn't seem to make much difference, except in the amount of wind it took to get from the Germany multimedia presentation in the chapel to the Israel exhibit in Pine Lodge at the top of the hill, to say nothing of the several hikes to the Breezewood dining hall for meals. The weather was perfect and the small Haitian and Honduran grass- roofed houses built just for the day blended beautifully into the rustic camp setting. From ten in the morning until three in the afternoon, groups were busily setting up their displays, registering and getting their passports (you couldn't enter any of the countries without a passport), eating the noon meal, and getting lined up for the Olympic events — canoe races, 220- and 100- yard dashes, watermelon polo, Ping-Pong tournament, and tug of war — which would be going on simultaneously. Eugene McMi- chael produced a "miniworld schedule" telling where everything was happening and when. There was more going on than anyone could possibly keep up with. But that's the way it is in the world: you make your choices and let the rest go by. We visited Tanzania, Africa, first because that's the country our congregation at East Petersburg was responsible for. Guided by the Harold Housman family, particularly Miriam and Ina Sue who had served as missionaries in Tanzania, we had prepared an open market where you could buy slices of papaya and mangos, peanuts in paper cones, baobab pods, and puff balls. On the walls hung a display of cloth, scenes Mount Kilimanjaro, African animals, ri dies, and superstitious slogans. A mui corner invited visitors to play the drums, thumb organ, a wire-string instrument ma t^j from a gourd, a lizard skin, and a peani There was a basketry display and a macrar u demonstration. You could help hang wa paper or plaster a mud wall, watch a pott and a woodcarver at work, see movies African wild animals, trace the outline o twig map of Africa on the ground. Helen Ranck welcomed us to the Som; Peggy Ranck was a student writing her lessons on a hoard. Audrey Musserw fanning a flame to keep a fire hunting under the teapot. — Somalia I'tt :4r ring low :;in Jr Blf fell Air ashop and served us a sweet tea flavored ith cardamom and cinnamon bark. In jmalia it is the men who visit the tea shops; e women are found in the home. Three girls from the Strasburg congrega- jn wearing filmy garbasars over their ightly flowered maxiskirts were sitting on w stools around the room. "What are they )ing?" we wanted to know. "Ask them. iey'11 tell you," Helen said. Peggy told us she was a student writing her jsons on a board. If she did not learn her >sons, she said her teacher would beat her. ancy was burning incense; she said they |:lieve their prayers go up with the incense loke. Audrey was fanning a flame, trying keep the tea hot. "If the fire goes out, we ust go to the neighbor and get more," she id. Three Somali-skirted camel herders !ded local color. We were welcomed into Ethiopia by Alice lyder and Janet Kebede. Janet, wearing a wing Ethiopian shemma, invited us to sit i low stools around the table. After inging water and a towel for us to wash ,d dry our hands, she served us spicy jura and flat pancake-like wat. Choosing ie of us as guest of honor, she placed a bit the food directly into his mouth, twice, for ily once would mean they had had a larrel, she said. After the food, we visited improvised schoolroom, where Janet's Lsband, Negash, taught us to write an nharic word. On a nearby table were hiopian artifacts — a grass basket, a camel 11 made of turtle shell, a bird carved from j ox horn, a whip made of telephone wires r beating animals, and a wooden head- ind travelers used for a pillow. In another ;a Mamo Dula, an Ethiopian, led in an nharic worship service interpreted by :gash. From there we went to Vietnam, where a Tony Saucier, son of missionaries James and Rhoila Saucier, who had lived in Honduras for eleven years, poses in the doorway of a Honduran-type house with his machete. narrated slide lecture told about the church at work. Maps and Vietnamese paintings were around the room. You could buy a Vietnamese egg roll for thirty cents. Luke Martin, former missionary to Vietnam, and Pastor Tran Xuan Quang were on hand to answer questions raised by a skit about the recent government change. Someone asked whether the land was being cleared of bombs, and we learned that many people are being killed as the clearing goes on. Four Vietnamese girls (three of them Pastor Quang's daughters) sang a Vietnamese song iden young people dancing the "hora. Israel about water buffalo. There was a delightful, lilting slur in their tones. Next we wanted to go to Israel in time for a special performance listed on the schedule. But Audrey and Heidi told us, "Go to Jordan first. They won't let you into Jordan if you have Israel stamped on your pass- port." We weren't prepared for that kind of authenticity! Since Israel was at the top of the hill, we visited Haiti along the way. A large kettle of stew was boiling in the center of the clearing, from which we were invited to take a bowlful. Beside a small house built of mud walls with a roof of mud and wire covered with straw, Brenda Burkholder of the Indiantown MYF was pounding rice with a thick stick in a bowl made from a hollowed- out tree trunk. Brenda said she had made some of the posters that were scattered about and had gained much of her information from the encyclopedia. She thought she would like to go to visit Haiti, now that she knew so much about it. At the risk of missing Jordan, we decided to go to Israel before lunch since we didn't want to miss the special program listed on the schedule. We arrived just in time to catch up with a group taking a minitour through the city, led by Janet Stutzman, who with her husband, Linford, had lived in a kibbutz in Israel. Following our enthusiastic tour guide, we passed an Arab puffing on a water pipe on the sidewalk. As we paused to take a picture. Possession is nine-tenths of the law Ron Woelk I said no I won't give it back but you took it and it wasn't yours he said I didn't see your name on it I said then pay me for it he said it wasn't worth hardly anything I said it was to us he said and I said look we are not giving the land back to you Indians what right do you have to even ask I said he quickly covered his face, then reached out his hand for a dime. We sampled matzos (unleavened bread) and Israeli wine (unfermented!). Then we noticed that most of the Israelis were wearing numbers on their arms, reminders of years in concentration camps. Even the guide wore one. We passed by the wailing wall where two men stood to pray, and then went into a kibbutz where a young woman was hoeing and planting seeds outside the window. Janet told us about life in a kibbutz and about the people of Israel reviving ancient Hebrew while an Arab flower vendor tried to attract us into bargaining for her wares. At the end of the tour, Linford said, "Come see the skit, it's really good," with typical Israeli chutzpah (self-confidence). And he was right! The youth group of the Lyndon congregation put on an excellent performance spanning the life of the Jewish people, beginning with the call of Abraham and highlighting biblical and historical events up to the present day. The drama captured a spectrum of emotions, pain, pathos, and spontaneous joy. As we were about to enter Russia, two members of the Erisman youth group gave us a book of the Bible to take into the country. But when we declared it to the guard who asked whether we had any literature, she took it from us. The only way to get it in was either to tell a lie or else evade the question. A large Russian samovar sat on a table inside the door, and posters on the wall showed the progress of the country. Resource person Allen Stoltzfus read us some information, or propaganda, depend- ing on your viewpoint, and then told us to Eager children scurry to pick up the candies that spilled from a broken pinata. Honduras ask questions. He had two hats: a Russi) Government official's hat and his own we asked the questions we were to say whi hat he should wear to answer them. 0 group was not very inquisitive. There w only one question — whether he believ what he had just told us. Perhaps we h already absorbed all we could process tl day. The screaming that we heard in distance as we left Russia was coming frc some children who were watching a Hond ran pinata being attacked by a blindfold bat-swinger. The eager children almost g hit by the bat as they rushed to pick up t falling candies. Nearby was a typi( Honduran house with mud walls, a roof palm leaves, complete with a chicken und the stove and a flower garden by t doorway. A hammock hung in the trees. T Hernley-Gantz MYF assisted, by the Jam Sauder family served tortillas with beai Tony Sauder who had lived for eleven yesflfc in Honduras, posed in the doorway with 1) ki machete. Sinn In the chapel, the Bossier MYF with Oml |1 and Lois Stahl gave a multimedia present tion, "So this is Germany." There we tor monologs, music, slides, narration, apni audience involvement in German games, we had to hurry away to get to the Easte kite Orthodox Easter celebration service at niiljdJs o'clock. In! Since we did not have an Israeli stamp < k! our passport, we got into Jordan witho j-trii any difficulty. There was no time to look d the interesting display of handcrafts becau ;m it was time for the Easter celebration fclo begin. Urbane Peachey and members of tllBcei Akron congregation led in an Eastell-ini Orthodox liturgical service of readinknl responses from the congregation, singin|fcirn and marching around the building. "There was a lot of education going c while everyone was having a good time," sa b William Weaver, director of Camp Hebro whose idea it was to put on this festival. I wanted young people to be exposed to mar different cultures in which the church growing, to see that the church is supran tional. "The church is universal," he continue! m "It is Jesus Christ that makes us one. In hii there are no differences." Total world awareness — did it happen?S much exposure requires a time to procei and assimilate. But it was definitely moijji,, than a geography lesson. The experieru broadened the horizons of those whbi, participated and helped us to see mar cultures in which God is building his churcl THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. It published weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton, Kans 67114, by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonite Church Secon class postage paid al Newton, Kans 67114. and at additional mailing offices. Subscriptions in U S and Canada. $8 00. one year, $1 5 50, two years; $23,00, three years, foreign. $8 50 per yei Edilorial office 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg. Canada R3P 0M4 Business office: 722 Main St , Box 34 7, Newton. Kans 67114 Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Box 34 7. Newton, Kans 6711 164 MARCH 8, 197|. Missions: The end ind a new beginning ank H. Epp the missionary task finished? Probably, >. Hopefully, no. Yes, in the sense we have historically K fined that task; no, in the sense of a new finition which should now attain its long- ught opening. Yes, in the sense of traditional ways and ■ritorial coverage. The gospel has been ken to the ends of the earth by western ssionaries. They have gone everywhere ey could go and stayed everywhere they uld stay. In the process they have established a irvelous record. Consider: — the dedicated service and compassion ward needy peoples poured out by ousands of deeply committed servants of 2 Lord in many parts of the world in the it century. — international education and sensitiza- m which has come to Europe and North nerica because of their reporting when iy returned. — their fundamental contribution to >erty and freedom from foreign oppression giving to colonial peoples a sense of Ivation, chosenness, and calling. — the improvement of medicine, agricul- re, education, and living conditions gener- y- There is much to commend and to be ateful about in the last century of mission- y activity, but that age can never be :aptured, not even when we try to project ithmetically the how of reaching every rson for Christ in a decade or generation d how much this might cost per soul. Our mmmercial bent and computer mentality ly hasten the end of the age. And yet in another sense, there could be a w beginning. I see the possibility of it in the >rds our Lord taught us to pray, "Thy igdom come on earth as it is in heaven." And I see anew a missionary mandate for r time in some of the eschatological Now that the quantitative dimensions are definitely being c ircumscribed, we can give fresh attention to quality and to new perceptions of the kingdom. E MENNONITE 165 projections of the Book of Revelation where we see "the kingdom(s) of this world becoming the kingdom of our Christ" who will reign forever and ever. In those projections, the dwelling of God is with humankind. Now that the quantitative dimensions (territory, geography, demography, the ends of the earth) are definitely being circum- scribed, we can give fresh attention to quality and to new perceptions of the kingdom. We should now see that the kingdom of God is really the application of the will of God for all society here and now. The kingdom is internal but also external. It is personal but also social. It is spiritual but also material. It knows fulfillment in the future but only if it begins in the present. It is a kingdom of heaven, but mostly as a blueprint for the will of God to be done on earth. This fuller, better, holistic, more beautiful and challenging idea of the kingdom of God now wants to become central to the missionary task. It needs to be applied at home. It needs to be applied abroad. Because this hasn't sufficiently been the case in the past, the most terrible things have happened as adjuncts of western (European and North American) missions and evange- lism abroad: — the expansion of commercial and political empires abroad which was facilitat- ed by, and which in turn facilitated, the missionary movement. — the prosecution of wars in Indochina first by the French and then by the Ameri- cans. — the strengthening of totalitarianism and the camouflage of corruption as formerly in China and now in Korea, to name only two situations. Many other examples could be given from a careful examination of the correlations in mission history: — Dutch missionaries, merchants, and military reinforced each other in Indonesia. — French missionaries, merchants, and military did the same in Zaire. — the Portuguese in Mozambique. — the Spanish in various parts of Latin America. — the British in India and Rhodesia. — the Americans in Vietnam, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and other places too numer- ous to mention. There is a frightening correlation between the spread of the American military and commercial presence, theircooperation with military dictatorships, and the advance of missions and evangelism. This tragic alliance not only represents a twisted gospel and a truncated kingdom of God in the present, but it almost certainly guarantees unfavorable treatment for the missionaries in the future when the natives, with the help of revolutionary movements, finally evict the foreign merchants and the foreign military. What we are facing now is a sad situation: a Christian church in America anxiously trying to fulfill its worldwide tasks of missions and evangelism with new zeal and mammoth application of resources at the very moment when America has become the world's foremost manufacturer and dis- penser of arms, defender of dictators, and supporter of the status quo. For those who may doubt these correla- tions, let me quote from Heartland ("Presi- dential campaign issues of major concern to all Americans" published by President Ford committee, October 1976): "Thirty Protestant leaders, many of them household names because of their radio and TV ministries, recently met with President Ford at the White House, at their own request, to learn his position on matters of concern to religious groups. The same men are requesting a meeting with Jimmy Carter. "Those with missionary radio or TV stations overseas expressed concern to the president over U.S. military strength. They noted that whenever the United States appears weak, it becomes difficult for them to function overseas. But when America is perceived as militarily strong, it is easier for them to practice their ministry without harassment." If there is to be a new mission movement, there must be a clear disconnection of the old correlations, a severing of the old alliances; a fuller grasp and application of the kingdom of God and its message of peace and justice for all humankind; a fresh targeting of the mission field, namely, America itself first. Christians in America must now confront their kingdoms of this world (military, political, and commercial principalities, powers, and empires) with the kingdom of Christ. Vietnam and Watergate, used sym- bolically to illustrate national misdirection and corruption, have focused this need with great urgency. This confrontation and the resulting transformation at home could once again make the Christian gospel, as preached from the West, good news abroad. It could even make a difference in Russia and China, where the leaders have sought, without God, much of that which those who formerly came preaching in the name of God should have brought but rarely did. Is the missionary movement finished? Without the good news of the kingdom of God on earth, probably, yes; properly, yes! With it, hopefully, no; predictably, no! With it all the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our Christ, and he will reign forever and ever. in this world thin! 1 10' pray. ; lihtn pzat WW (fttu l sen tots tei V taic ft tctutic Elizabeth Searle Laml ri lithei Friend . . . Brother . . . We are one world, only one, no more. Take up a bit of the sacred earth and hold it in your hand. This is our land, one earth unfragmented. We sing one song: peace. We have one yearning: peace. We are one world, Friend . . . Brother. . . . 166 MARCH 8, 1977 News ,re Afrikaaners like popular anecdote in South Africa goes nething like this: When the missionaries ne to Africa, we had the land but they DUght us Bibles. The missionaries asked us pray, and when we had prayed and we ened our eyes, we found we had the Bibles d the missionaries had the land. Ernie Regehr used this anecdote to istrate the role of the church in the ionization of South Africa. He recently !;sented his point of view, the result of two irs' study under MCC in southern Africa, a series of lectures on peacekeeping to idents at the Canadian Mennonite Bible i|j'llege in Winnipeg. Mr. Regehr said the church is a key i titution in South Africa. 'The church is a politically important i titution, unlike in Canada where its i pact as a pressure group is fairly min- iial," he said. (For instance, the Dutch Reformed »urch in South Africa was the architect of Jartheid (the legal separation of black and hiird consultation planned •r single adults lgle adults will be the focus of a conference Illy 3-6 at Laurelville Mennonite Camp |r Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The conference, sponsored by the Com- (ssion on Education of the General ' inference Mennonite Church, is intended ! • persons widowed, divorced, separated, I never married. Ministers and other i!erested persons are also invited. Keynote speaker will be Dorothy Payne of pite Plains, New York, author of the book omen without men: Creative living for I gles, divorcees, and widows. 'Other resource people will be David ! hroeder, professor of New Testament at ( nadian Mennonite Bible College, Winni- Orlando Schmidt, music professor at i sociated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, 1 chart, Indiana; and three COE staff based i Newton, Kansas: Herta Funk, Eleanor 1 ewen, and Bruce Woods. separate workshops will be provided for i /er married, widowed, and separated or < orced persons, as well as joint sessions. ' e conference begins at 5:30 p.m., Sunday, i i ends Wednesday afternoon, legislation should be sent to the Com- r ssion on Education, Box 347, Newton, li nsas 671 14. Fee for the conference is $15 1 is room and board at regular camp rates. Mennonites? white populations), and the opposition to it today centers in the multiracial and black churches. He also emphasized that peacemaking is hazardous in South Africa because anyone advocating integration can be put away for life without review under the Antiterrorism Act. Reviewing the history of South Africa and its race relations, Mr. Regehr identified three views of peacemaking in South African churches. The Dutch Reformed Church pursues separation as a means for peacekeeping, using the argument that the perception of apartheid is the cause of conflict, not apartheid itself. Mr. Regehr explained. It argues that it is possible to differentiate between people without discrimination. "The rationale is that the Dutch Reformed have a mission, which must be carried out as a people, so they must survive as a people. This means separation." The approach of the multiracial churches is integration. "To them, even voluntary separation is a denial of the conciliatory power of the gospel." A third approach is that violence may be necessary to bring about peace. In the black movement there is a feeling that a traumatic experience is necessary to change the attitudes of whites toward blacks, and the blacks toward themselves. Mr. Regehr said elements of Canadian society and church life can be related to the situation in South Africa. "South Africa is very much aware of the Indian reserves," he said. "South Africans relate the Quebec-English Canadian conflict to the conflict between the Afrikaaner, British, and blacks in South Africa." When the Mennonites were in a situation similar to the Afrikaaner (Dutch Reformed) in South Africa, namely in Russia, their treatment of the indigenous people was not without fault, Mr. Regehr said. He said that Mennonites, as immigrant Europeans in North America, are conquer- ors, just as the whites are in the position of conqueror in South Africa. Further, the notion of the Afrikaaner as a chosen people has its counterpart in the Mennonites' notion of a separate people. Finally, he noted that the structure within the world Mennonite church reflects the economic structure, in that North American Mennonites hold power over Mennonites in third world countries. "Violence on TV breeds violence," says Epp "The lesson learned from violence-oriented [television] programs is that violence is the way to solve problems," said Edgar Epp of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. "Our society is not, it seems, against violence; we just want to make certain it is legal or that its use is confined to those who are on 'our' side," he said. "But whose side are we on? If I interpret correctly the words of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 5, the children of God are those who are peacemakers and those who love their enemies and pray for their persecutors. The Christian's response to, and behavior toward, another person is not determined by whether that person is adjudged right or wrong, good or bad." Mr. Epp said violence in prime television viewing time has risen from 20 percent twenty years ago to 60 percent. He suggested three actions for Christians: (1) help children interpret what they see and hear from a Christian perspective, (2) boy- cott programs and those products advertised on programs that condone violence, and (3) protest to the sponsors, producers, and others responsible for placing the programs. TV advertisers to be confronted Some churches are calling for stockholder action against television violence to encour- age companies to disassociate product advertising from programs with a high incidence of violence. The Church of the Brethren, for example, is contacting two corporations, Pillsbury, Inc., owner of Burger King, and Proctorand Gamble, urging adoption of guidelines governing the selection of programs with which their products are identified. The denomination holds stock in both corpora- tions. In findings released by the National Citizens Committee for Broadcasting late in 1976 and compiled by an independent research agency. Burger King and Proctor and Gamble were among the top twelve sponsors of violent television programming. If the managements of Burger King and Proctor and Gamble do not respond affirmatively, Stewart Hoover, Church of the Brethren media consultant, said the church would take a resolution to the corporations' stockholder meetings in Sep- tember. ' IE MENNONITE 167 Words ffl deeds The Osier (Saskatchewan) Mennonite Church has urged a "moratorium on any further nuclear development in Saskatche- wan and Canada until the questions of safety and future implications have been dealt with." The congregation passed the resolu- tion at its annual meeting January 17. A proposed uranium refinery near the neigh- boring town of Warman has aroused concern among residents of the area. Leonard Boldt, congregational chairman, and Ernie Hildebrand, pastor, had been asked to draw up a resolution. The Institute of Mennonite Studies and the Mennonite Historical Society will observe the 450th anniversary of the Schleitheim Confession June 28-29 at Goshen (Indiana) College. The seminar will include eight papers by John H. Yoder, James M. Stayer, Myron S. Augsburger, William Klassen, Leland Harder, John S. Oyer, J. Denny Weaver, and Ira D. Landis. The Schleitheim Confession, the earliest known Anabaptist confession of faith, was drawn up by Anabaptist leaders February 24, 1527, at Schleitheim, Switzerland. The Golden Age Society of Clearbrook and Abbotsford, British Columbia, has opened a used furniture and appliance store to raise money for Mennonite Central Committee. Herman Klassen, a retired businessman and teacher, has also offered his services to those who need help filing income tax returns. Part of the proceeds will be donated to MCC. The society plans to set up recreation and education programs. Furniture repairs will be made in the basement of the store. Total giving to Bluff ton (Ohio) College in the first six months of fiscal year 1 976-77 was the greatest in the seventy-six-year history of the college. This amounted to $336,280 from all sources. But the college faces an anticipat- ed $98,000 deficit by June 30 because of a drop in enrollment. Adoptive and fostering parents and their families are being invited to an event at Camp Assiniboia near Winnipeg. More information is available from the Confer- ence of Mennonites in Manitoba, 202-1483 Pembina Highway, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2C9. Service counselors of the Lancaster (Penn- sylvania) Mennonite Conference are rec- ommending that Lancaster Conference youth — both young men and young women-- register their conscientious objec- tor status with the conference office. Service Churches demonstrate against capital punishment itlar Pickets from the Episcopal Diocese of Arizona demonstrate in front of the state Capitol it s. El Phoenix against Arizona's death penalty law. The pickets distributed leaflets from tht tt Arizona Civil Liberties Union and the National Council of Churches opposing capita punishment. A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision has caused many state legislatures k iple reconsider their laws concerning capital punishment. , counseling was begun when the U.S. Selective Service System was in operation. It provided youth with information about the military draft. Since the draft has ended, the service counselors have not been active. Representatives of the conference peace committee expressed concern that the conscientious objector position is not ade- quately promoted in the conference and that youth are unaware of the rationale for the theology of peace. In contrast, the govern- ment has increased its promotion of military service. One member of the committee said his son receives literature almost weekly extolling the opportunities of the military. A group of Australian Christians in the state of New South Wales has recently requested marriage theme spots for radio from Mennonite Broadcasts, Harrisonburg, Vir- ginia. Ken R. Coulson, Christian radio spot director for the state, said he feels confident that he will be able to place the spots on almost every station in New South Walei || | and later in other states. » IC An additional 225 Mennonite church » workers joined the Mennonite Retirement ires Plan in 1976, bringing the total to 2,762. The ns a plan is an inter-Mennonite program admin- nfer istered by Mennonite Mutual Aid, Goshen Indiana. Feb With the completion of about thirty-five 4 unit sanitation facilities in LaPaz, Mexico, the MCC rebuilding effort there will end in late March. The recovery effort was infcm; response to Hurricane Lisa, which struck the ft Baja, California, peninsula of Mexico Sep- tember 30. Although the original idea was to construct houses, the Mexican Government did that, and the Mennonite effort focused|tl! on sanitation units. MCC is working there with the Pacific Coast Mennonite Confer- ence and the Mennonite colonies in the Mexican state of Chihuahua. 168 MARCH 8, 1977 \ >uth apprentice ogram planned en the high school youth group in the ireh conducts its own program with a iple of adult sponsors. But teenagers do feel a part of the total program of the ireh and may feel no incentive later on to olve themselves as adults in the church. ^ possible solution to the dilemma will be ed this spring by the youth offices of the leral Conference Mennonite Church and Mennonite Church. "he project will put high school youth as >rentices to adults in their own congrega- a. .ois Bergen, General Conference director youth education, Newton, Kansas, said ith might serve for six weeks to three nths as apprentices to a deacon or a iday school teacher or a music director or pastor. Each apprentice would contract h his or her sponsor on the nature and || gth of the task. A final workshop would luate the project. The General Conference pilot project will conducted in about five churches in the stern District Conference (which consists marily of churches in Kansas and Oklaho- ). Ms. Bergen will work together with :stern District youth worker Michelle esen Carper. 'Fhe Mennonite Church pilot project will Ifpnducted simultaneously in the Indiana- chigan Conference with Bob Zuercher, s retary for congregational youth minis- s, Elkhart, Indiana. We want to get a number of adults olved with youth rather than just one c iple 'sent out' as youth sponsors," said Bergen. VM representatives lill continue on boards 1 >men in Mission will continue to be IS resented on the three program commis- s ns and the seminary board of the General inference Mennonite Church, li The General Board, in its annual meeting i February, approved an indefinite exten- s! n of the arrangement by which Women in I'ssion, the General Conference women's 0 ;anization, appoints one of its members to Jth of the three commissions and the s linary board as full voting members. The arrangement began three years ago 1 a three-year trial period. Both General I ard members and Women in Mission c icers agreed that it had been beneficial, pladys Goering, WM coordinator, told tj General Board there are more women on t| commissions now elected through rjular channels. But she felt the WM I: resentation should continue as long as there is a need for more voice for women on the commissions. Last year the WM budget of $165,275 provided funds for the commissions and the seminary as well as its own staff and publications. In 1973 the Commission on Home Ministries realized it had no women members and appointed two women on its own. A conferencewide consultation on the role of women in the church that fall recommended representation of Women in Mission on all the commissions. That representation was approved by the General Board in February 1974. Poverty monies cut back this year Budget for poverty projects in all three commissions of the General Conference Mennonite Church have decreased from 1976 to 1977. The cuts— from a total of $73,601 in 1976 to $50,913 in 1977— did not seem to be part of a concerted effort, but when budgets had to be trimmed, it was easier to cut where no staff time was involved. Poverty projects first became a designated part of the commission budgets in 1973, when the Poverty Fund was discontinued. The Poverty Fund, established by the General Conference triennial sessions in 1968 and abolished by the triennial confer- ence in 1971, had called for informing Mennonites of the plight of poor minority groups in North America, supporting programs to attack the roots of poverty, and financing these with a million-dollar fund. During its last year of full-speed opera- tion, 1971, the Poverty Fund collected $85,000 for poverty education and poverty projects. During the first year in the commission budgets, $60,000 was allocated for poverty projects. That amount grew during the good income years of 1974 and 1975, but was cut back for 1977. The Commission on Overseas Mission cut its poverty budget from $30,000 last year to $20,000 this year. Only $13,500 was actually distributed last year. That amount was all that was requested by overseas churches within the guidelines of the Poverty Fund, Howard Habegger, COM executive secre- tary said. The Commission on Home Ministries trimmed the poverty budget from $34,601 to $25,91 3. The Commission on Education cut back from $6,000 to $5,000. CHM and COE have a joint poverty- affluence reference council, which last year distributed about $40,000 to North Ameri- can projects related to community minis- tries, Indian ministries, voluntary service, and education. The Commission on Home Ministries agreed at its February meeting that this year's cut in money for poverty projects would not be repeated, and that 1978 poverty monies would be back up to the 1976 level. Time-saving rice thresher developed A Chadean farmer operates a foot-powered rice thresher built by former MCC worker Robert Slabach. The thresher, which allows the farmer to do his threshing in one-fifth the usual time, is made entirely out of local materials such as wood, bicycle parts, half of an old forty-five-gallon barrel, nuts, bolts, nails, a round tube to serve as an axle, and rejected bale wire from a cotton factory. Cost was about $75. Current volunteers Dallas Myers and Elmer Thiessen hope to hire a carpenter to make the threshers. E MENNONITE 169 Special session to discuss B.C. Bible institute^ Delegates of the Conference of the United Mennonite Churches of British Columbia at their annual session February 11-12 in Clearbrook, British Columbia, showed a renewed spirit of mission, tackled a new constitution, and reviewed cautiously the working arrangement for Columbia Bible Institute. Wally Unger, academic dean, presented a glowing report of the cooperation to date at Columbia Bible Institute, the joint Menno- nite Brethren-United Mennonite school in Clearbrook. The total faculty, in fact, presented a written statement of their harmony and their belief that CBI was providing quality Christian education. They said in part: "The very fact that two conferences and faculty members represent- ing both can do work together at an enterprise like CBI is in itself a powerful witness to brotherhood and mutual aid concepts central to the Anabaptist vision. Our prayer as a faculty is that nothing would hinder or mar this witness. We dedicate ourselves anew to do everything within our power to keep this witness unified, strong, and clear." In spite of the report that faculty and students were harmonious, it soon became evident that there was tension between the Mennonite Brethren and United Mennonite executives and board. After five years of working together, the agreement needs to be renegotiated. A UM study commission has been working on what forms this partnership might take. Likewise, the MB provincial executive, board members, and planning Canadian church press meets Allan Siebert, assistant editor of the Menno- nite Brethren herald, was elected vice- president of the Canadian Church Press at its annual meeting February 10-1 1 in Toron- to. Dennis Shoemaker, executive secretary of the North American Associated Church Press, challenged church publishers to report the acts of the twentieth century apostles similar to the way Luke wrote the Acts of the Apostles. Eric Kierans, formerly a president of the stock exchange and a Canadian cabinet minister, now professor of economics at McGill University, told the annual banquet that the giant corporations are in direct competition with the churches as dispensers of immortality. Membership in the CCP has risen to fifty church publications. The Mennonite is an associate member. commission have been meeting. The MBs do not wish to discuss a merger. The MB committee minutes of January 1 1, made public at a joint executive meeting, contain the following resolution: "(1) The control and administration of CBI are not negotiable. (2) The equity of property at CBI is not negotiable. (3) With the exceptions cited in items 1 and 2 as above stated, we are prepared to negotiate a new working agree- ment. The executive of the UMs presented, and the sessions passed, five recommendations: (1) that we seek to strengthen and retain the working relationship, (2) that we not react hastily to the MB resolution, (3) that the conference discuss but refrain from binding resolutions which might hinder negotiations, (4) that the executive committee and CBI board members draft a proposal of partner- ship that we feel would be mutually acceptable to both conferences, and (5) that a special session of the UM Conference in April discuss and prepare these resolutions to be submitted to the annual sessions of the MB Conference this summer for their consideration. Other business saw the delegates rescind a 1940 constitution and adopt a new one. With the new constitution comes a change of narr to Conference of Mennonites in Britis ,;r" Columbia, an end to proxy voting, and lengthening of executive terms of office i) ' 'l three years. Significant features of the ne constitution are the adopting of the Genen Conference statement of faith adopted a Estes Park in 1968 and a more detailed loo at local congregations' rights and dutit within the conference. The missions emphasis was placed o^-1 exploring a new church at Langley, helpin ; struggling congregations at Oliver anfts* Chilliwack, and an English and a Chinesi outreach in Vancouver through the facilitie "''-'I of the Mountainview Church. Another major project, Camp Squeaty reported good progress on finishing a new At . J' frame lodge and a hope to have it paid for b :ii ' the end of this year. They were grantei m $19,000 more to complete it. The conference of 4,000 members passed; »» budget of $263,963. Of this, $162,580 i bp; expected to come from church donations, una The newly elected executive committed txd members are George Groening, chairman lirar John Sawatzky, vice, chairman; Jurgei lb Schonwetter, secretary; and Victor Dyck treasurer. Alvin G. Ens Brazil church has extension classes Programmed extension classes on such topics as "Introduction to the Bible" and " The life oj Christ" are a new part of the Mennonite work in Valinhos, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Mennonite mission work in Brazil is done jointly through the Mennonite Evangelical Association, in which the General Conference Commission on Overseas Mission and Mennonite Board of Missions in North America and German- and Portuguese-speaking Mennonites in Brazil cooperate. Shown above are Valinhos class members, from left, Ademir and Maria Aparecida If anger, Mary Lou Yoder, Ruth and Joaquim Luglio, Arlin Yoder, Benedito Oswaldo Garcia, Davi Lopes da Silva, Maria Aparecida B., and Alfeu Peres. 170 MARCH 8, 1977 \\ Hiroshima and hot dogs He Japanese people have reacted with jbck and disappointment to the recent news up that preserves World War II aircraft, cine complete with a B-29 bomber flown by t original pilot, Paul Tibbets. There was |n a semimushroom-shaped cloud. The ciference was that the real bomb left nearly l|l,000 people dead, missing, or injured. The fact that Americans could view this s ctacle in an atmosphere of marching pds and hot dogs shows that "Americans aj not really sensitive to the feelings of the J panese people," John Nakajima of the l|tional Christian Council Japan said. "The zens of each country must be sensitive to ,er peoples. After all, how would the >|iericans feel if one of the pilots who aiiicked Pearl Harbor reenacted that event lapan?" The second point raised by Mr. Nakajima vis morality. "Despite the fact that atomic vjipons are immoral, there is no interna- t pal legislation prohibiting their use." I wever, Yamaguchi Akiko, secretary of t| NCCJ Women's Committee, added, l|e proliferation of atomic weapons is r stly the fault of the Japanese. Since we sifered the atomic disaster, it is our job to | test effectively the development of tl :lear weapons." apan has few physical reminders of the v -. But even though over half of the present J >anese population was born after World V r II, of these young people 70 percent of tl; males and 80 percent of the females feel t the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and gasaki will never be forgotten. Japanese dcribe themselves as having an "atomic I rgy," and the idea of using this horrible dint as a fund-raiser is inconceivable. i 'amaguchi Yasuko, a teacher in a church- 1 ted kindergarten, reacted with total izement to the news of the Texas event. A ng student the day the bomb exploded r Hiroshima, she will never forget the siiden light and the sight of a three-story oj crete building as it crumbled over the sliients inside going for chapel. Jps. Yamaguchi said she will never I erstand the thinking of those in Texas wj) sponsored the show. She is puzzled at h)|/ the Americans could have possibly put tl| past away so quickly. |I know Americans have a great deal of ci| osity about new things. It is difficult for me to accept the fact that the bombing was reenacted only to satisfy American curiosity and to raise funds. I would like to know why it was really done," she said. Matsuoka Nobuo, leader of a citizen's movement against atomic energy plants, said, "I will never be able to hold my head up and face the people of the Philippines, China, Korea, and other Asian countries where the Japanese military ruled. My heart is filled with apologies for these people. Several thousand people were killed instant- ly by the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and many are still suffering in their sickbeds. The vivid memory of that hell will stay with the people who lost their loved ones," he said. "I strongly believe that the atomic bombs should never have been used or even produced. The Texas show was an insult to those who died during the bomb- ings, but more important is the harm done to the survivors and the families of those who lost their loved ones." Official protests were lodged with the American Embassy by the mayor of Hiroshi- ma and groups opposed to atomic and hydrogen bombs. Araki Takeshi, Hiroshima mayor, said in a letter to the embassy that to treat the dropping of an atom bomb as a show trampled on the "spirit of Hiroshima," calling the reenactment "a blasphemy" against the many people still suffering from the aftereffects of the blast, from Japan Christian activity news Smoke billows 20,000 feet above Hiroshima from the first atomic bomb dropped in World War II. z MENNONITE 171 Summer work camps announced Carpentry, television spot production, and work with the retarded will be part of the summer work camps for high school-age young people scheduled by the General Conference. Sponsored jointly by the Commission on Education youth office and the Commission on Home Ministries voluntary service office, the work camps will range in length from two to six weeks. One hundred sixty-seven openings in sixteen locations, six more than in 1976, are available for youth aged sixteen and older (with one work camp accepting fifteen-year- old girls). The following locations are in- cluded: — Bloomington, Illinois, working as aides in the Mennonite Hospital. Three sessions from June 5 to August 2 1 are planned. This is the only work camp that will accept fifteen- year-old volunteers, but it is limited to females. — Denver, Colorado, working with re- tarded children at the Wheat Ridge State Home, June 1 1-July 8. — Hamilton, Ontario, fixing low-income homes and helping in the Welcome Inn, a community center, June 26-July 27. — Sauble Beach, Ontario, grounds im- provement and crafts and recreation with children at the Silver Lake Camp, June 28- July 22. — Newton, Kansas, producing television and radio spots and work experience in a studio, July 1-17. — Sudbury, Ontario, playground develop- ment, crafts and music, recreation, and involvement with a coffeehouse, Julv 4-24. — Meridian, Mississippi, carpentry, re- pair, and community service at the Pine Lake Fellowship Camp, August 13-24. — Beatrice, Nebraska, working with the mentally handicapped at the Beatrice State Developmental Center, June 5-July 15. — Portland, Oregon, assisting the Peace Mennonite Church in building and play- ground development and one week of wilderness experience, June 26-July 17. — Lame Deer, Montana, working with family camps, youth, and community work and learning about traditional Indian gatherings and ceremonies, July 1-25. Mature individuals requested. — Kansas City, Kansas, developing the- ater productions for day-care and senior- citizen centers, July 2-23. — Fort Wayne, Indiana, helping with recreation, arts and crafts at the Fort Wayne State Hospital and Training School for tl retarded, July 1 1-26. — Bluffton, Ohio, helping with arrang ments for the General Conference trienni sessions, July 26-August 5. — Seattle, Washington, working in tl Seattle waterfront, Pacific Coast, and 0 ympic National Forest, July 31-August la — Manitoba, Camps with Meaning, spoij sored by the Conference of Mennonites Manitoba, working with a special camp fi persons in the Association for the Mental Retarded, June 16-July9. Volunteers shoul be mature individuals. — Americus, Georgia, helping with dail farm work of the Koinonia Partners, a interracial community established by the lal Clarence Jordan, August 13-24. Applications and a $3.00 deposit shoul be sent, preferably by May 1, to Wor Camps 1977, Box 347, Newton, Kansa 67114; attention: Lois Bergen. Assignment will be made on a first-come-first-serve basis. Cost of the camps varies from $35 to $6 plus transportation costs to and from th camps. Work camp leaders, college age and oldei are also needed. Record Workers Gladys Goering, coordinator for Women in Mission since 1973, has resigned effective Sept. I. Ms. Goering, a member of the First Church of Christian, Moundridge, Kans., has been working part time in the Newton, Kans., office of Women in Mission. Her job has included maintaining contact between the General Conference boards and commis- sions and women's groups in the United States and Canada. She had previously been Western District advisor for women's work and advisor chairwoman for the entire organization. Her replacement will be announced this spring by Women in Mis- sion. Don and Eleanor Kaufman of Newton, Kans., will leave their post as personnel coordinators for Mennonite Voluntary Service at the end of their term at the end of August. At the time of the Kaufmans' leaving, Mennonite Voluntary Service will move to a new administrative model which will disperse the personnel functions among three associate MVS directors. MVS now has a part-time director and two full-time associate directors, one with administrative responsibility for units in the West and the other for units in the East. In September, a new associate director will be hired to take responsibility for units in the center of the continent half time and to take care of some central office personnel matters half time. Don and Eleanor Kaufman have served with MVS since September 1974. They had previously lived in Minneapolis and Moun- tain Lake, Minn., where Don had served pastorates. They spent 1960-67 with Menno- nite Central Committee in Indonesia. Jim Paramore of Southwestern College, Winfield, Kans., has been named head football coach and assistant professor of health, physical education, and recreation at Bethel College, North Newton, Kans. Elected officers of the Central District Conference Committee for the Encourage- ment of Estate Planning(CEEP) for 1977are Richard Ramseyer, president, director of development and public affairs, Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio; Paul Dyck, vice- president, administrator, Mennonite Me- morial Home, Bluffton; and Leon Smucker, secretary-treasurer, director of develop ment, Mennonite Hospital, Bloomington |)( 111. Calendar hi Mar. 21-25— Project Teach, Bethel Col lege Church, North Newton, Kans. Apr. 14-17 — Central District Conference annual sessions, Calvary Church, Washing- ton, 111. Apr. 28-May 1 — Eastern District Confer- ence annual sessions, Camp Men-O-Lan, Quakertown, Pa. June 9-12 — Pacific District Conference annual sessions, Aurora, Ore. June 16-19— Northern District Confer- ence annual sessions, Huron (S.D.) College Oct. 21-23 — Western District Conference annual sessions, Buhler High School, Buhler, Kans. Western Mar. 15 — WMO spring meeting, Halstead (Kans.) Church Mar. 20 — Peace Institute, Eden Church, Moundridge, Kans. 172 MARCH 8, 1977 f he Foundation Series No other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:11 CHECK YOURSELF! Christian education is . . . □ adults sharing their Christian lives with children and with each other. □ the child and the Bible and the family in the congregation. □ teachers listening to students. □ students listening to teachers. □ a quiz. □ adults talking about their faith with children and with each other. □ asking questions. □ giving answers. □ making the Bible come alive in our world. □ children being loved and prayed for by parents, teachers, and the congregations. all collect Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., CST, for any information you desire on >undation Series. Cornelia Lehn, John Gaeddert, Dietrich Rempel, (316) 283-5100. ammission on Education, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. (the child the Bible the teacher in the congregation in the congregation in the congregation Maynard Shelly Red flag for the Redeemer Jesus saw the red flag of warning. "Stop! Stop!" it said. "Turn back before it is too late!" John the Baptist had led the way, and Jesus, up to that point, had followed. John baptized in the desert of Judea and Jesus went down to the Jordan to receive his baptism. Jesus, receiving the Spirit, came up out of the river, and heard the voice from heaven: "Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Mk. 1:11). God's words confirmed kingship on Jesus, but they also marked out the road for a suffering servant who would be well pleasing to God. John had preached repentance followed by revolution: "He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise"(Lk. 3: 1 1, Revised Standard Version). Jesus intended to take up where John, his forerunner, had left off. But would he dare? Jesus went into the wilderness to pray. In spite of all the doubts that Satan could concoct, Jesus determined that the right time to announce the kingdom of God's servants had come. Then, like a bolt of lightning on a clear day, came the news: John the Baptist had been arrested by King Herod and put in prison (Mk. 1:14). For, on the matter of kingship, Herod was a staunch conservative: one king at a time. He intended to be the king for a long time. Jesus had clear warning. The world can be brutal with its prophets and even tougher on its revolutionaries. John, who had been a forerunner to Jesus in preaching, had now become Jesus' forerunner in suffering. A shadow like a cross had appeared across the path. Jesus did not turn back. Instead, he went quickly to Nazareth in Galilee. He went to the house of prayer where he had studied the Law and the Prophets as a boy. Asked to read the Bible lesson for the day (Lk. 4: 18, 19), he used the verses from Isaiah 61 to announce his mission as Servant-King. "Proclaim liberty," said Isaiah, repeating Leviticus 25:10, those words which would one day be inscribed on the Liberty Bell and herald the American Revolution. In using these words, Jesus was calling for a new age that Moses had commanded in the Jubilee passages in Leviticus but which the people of God had tried to ignore. The Jubilee canceled debts and set the slaves free. Those who had lost their fields got their land back so they could earn their own living once again. "Sight to the blind," said Jesus. Poor people, weakened by hungerand disease, are often blind. But unseeing are also the rich who fail to perceive that only justice for the poor can rescue the wealthy. "Set at liberty those . . . oppressed," Jesus also said, adding to his reading the words from Isaiah 58:6. The coming kingdom belonged to broken victims: those persons degraded and shriveled by poverty. They would receive the economic and political power so long denied them. Such, in Jesus' summary, was "tht acceptable year of the Lord" and the "year ol the Lord's favor" (Is. 61:2). Nazareth echoec to words once heard over Bethlehem: "Glor> 1 to God in the highest,/ and on earth peace tc^ men on whom his favor rests" (Lk. 2: 14, New International Version). Clearly, Jesus said, he was the King ^ anointed by God to proclaim the new age "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,/ because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor" (Lk. 4:18, RSV). John brought "good news to the people" (Lk. 3:18, RSV) but Jesus had good news for the poor. He had in mind those people who had no food and no money. They were outcasts and ^ oppressed, the subjects of scorn. So, the poor of Nazareth welcomed Jesus gladly. They must have been among those who found what he had to say to be "gracious words" (Lk. 4:22), while the rich were probably those "filled with wrath" w (4:28). "Treason" is what the affluent of Nazareth must have said. They wanted to lynch him (4:29). Again, the shadow of the cross looms over Jesus. We see clearly what it means to follow the route of the suffering Servant- King. But the cross with all the danger and doom that it implied could not turn him around. The cross was God's way. For us, as Christ's servants, the way of the cross and its sacrifices means not our doom, ich but our faith and our hope. *ch Second in a series of meditations for Lent tm and Easter n 1 mat jays JVM Seco 3!;\ ini 174 MARCH 8, 1977 f Letters [i lutstanding articles Tar Editor: The January 18 issue is many Mennonites involved in hundreds ways without association with or in the ove-mentioned programs or relations. I >uld like to suggest a news coverage of :se other Mennonites as well as the ones jsely involved in Mennonite organiza- ns. Second, the purpose as stated in the blication seems to be unrelated to the tual production. May 1 quote, "The mnonite seeks to witness, teach, motivate, d build the Christian fellowship within the ntext of Christian love and freedom under | guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy pit." I find this goal unfulfilled as I scan the ges of each issue. In order to "build the Siristian fellowship," one must submit jpiself to the understanding and knowledge the Scriptures. But I have seen very little ij the Scriptures used to exposit the teach- ij; found in The Mennonite. I do not say Kt the views, the witness, the teaching, and j : opinions found therein are wrong. But I I say that every bit of teaching must be ! iidated from the Scriptures. I And teaching of the Christian church must ive a biblical basis in order for that jiching to be held as the truth. Even if the iching is true, without a biblical basis it j comes weak in its witness and motivation, lie human mind needs a foundation (of truth) on which to build Christian fellow- ship. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit never divorces his work from the foundational truth of the Word of God. Thus, the Holy Spirit will always guide the Christian community through the Word of God within any context. I challenge the staff of Tlie Mennonite to consider its purpose. Thank you for your listening ear. Lee Henise, Roaring Spring, Pa. 16673 Missed Canadian pastors Dear Editor: The fourth annual pastors' workshop held at AMBS, Elkhart, is just completed. Workshops have dealt with topics such as preaching, counseling, admin- istration, and this year nurturing (or Chris- tian education). I attended three of the four workshops and have found them to be consistently helpful and well planned. The resource persons have been excellent and the learning, stimulating. My disappointment is in seeing few Canadians (especially pastors) participating in these workshops. In this most recent workshop, I counted six participants (of about 150 total) from Canadian General Conference congregations (this does not include Canadian AM BS students). I feel we as Canadians are missing a lot when we fail to take advantage of the excellent opportuni- ties available to us in such workshops as are planned annually by our seminary in Elkhart. Abe Bergen, 3003 Benham Ave., Elkhart, bid. 46514 (AMBS student from Winnipeg) Timely, also puzzling Dear Editor: Your editorial "Another meeting . . ." (February 1) is timely and says it well for many of us. We need your suggestion in paragraph eight. The ninth puzzles me because my expe- rience has been exactly the opposite. Invariably, those who have spent time in prayer before a meeting come prepared to listen and discern the Spirit's leading, often making unnecessary a great deal of discus- sion. The amount of time needed to reach consensus is often inversely proportional to the amount of time spent in united prayer. A suggestion to pray may be a cop-out. Prayer itself invariably leads to insight and action or it is not prayer. LaVerna Klippen- stein, 753 Fairmont Road, Winnipeg, Man. R3P1B3 Contents Total world awareness 162 Possession is nine-tenths of the law 164 Missions: The end and a new beginning 165 In this world 166 News 167 Record 172 Red flag for the Redeemer 174 Letters 175 A different ethic? 176 CONTRIBUTORS Janet Kreider, 3101 Harrisburg Pike, Landis- ville. Pa. 17538, is assistant editor of Mis- sionary Messenger for the Eastern Menno- nite Board of Missions and Charities Frank H. Epp is president of Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ont. Maynard Shelly resides at 624 Westches- ter Lane, Newton, Kans. 67114. Poets for this issue are Ron Woelk, 30 Wheatland, Hutchinson, Kans. 67501, and Elizabeth Searle Lamb, 3418 West 37th St., Topeka, Kans. 66614 CREDITS Cover, 162, 163, 164, Elizabeth Kreider, EMBMC, Salunga, Pa. 17538; 165, 168, RNS; 169, Elmer Thiessen, MCC; 170, GCNS; 171, Atomic Energy Commission. "Total world awareness" is reprinted by permission from Missionary Messenger, September 1976. "Missions: The end and a new beginning" was written for MCC Peace Section to distribute at Urbana 76. m. The-. Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main St., Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Telephone: (316)283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circu- lation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L. Ramseyer, 488 West Elm St., Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588 South West Maple St., Dallas, Ore. 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kans. 67117; En- compass, Mary Rempel. Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114; and Window to Mission, Jean- nie Zehr,4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46805. HE MENNONITE 175 A different ethic? I get uncomfortable when mission boards and MCC talk about Christian missions and service under "authoritarian" governments. Mission boards have discussed what it means that most countries in Latin America have military governments, some without representative assem- blies, some with torture of political prisoners, some where Sunday sermons must be approved in advance by the government. Mennonite Central Committee has brought up the topic at the last two annual meetings, discussing governments of both the right and the left. This year in Metamora, Illinois, papers wer,e;.presented on Vietnam, the Soviet Union, and th&Union of South Africa. The Missionary Study Fellowship planned to discuss the subject March 2-4 in Elkhart, Indiana. But I am uncomfortable. The main reason for my discomfort is the arrogance of the lists of countries by categories: "authoritarian," "having little freedom of the press," "free," or whatever. The lists consider few countries free, but the United States and Canada are always on the "free" list. The assumption is that U.S. and Canadian Christians have no problems with their govern- ments similar to those of people under "authoritar- ian" governments. I do not want to minimize the tragedy of the violation of human rights anywhere in the world. But such violations also happen here in North America. We should not be too smug. We have often been guilty of the same kind of smugness when talking about Christian evangelism overseas. Just substitute the word heathen for authoritarian. The assumption is that ours is a Christian nation not in need of the same kind of mission work as the "heathen" countries. But when we look at the growing differences between rich and poor, our enormous waste of resources, the prisoners who are in jail only because they have no money for bail, the continuing discrimination against minorities, the violence of the streets, the resurgent influence of the military, the broken relationships all around us, the many disillusioned people who say they have no need of the church, we have no reason to be smug. All of us in North America or abroad have accustomed ourselves to certain compromises with our culture and our government, and we need to help each other identify our blind spots across cultural and national boundaries. The second reason I am uncomfortable is that I'm not sure we should expect to live and work under a benevolent government. The New Testament does not tell us how to live in a Christian nation. The only governments of the New Testament world were "authoritarian." Jesus and his followers expected to be persecuted by the authorities. Jesus was executed as a political prisoner. Peter, Paul, and others spent time in jail because they obeyed God rather than human laws. The history of the church since then is full of the stories of martyrs whose actions were interpreted politically. Should we expect to be different here and in our time? The best mission or service workers in authoritar- ian countries overseas will be those who have some experience with confronting their own governments with the priority of the kingdom of God over all human kingdoms. Those who are willing to compromise the message of the gospel at home have often been willing to compromise it in a hostile environment as well. Bill Bright of Campus Crusade, whose Ameri- canism strays little from the policies of the Pentagon, told an evangelistic rally in Seoul a few years ago he could see no restrictions on religious freedom in South Korea. Whether in North America or elsewhere, we as Christians should see ourselves first as citizens of Christ's kingdom. Then the laws of governments — whether our own country or another — can be put in perspective. Then we would not need a different ethic for "authoritarian" countries than for our own. We in North America have much to learn from Mennonite brothers and sisters like those in Montevideo, Uruguay, where police harassment and the arrest or deportation of church members have been common. I recently saw a filmed interview with Dan and Eunice Miller, former Mennonite Board of Mis- sions workers in the Timbues congregation there. They told of a core group of Christians who care for each other and for their neighbors in the midst of persecution and poverty and do so with joy. We, too, must learn to be persecuted for righteousness' sake and yet rejoice. LB 3 UBRARY S 4. The Mciinoiiiic OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO MAN LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST 92:11 MARCH 15, 1977 man engineering refers to scientific experimentation to cover the role of the genes in human reproduction, By ireful manipulation *d^B§3fe^ °f the genes, one ny radically j^M^ ' 'lgQg^ alter future gener- ous. In this dmBaSrk lssue' Donald acKay of mBShBw), v**"sT\ England reports a «TOMw y\ * J / m conference of . mstian mflBHffl ^*S^J[^/ 11 professionals moral and implications of discoveries, the lical i?se new Human engineering and the future 1 of himmiiif y i Donald M. MacKd Christian obedience has often expressed itself more in faithful conservation than in adventurous exploration. How then should Christians view the subject of human (genetic) engineering? Our first reaction might be strongly negative. "I'm content with what God gives me; I don't want to interfere." This reaction may be reinforced by sheer inertia. "It's dangerous. We don't know enough. Where will it all lead? Best keep out. Let the world get on with it if they will. . . ." But will this do? No. "He that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin." The sum of misery in the world is reducible. God — the God we claim to serve — is the giver of the new knowledge. It is God who will one day ask us: "What good did you do with it?" It was in this biblical light that some 150 Christians gathered in the summer of 1975 for a conference on human engineering at Wheaton College, Illinois. We considered the technical aspects of the good that might be done and sought to assess the attendant risks. At the outset, Daniel Callahan of the Institute of Society, Ethics, and Life Science raised the key question: Do we have a positive obligation to do good, or is our obligation only to avoid doing harm? It was generally agreed that the Christian cannot stop at avoiding harm. We do have an obligation to do good, if the good is well identified and in our power. Mr. Callahan reminded us that our power is bounded power, limited power. It is an illusion to think that we can proceed without limit, because sooner or later the implica- tions catch up with us. So we must go slowly and if possible reversibly, remembering that we are not only limited in our wisdom, but also sinful and therefore warped in our motives. We reminded ourselves that even good aims can conflict, especially among the different levels — individual, family, and corporate — at which human fulfillment is to be sought. Reduction of infant mortality, for example, which is surely an individual and family good, conflicts with the aim of preventing mass starvation, unless we can find a humane and acceptable way of avoiding exponential population growth. The achievement of material goals and improvements can all too readily swamp the spiritual point and purpose of our human existence. The question with top priority is always, How will it all end? To what end is it all being directed? And these things can conflict miserably. The manipulative approach, even when well intentioned, can degrade human sub- jects. The sweeping generalization that "medical science converts people into things" we reject as typical of the extremist propaganda which brings discredit upon arguments which might otherwise deserve respect. But the danger is not to be ignored. No human engineering substitutes for personal salvation, even if some felt that certain virtues listed as "fruits of the Spirit" can be assisted by the kind of reinforcement (perhaps encouragement is the ordinary word for it) that behavioral psychology is beginning to understand. Where do we turn for guidance in such a maze? Will the old Judaeo-Christian values still serve? An immediate answer is that values and moral criteria do not serve us at all; they judge us. But it is a good question whether the old slogans will still serve to articulate the relevant biblical criteria i va\ applied to these new situations. For example, the slogan "the sanctity ( n m; life" can be confusing if we take "life" in to hi strictly a biological sense. We have respons xs, bilities to God as procreators to bring Goc jxi glorifying lives into being. To use only th p;> slogan "the sanctity of life" to determin isp when a fetus should survive seems ai fot inadequate and simplistic way of measurinjhsii: up to our responsibilities. The slogan "the sacredness" (or the rights) ii or the worth) of the individual is admirabli and thoroughly biblical as applied to th normal grown human being. But in border line cases we may have to ask whether we ii fact have an individual person here to whon it is meaningful to attribute rights. W( sensed the difficulty of the duty to tread ths middle way of biblical realism between, ot the one hand, an arrogant lack of respect foi ju fullest potentialities of the biological situa tion that exists before a conscious chile comes into being and, on the other hand superstitions and meaningless talk of "re sponsibilities" to nonpersons. We have to recognize that the fetal situation at an early enough stage is essentially a physical biological, not a personal, one, whatever the potential may be. But we reminded ourselves many times that in all this the Creator is beside us, knowing the facts better than we and affronted if we underestimate through carelessness, or any other unworthy motive, the personal capacities of that biological situation. By the same token, we must remember that if in God's sight, in particular abnormal case, there is not anyone there with a claim on us, then we will do him no service by going through pious or To i 178 MARCH 15, 1977 v iperstitious contortions as if there were. So far I have been summarizing points at made us cautious, but the Bible has uch to say also on the positive side. Not irprisingly, little of this is in the way of rect commandment. Encouragement jmes more indirectly from the biblical :rspective and biblical priorities. First among these, for the scientists and e human engineers themselves, is the most :neral principle of all: Seek ye first the ngdom of God and his righteousness. Second, for the people we are seeking to :rve, God's first priority is that they should ; enabled to glorify and enjoy him forever. To that end, the Bible urges upon us the eation ordinances of marriage and family "e and the moral ordinance of the Law. articularly relevant are the values of delity, integrity, loyalty, and obedience in ie family and in corporate relationships >reeable to the law of God. Are these truisms? They are certainly i miliar enough; but as I have already iiggested, to work through what these lings should mean in particular cases may : the best and most realistic way to get our 'es open to God's will in each case. In all our later discussing and thinking we ust be careful to distinguish between what |! ight be legitimate in God's sight — perhaps | 'en in particular cases obligatory in God's Ight — and what ought to be made legal. I What, then should the Christian church be ping? The church might redeem its past by xoming the champion of science in areas jhere fearful and less informed people might I ;rhaps oppose scientific research. We ;ju"eed, however, that it was essential for the Ipurch to be a critical champion, criticizing I love if there were any signs of unbiblical tendencies. The implication would be that the church should oppose research only if it infringes biblical principles, or if the research would take the place of and prevent our doing something still better, something more glorifying to God. This last point may be of great importance. There will always be enthusiastic people who are bitten with one idea and want to sell it. To argue that "there is nothing in the Bible against it" is not good enough. Part of our responsibility as Christians, as indeed of anyone else in an effective community, is to consider whether there is not something still better or more urgent that needs doing. We have to do our homework before we can be clear that it would be still better, but it is certainly part of our obligation to ask. Secondly, a major responsibility of the church is to clarify some key concepts in the debate. By "the church" here, of course, I mean Christian people; I don't necessarily mean persons, let alone general assemblies. But qualified Christians ought to be busy, working in what is at the moment a live area in philosophy, seeking to clarify such concepts as human nature, the person, human rights, consciousness, and death. A third task for Christians could be to promote and spell out in detail the implica- tions of what David Allen called the "principle of reciprocity." "Would 1 want the same done to me?" he asked us. In sufficient- ly clear-cut cases that is a good test. But of course, there are awkward cases. If we are considering whether a fetus with Down's syndrome should be allowed to develop into a mongol child, there is little help in asking, "Would I like it done to me?" There are a lot of borderline and gray areas where the outworking of the principle of reciprocity is far from clear and our conference did not spend much time in exploring them. The church has its part to play in the most difficult part of this whole enterprise for our society, namely, learning what to want. The theory of behavioral manipulation makes it clear that the greatest power lies in the hands of the person who can determine what we want, so that this is a sensitive and fateful area of the discussion on human engineering. What ought we to want? It is important for the Christian not to take the stance of the people who know what they want, and other people have just to listen. We will have to be ready to listen just as much as the non- Christian, even though our ear is bent primarily in the direction of God's Word. One more note of warning. Here, if anywhere, the devil will be waiting to step in. We will have to be wary of ganging up with groups who do not respect God's priorities and pursue them with all their hearts because we can quickly find ourselves trapped in unrealistic compromise. We may then be rightly stigmatized as letting the group down if at some later point it becomes clear that it does make a difference whether or not you believe that humanity's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever. Equally, we must pay especially loving attention to any misgivings expressed by our fellow believers who may not have had the advantage of attending a conference on human engineering and may be more hesitant and fearful than we. The function of the church as salt in the earth is a corporate one. Our thinking in this area must be a fully corporate enterprise if it is to be fully open to such guidance as the Holy Spirit of God can give so abundantly to his church. HE MENNONITE 179 Enabling the counseling ministry David W. Kingrey More people visit counselors now than ever before in the history of humankind. We witness masses of lonely, confused persons who cannot find direction in their lives. Millions are harassed, helpless, and misdi- rected. If ever there were a need for the church to respond with a counseling minis- try, it is today. Though the numbers of distressed per- sons have multiplied since the days that the carpenter from Nazareth walked the hillsides and towns in Palestine, the problem is not new. Matthew reports, "Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and preaching the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every infirmity. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd" (Mt. 9:35-36). Jesus' ministry to the diseased and disturbed persons was essentially a counsel- ing ministry in which he invited his disciples to participate. "Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest' " (Mt. 9:37-38). The commandment was meant not only for the twelve apostles, but forall Christians. Jesus' admonition to give counsel to the confused mind is directed especially to Mennonites living in an age which has seen more divorces and suicides than any other generation. Indeed, Mennonites with their stress on the priesthood of all believers can offer the wider Christian fellowship a valuable approach to the counseling minis- try. Following the belief that all Christians are ministers, we affirm that all members of Christ's church should share the burdens and help relieve the problems of others. Of course, some persons are more gifted in counseling than others. But the problems of the masses are so enormous that they will never be surmounted unless we all share Christ's yoke with the millions of troubled souls in our land. At University Friends Meeting in Wichita, Kansas, we are creating a model in which fifty shepherds in sixteen geographical areas of the city share the load of pastoral care and counseling. They meet regularly with the team pastors of the meeting to gain strength and spiritual insight. Then they go out, often in pairs, to the fields ripe for harvest. Ten of these shepherds handle the more intense psychological problems. In a monthly case conference, these ten counselors, led by the pastors, help one another in the counseling process as they consider in detail the urgent needs of the persons to whom they minister. Before the case conferences often they will consult with psychiatrists, social workers, and marriage counselors. So the counselors are informed by other specialists in the healing arts. At the same time they are open to the direction of the Spirit of Christ, the great Physician. Their counseling assumes many styles but includes four essential elements which characterized Jesus' minis- try. Listening. Probably the most therapeutic technique in the counseling process is listening. Many people today are preached to, lectured at, and manipulated by TV, but seldom listened to. They are hungry for a listening ear. And until they receive it, they wallow in their problems as if they were trapped in quicksand. Usually, listening can rapidly short-circuit the frantic struggle to find answers to problems. Christ knew the power of listening. Matthew tells about a centurion searching diligently for Jesus. "Lord, (said the centurion) my servant is lying paralyzed at home, in terrible distress" (Mt. 8:6). Jesus could have answered, "I don't have time for you," or "Get a doctor." Itd< 1(1111 Instead he listened and responded, "I wi come and heal him" (Mt. 8:7). Understanding. Listening is importan but if it does not lead to an understanding c > the person and the problem, it loses it strength. Good listening leads to empath} ^ an ability to step into the shoes of anothei y% When we understand the feelings of anothei then we are better equipped to respond in reasonable and helpful manner. Accepting. Listening and understandin cannot stand alone. Unless counseling lead to an accepting relationship with another, can be dangerous. Knowledge about some one else can be terribly destructive if it is use< maliciously or carelessly. If we bare ou breasts before others and share with then secrets about our lives, we are vulnerable. I they choose to use that knowledge for thei self-gain, we could be hurt deeply. A good counselor, therefore, necessarily uses th< confidential information for the benefit o: the client and does so in a caring, accepting and forgiving relationship. Although a few in our society need to lean the meaning of guilt, many persons carry ai unhealthy load of unshared guilt. In his book Whatever became of sin? Karl Men- ninger explains perceptively that "uncon fessed guilt feelings are hard to bear. The} must be confessed to someone" (p. 197) That confession can best take place when persons know they are accepted. Again we turn to our Lord for a model of accepting love. Jesus easily could have remained silent as he passed by the sycamore tree in which Zacchaeus was perched. Instead, he stopped and asked the short man to come down and to talk with him. Jesus even invited himself to Zacchaeus's home. Certainly Jesus real ized that by so doing he would bring criticism, since the righteous Jews were not to associate with sinners, much less eat with them. Nevertheless, Jesus risked his own 180 MARCH 15, 1977k lage to go home with a thief. jWe do not know the exact content of the nversation which occurred around Zac- aeus's supper table. But we do know that thecounselingexperience with Zacchaeus, sus conveyed a loving spirit. Until now, icchaeus was a frustrated tax collector, sus knew that his frustration was essential- a symptom of a spiritual problem and that 'ie most helpful spiritual resource that the Christian van offer to frustrated ■rsons is the forgiving, accepting love which conveys the compassion of Christ. nothing short of spiritual resources would be sufficient to help the man. Zacchaeus wanted to find his reasons for being on this earth. He wanted to discover the purposes for which God had created him. So Jesus responded with a spiritual answer. "I forgive you, Zacchaeus," he said in essence. "I accept you." That offer of forgiveness provided the power for the tax collector to break out of his prison of guilt and confusion and freed him to discover the direction God was leading. Many people's problems today have similar spiritual roots. Persons are hungry to discover why God has placed them on this planet, earth. And until they can answer the question, they will not crack their own prisons of frustration. Probably the most helpful spiritual resource that the Christian can offer to such frustrated persons is the forgiving, accepting love which conveys the compassion of Christ. Encouraging. Listening, understanding, and accepting are dimensions of counseling which prepare persons to find and cultivate the seeds within themselves. Ultimately, counselors do not answer the problems of their clients. Rather, they encourage their clients to nurture the Light which God has given them and to discover their own inner strengths. Counselors stimulate the self- discovery process as they give encourage- ment. We humans are built to thrive on encouragement, not criticism. The Apostle Paul understood the depth of this truth when he enjoined the Christians at Thessalonica to "encourage one another and build one another up" ( 1 Thess. 5:11). As we encour- age, we help others build self-esteem, which is the cornerstone of a healthy life. The hungry crowds are searching desper- ately for encouragers, for listeners, and for understanding and forgiving friends. The members of Christ's body are to be these friends. "No longerdo 1 call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends" (Jn. 15:15). We are a fellowship in need of certain ones to equip and enable others in the counseling task. Pastors and other specialized counse- lors should seek training, not only to be better counselors themselves, but also to equip the saints for the work of the counseling ministry. We need the gifts of all church members to provide a listening, understanding, accepting, and encouraging ministry to the harassed crowds. E MENNONITE 181 News Words deeds lintel' The Council of Mennonite Seminaries 1977 summer school has been scheduled for July 4-22 on the Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary campus in Fresno, California. Topics include the Schleitheim Confession of Faith, discipline, nonconformity, oath taking, church and state issues, mission, baptism, the Lord's Supper, and church leadership. Instructors will include Abe Friesen, A.J. Klassen, Sergio Negro, Paul Pierson, August Claus, John H. Yoder, John E. Toews, George Brunk III, J. B. Toews, David Ewert, and Waldo Hiebert. More information is available from the Biblical Seminary, 4824 East Butler, Fresno, Califor- nia 93727. March 21 is the deadline for applications to be staff persons at one of the three Manitoba Conference camps: Koinonia, Moose Lake, and Assiniboia. Junior staff development workshops are planned for March 25-28 and March 29 to April 1 at Camp Assiniboia. More information is available from Camps with Meaning, 202-1483 Pembina Highway, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2C9. The Bible Society of the Dominican Repub- lic and the Bible Society of Papua New Guinea have been accepted as associate members of the United Bible Societies. UBS membership now totals fifty-nine national Bible societies. A church librarians' workshop was sched- uled for Western District churches March 12 at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas. The day was to include a panel discussion with three Mennonite authors (Elaine Rich, Ruth Unrau, and Katie Funk Wiebe) and workshops on audiovisuals, library promo- tion, processing books, and book selection. The first two Indonesian development volunteers to be assigned by the Beyond Java Development Commission of the Evangeli- cal Church of Java were commissioned in their home congregations in January. The volunteers will be agriculture extension workers in the MCC program in the Wayabung settlement in Sumatra. About 20,000 settler families are located there. The Beyond Java Development Commission was formed in late 1975 to minister to about 500 Javanese Mennonite families who migrated from the overcrowded Indonesian island of Java to southern Sumatra under a joint church-government program. The voluntary service development program was estab- lished to recruit young people to serve in these settlements. Those with overseas experience in small villages should tell their story to congress- persons, Iowa Congressman Tom Harkin told a Washington, D.C., seminar sponsored recently by Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries. He said congresspersons have almost no knowledge of the daily lives of the majority in nations whose destinies their legislation affects. Mr. Harkin was one of the congressional delegation who saw and photographed the tiger cage prisons in Vietnam. This evidence of the corruption of what the United States was supporting in Vietnam helped Congress to realize the error of being there. A Mennonite Brethren study conference on eschatology (the end times) will be held October 13-15 in Fresno, California, area. 771? Associated Churches of Moundridge, Kansas, are sponsoring an annual marriage preparation workshop this spring, open to all engaged couples in the community who are planning marriage this year. Local ministers direct the workshops, and Harold Thieszen, pastor of West Zion Mennonite Church, is coordinator. The workshop usually meets for three or four sessions to discuss such subjects as communication in marriage, sexuality, finances, priorities and values in marriage, and religion in marriage and family life. cpocus Musicians, dramatists wante for world conference Inter-Mennonite and cross-cultural sharin \0S of the arts is planned for the tenth assembl of the Mennonite World Conference July 2f |i no u 30, 1978, in Wichita, Kansas. Ideas for performers and materials fror Mennonite musicians and dramatists ar sought as planning for the arts at Mennonit World Conference continues. Musical and dramatic presentations wil be part of the daily events for periods o R pas twenty and thirty minutes in addition to th Friday evening drama festival and thfcct Saturday music festival. The Creative Artier Council will consider recommendations ani inquiries concerning performers, scores, o scripts. By April 15, interested individuals oi groups should contact Virginia Miniger music coordinator, 213 South Main, Hess ton, Kansas 67062; or Diane Umble, drams coordinator, Box 347, Newton, Kansa: 67114. Sell I ail on 1 (or iftieii \\3 Worldwide Mennonite membership increases Mennonite and Brethren in Christ world- wide membership now stands at 606,000 This increase of almost 4 percent over the 1976 figure of 583,000 is included in the information in the 1977 Mennonite World Directory released by the Mennonite World Conference Secretariat, Lombard, Illinois. This membership reflects Mennonite and Brethren in Christ bodies and groups in thirty-nine countries on six continents. It includes approximately seventy organized bodies plus many additional groups not formally organized into conferences. Various bodies do not use the name Mennonite, but are identified historically or voluntarily as part of the worldwide Menno- nite fellowship. Again this year growth figures for the third world overshadow the figures for North America and Europe. Membership in Asia reflected the largest rate of growth, 13.3 percent. In Africa, membership increased by 7.7 percent, while Latin America showed only a growth of 1 . 1 percent, compared with a growth of 29 percent last year. Membership for Europe remained stable, while the North American membership increased by 2 percent. This directory will be published in the General Conference Mennonite Church Handbook of information. ick IKS iWi K I miw IVi Ik h k h id id; m ICO nan 182 MARCH 15, 1977 | lilim location to be decided later l(|e possible relocation of Elim Bible lititute from Altona, Manitoba, to Portage 'lf]| Prairie was the issue delegates had eoected to discuss at the annual sessions of I : Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba "wbruary 24-25 in Steinbach. 'But by the time of the conference there was •Mil no word from the Manitoba Govern- i:nt on whether it would sell the buildings : i\ a former Indian residence school at 1 rtage la Prairie. So the questions of how 1 I » Elim Bible Institute should be and •tether it should be located in a rural * fennonite community or an urban area I I re postponed for a special meeting which ■ II be called later. II The conference delegates, who turned out large numbers in spite of a heavy snowfall : ii ; night before, spent much of their time i';cussing how the new structure for the Inference, adopted last year, was working. I Many programs have shifted from one jthnic ministries expand I Vancouver, Winnipeg :pw churches among Chinese and Greek l! mic groups are being started in Vancouver i d Winnipeg, some with financial help, i|me with simply encouragement from ;nnonites. In Vancouver, a program is being started * the Mountainview Mennonite Church, lid a minister of Chinese background is ling hired. The Congregational Resources j iard of the Conference of Mennonites in I Lnada agreed at its annual sessions in : nuary to support the work. Support will J,o come from the Mountainview congrega- ) n and from the Conference of Mennonites 1 British Columbia. In Winnipeg, a Chinese fellowship — not ennonite in name — is meeting twice a ek in the building of the Bethel Mennonite if lurch. Pastor is Jonathan Chen, a Menno- j :e minister ordained in Taiwan, who has fed in Canada for the past six years. Jim Penner, chairman of the Manitoba : ssions committee, said thirty to fifty j ople are meeting for Bible study in the jthel Church. The group meets at the Ihiversity of Manitoba on Sunday morn- jus. "We are not putting any money into is, but we want to stand behind it," Mr. Inner said. jThe Manitoba missions committee is also j/ing encouragement to mission work hong the 5,000 people of Greek back- pund in Winnipeg, under the leadership of jmstantine Yphantides, who has been j'ving the Mennonite church in Oak Point, Manitoba, part time. committee to another (for example, the counseling program from Faith and Life Communications to the education commit- tee). Some staff positions which were authorized last year have yet to be filled. The conference has a paid administrator, but still no conference minister or youth worker. The conference adopted a budget of $445,540, of which $232,540 will be raised from the churches. Some income comes from Elim tuition, radio programs, and camping. The provincial conference's camping program — at three locations, Assiniboia, Moose Lake, and Koinonia — is almost self- sufficient financially. Under the directorship of Terry Burkhalter, hired about 1 Vi years ago, the camp program not only sponsors summer camps for children and youth, this spring the program is sponsoring a weekend for adoptive and fostering parents and their families April 1 5-1 7 at Camp Assiniboia and a weekend for divorced or remarried people April 29 to May 1 at Camp Koinonia. Other events are being planned for those with mentally retarded family members, the deaf and hard-of-hearing, and senior citizens. Speaker for the conference was David Schroeder, New Testament professor at Canadian Mennonite Bible College in Win- nipeg. "Jesus is not Savior first, then Lord later," he told the conference. "Salvation rises out of a decision to commit oneself to Jesus as Lord. Salvation is closely related to obe- dience." Delegates and committees also reported at the conference that: — some congregations are taping the Faith and Life radio programs and using them in Sunday school classes. — a missions festival is planned for May 1 5 at Camp Koinonia with Ed Giesbrecht of Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, as speaker. — the church in Mather, Manitoba, has split into two congregations and the Stein- bach Bergthaler Church has withdrawn from the Manitoba Conference. — urban students are going to secular institutions after high school, not to CM BC or Elim, one delegate said. "What is happening to our Mennonite faith?" — the conference has an $84,000 debt, but delegates voted down a mandatory levy to liquidate it. "Those churches who have paid all their levy will vote against the motion, and those who have not will vote for it," a delegate remarked. Among those elected at the conference were Werner Neufeld, farmer from Boisse- vain, chairman; Otto Hamm, lay minister of the Morden Bergthaler Church and a hospital administrator, vice-chairman; and Henry Friesen, high school teacher in Brandon and deacon of the Grace Church, secretary. Lois Barrett Officers of the Manitoba Conference — (from left) Otto Hamm, vice-chairman; Werner Neufeld, chairman; and Henry Friesen, secretary — are installed by Peter G. Sawatsky February 26. HE MENNONITE 183 Problems of illegal aliens affect Mennonites Several months ago a man gave Samuel Resendez's father an address and $800 in cash, saying that if the immigration agents took him the money should be sent to his family in Mexico. Three weeks ago the Mexican came to him again and asked for the money, saying that he wanted to put it in the bank so that it would accumulate interest. The following day agents found him, searched him, stripped him, took his money, and sent him back to Mexico. He was an illegal alien. Samuel Resendez, a Mennonite Brethren tax consultant and former teacher at Pacific College, Fresno, California, told this inci- dent at a Mennonite Central Committee- sponsored workshop on the plight of undocumented aliens living in the United States. About twenty-five pastors and church leaders, mostly Hispanic, gathered in February in Washington, D.C., to learn how to respond to the problems of people like this man. An estimated six million illegal aliens live in the United States, and last year over 800,000, most of them Mexicans, were deported by agents of the Immigration Naturalization Service (INS). Some of these people are members of Mennonite congrega- tions. One pastor estimated that 50 percent of his congregation is made up of ilegales and said that the treasurer of the congregation had recently been deported. How do such pastors help and counsel their flocks? The answers were as varied as the parade of thirteen speakers which the conference offered to the participants. Delton Franz, director of the MCC Peace Section Washington office, traced the involvement of Mennonites in the forced migrations of their people. He suggested that the church can respond as it did by using the "Menno pass" to resettle the Mennonite refugees from Russia at the end of World War II. He compared the refugee situation to various immigrations today and used the Old Testament analogy of the Israelites being at the Red Sea. "Unless we understand the problems of people crossing the border today, we cannot understand the story of the Israelites," Mr. Franz said. A second suggestion came to set up a counseling and placement service. Pedro Carillo, director of the Spanish Catholic Center in Washington, is a kind of one- person-plus-volunteers rescue organization which helps aliens to arrange their papers, provides translation and aid for court appearances, gives housing, and helps persons study for citizenship exams. Aside from direct work with the aliens, Mr. Carillo emphasized the need to educate the church. "Teach your people," he urged, "that illegal aliens are not criminals." Yet they are treated as such, he said. Living in the United States without proper documentation is a civil offense. His speech was punctuated by an occasional amen from the Mennonite pastors. A third suggestion in dealing with the problem of undocumented aliens was to obey the law and to cooperate more with the Immigration Naturalization Service. E. B. Duarte, Jr., asked for cooperation with the INS to inform aliens of their possible benefits as well as to suggest that they return to countries where they had formerly lived if proper documentation is not available. He asked the group to continue speaking to the government. "We have a lot of hard hearts and minds that can be softened if we have them hearing the Spanish story," he commented. But he insisted that the law be followed, a position which some felt he accepted too easily. In a passionate plea Jose Ortiz, associate general secretary of the Mennonite Church, asked how a person could forget his people so easily when he came to power. "Since we cannot change the law and since you are committed to follow it, could we in the light of our peace tradition ask that your agents treat these people with the basic human P rights that belong to them?" Mr. Duart id°ei who is special assistant in the Hispam l^0 liaison office of the INS commissione W ' looked at his feet and said, "I hear you." l^PP The law, in fact, was a basic issue fc MiC discussion because new legislation ha 0^ exposed the long-standing problem c U'K undocumented aliens in a new way. At th >l ^ end of 1976, legislation was enacted whic 'M^ limits immigration from Western Hemis phere countries to 20,000 each, thus reducin Ite'1 ll! legal immigrants from Mexico by more tha lM 0 50 percent. Earlier quotas gave preference t t» 'ot Mexico because of its physical promixit 1'^ and greater interrelationships. The legislate °wl tion came at a time of increasing politica f* pressure in the United States to restrict lega entry into the country and of sever* unemployment problems. Among the proposals for action at thJ conference were a protest against the effecplH of the restrictions of the Western Hemisia* phere Immigration Amendment (PL 94jfc!iM 571), a plea for INS to hire agents who wen '!K sensitive to the Hispanic community anq'D who respect basic human rights, a proposal oaist for granting amnesty to aliens already living s in in the United States, and a proposal that thspl church provide a committee to work witrpN immigration and establish an office orjii immigration concerns. Levi Miller, Scotti ■ dale, Pennsylvania lu» Ugandan archbishop killed The late Anglican Archbishop Janani Luwum is shown with Uganda's president Idi Amin Dada when the two were on friendly terms. According to the government-owned Tanzanian newspaper. The daily news. Field Marshal Amin personally shot and killed the Anglican archbishop in mid-February. Donald Jacobs of Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions called Janani a personal friend. " When I gave him my good-bye embrace after the Pan Africa Christian Leadership Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, last December, I somehow felt that he would ultimately be one of President Amin's scapegoats, "said Mr. Jacobs. "He was no doubt aware of this as well, / simply said, 'God weeps for Uganda, and so do we.' " ■he 184 MARCH 15, 1977 jCC budget e alyzed rritf does Mennonite Central Committee ijl|ce use of the funds it receives? Ijaring 1976 a total of $11,488,303 was lit. Approximately three-fourths of this lih was cash used overseas and in North erica. The remaining fourth represents value of material aid goods such as :at, beans, bedding, health kits, Christ- ; bundles, and used clothing shipped n MCC material aid warehouses, lost of the material aid supplies were >ped overseas — less than 1 percent was I to locations in North America. )f the portion of the total representing i, over $6 million was sent to overseas grams and the remainder, over $2 lion, was spent in the United States for grams such as U.S. Ministries, Self-Help, nnonite Disaster Service, the trainee gram, Peace Section, and Mennonite ntal Health Services and for administra- costs and other special expenditures like )ping costs and the MCC history project. )f the total $1 1,488,000 expenditures for 6, 7.8 percent, or $897,729, was spent in linistrative costs at the headquarters ce in Akron, Pennsylvania, and the onal offices in Reedley, California, and rth Newton, Kansas, he remainder, almost $10.6 million, resents material aid and cash used at field itions to run programs. iost of the funds and material aid to mce this budget came from donations n Mennonites and Brethren in Christ dss Canada and the United States, lerican Mennonites contributed $5.8 lion in cash and materials and Canadians I million during 1976. Contributions n other Mennonite congregations und the world totaled more than $40,000. s category includes income from relief | held in Canada, the United States, and an and thrift shops. dian youth center opened in Oklahoma recreation center for Indian youth in mmon, Oklahoma, has been reopened :r a year and a half of limited use. Tie center will allow such recreational ivities as basketball, volleyball, table nis, fuszball, badminton, tennis, and eball. New recreational equipment has n purchased with a poverty projects grant m the General Conference Mennonite urch and a grant from the Western trict (Mennonite) Conference, .and adjacent to the Bethel Mennonite urch in Hammon was given by Ramona rt, a member of the church, for a recreation center. Former pastor Jake Unrau and Mennonite Voluntary Service personnel helped develop the site. A metal building was erected and various recreation- al programs were then begun. In 1975 MVS was unable to replace volunteers and the Indian ministries pro- gram was unable to replace Pastor Unrau. Lack of leadership resulted in sporadic use of the center. Local people who had credited the program with reducing teen vandalism and other crimes during its operation wanted to revive the center. John Chand, now a Mennonite pastor in the area, began work- ing on a communitywide approach to youth recreation in October 1976, and a local committee is now refurbishing the building. Two staff persons funded by the Coopera- tive Employment Training Act are recom- mended by the local committee. A reopening of the center was planned for Sunday, February 27. Cheyenne Bible translation under way Cheyenne Mennonites in Montana are among those working with Wycliffe Bible Translators in translating the Bible into Cheyenne. In December 1976, Elaine Strange Owl of the Birney (Northern Cheyenne) Mennonite church was hired as full-time Bible transla- tor. Initial translation has already produced some of the Christmas story, some Old Testament stories, and other Scripture. Ted Risingsun, Cheyenne tribal leader and member of the White River (Cheyenne) Mennonite Church at Busby, is project director. Many Cheyenne people, who live in Oklahoma and southeastern Montana, consider the Cheyenne language their mother tongue, said Wayne Leman of Wycliffe. Misunderstandings have arisen when Cheyenne have heard Scriptures in English. One Cheyenne man who knew English fairly well translated Psalm 23:1 as "The Lord is my Shepherd; I don't want him." Past government dealings with these native Americans have scarred self-image, and those with the Cheyenne Bible transla- tion hope that Christian literature in the Cheyenne language can help heal these psychological scars. Christianity is often viewed as "white man's religion," said Mr. Leman. One child, upon noticing that none of the children in a Sunday school illustration had Cheyenne features, asked, "Where's us guys?" The Bible translation project is designed to allow more Cheyenne to identify more closely with the Bible's message. Progress in the Cheyenne program has already been made. Wayne and Elena Leman have been working on the Cheyenne reservation in Montana since 1975 and have been learning the language in preparation for translation. A Cheyenne Bible committee composed of local pastors and other interest- ed Christians has been formed to give advice and direction to the project. This seed grew in Indonesia "A farmer went out to his field to sow grain. As he scattered the seed . . . some of it fell on a footpath. . . . Other seed landed in thistle patches. . . . Still other fell on fertile soil; this seed grew and produced a crop one hundred times as large as he had planted" (Lk. 8:5-8 Living Bible). In the early 1960s a Javanese boy named Sukarti from a Muslim family in Central Java dropped out of junior high school because his parents couldn't afford to pay the tuition fees. He heard about a Christian junior high school operated by the Javanese Mennonite Church and funded by Menno- nite Central Committee that gave scholar- ships to students from poor homes. He did not want to attend the Christian school, but rather than discontinue his schooling altogether, he and his parents decided to apply for the scholarship. He was admitted and studied diligently, except for the religion courses which he tried to block out. But, "the Word was planted and it began to open my heart," Sukarti said. On graduation he had to decide whether to seek further schooling or find work. Some of his teachers told him about the Mennonite seminary and encouraged him to become a Christian and apply for admittance. Scho- larships were not available from other educational institutions. He resolved that under any circumstances he would continue his schooling, even if it meant the seminary. He would apply but still resist Christianity. But the seed had been planted. A local Mennonite pastor began to counsel with him and he committed himself to Christ. He subsequently finished seminary and became a pastor. He was eventually sent to Way Abung, a transmigration area in southern Sumatra. In December 1976 Sukarti, as pastor of several churches, came to MCC Way Abung and requested that MCC set up a scholarship program for Way Abung. "I know from personal experience how important this type of aid is," he said, "and it is my sincere hope that MCC can set up a scholarship program in Way Abung as it did in Java." The seed had borne fruit. Jim Bowman, M CC Indonesia IE MENNONITE 185 Record Workers Mennonite Disaster Service volunteers assigned to a three-months term in the Big Thompson Canyon, Colo., area are George and Louise Friesen, Crystal City (Man.) Church; Roger Sommers, Meadows Church, Chenoa, 111.; and Robert Walloiihz Coaldale (Alta.) congregation. James Juhnke, professor of history at Bethel College, North Newton, Kans., will spend his sabbatical year, 1977-78, writing an overseas mission history for the General Conference's Commission on Overseas Mission. The book would be available for sale in early 1979, probably in paperback. The General Conference has been involved in overseas mission work since 1900. Mr. Juhnke holds a PhD in United States history and political philosophy from Indiana University. He has served under MCC in Germany and Botswana and is the author of A people of two kingdoms, a history of the political acculturation of Kansas Menno- nites. Juhnke Kapusinski David Kapusinski, assistant professor of psychology at Bluffton College, has been awarded the 1977 C. Henry Smith Peace Lectureship. The lectureship involves a $1,500 stipend and one month off from teaching to work on a project. Mr. Kapusin- ski will study human aggression at the individual, group, and international levels and how the church can train parents and children to enhance "helping behavior." The study will be presented in lectures next fall at Bluffton, Goshen, and other Mennonite colleges. Ibrahim Malar, Jerusalem, has joined the Mennonite Central Committee staff in West Bank as a specialist in the agriculture and rural development program begun midway through 1976. Eric Stedfeld of Berea, Ohio, has begun a two-year term in Mennonite Voluntary Service in Chicago with Artists Communi- cating Through Service (ACTS). He will be working with silk screen printingand artistic services in the ACTS program, an attempt by MVS to combine artistic expression with community service. Eric attended Ohio University, Cleveland State University, and received his BA in art from Wheaton (111.) College in 1976. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Stedford of Berea and is a member of the Grace Christian and Mission- ary Alliance Church, Cleveland. Paul A. Steiner of Fort Wayne, Ind., a member of the Evangelical Mennonite Church, was chosen 1977 Layman of the Year by the National Association of Evan- gelicals. Carl and Sharon Weaver will begin a term of service with Mission Aviation Fellowship at Chiapas, Mexico. They were commis- sioned on Nov. 28 at the Hesston (Kans.) Inter-Mennonite Fellowship. Matar Yoder Perry B. Yoder has been named cosecre- tary of peace and social concerns for the General Conference Commission on Home Ministries, Newton, Kans., beginning Aug. 15. He will share the position in peace and social concerns half time with the present secretary, Harold Regier. Mr. Regier will continue to work with issue-oriented task forces, while Mr. Yoder will work in peace education and evangelism as it relates to local congregations. In addition to his half- time General Conference assignment, Mr. Yoder will serve half time at Bethel College, North Newton, Kans., as associate professor of Bible and religion, beginning next fall. During the 1978-79 school year, he will become a full-time faculty member there. For the past two years Mr. Yoder and his wife, Elizabeth, have been traveling among Mennonite congregations as People's Teachers of the Word under the Mennonite Voluntary Service program. He taught in the religion department at Bluffton (Ohio) College in 1968-75. Calendar Apr. 1-3 — Festival of the People, Goshe (Ind.) College May 16-18 — Ministers' get-acquainte seminar, General Conference central office! Newton, Kans. June 6-10 — Mennonite Voluntary Servic orientation, Camp Mennoscah, Murdocl Kans. July 23-27 — Conference of Mennonites i Canada, Toronto July 28-Aug. 3 — General Conferenc triennial sessions, Bluffton, Ohio Central May 28-29 — May Day and commence ment exercises, Bluffton (Ohio) College Northern Mar. 31, Apr. 1, 2 — Schmeckfest, Fret man, S.D. Western Apr. 2 — MCC relief sale and auctior Hutchinson, Kans. Apr. 3-7 — Pre-Easter services, Betht Church, Inman, Kans.; speakers, minister from five community churches May 22 — Commencement exercises, Be thel College, North Newton, Kans. Personnel needed for offender ministry One salaried position is available for a Christiai married couple or single person at the MCC (Alberta) offender ministry project. The project i being expanded to accommodate twelve young mei between sixteen and twenty in a rehabilitative work oriented program. The staff, volunteer or salaried, assists th< director in supervising the work stations, cooking housekeeping, and counseling. Living accommoda tion is provided. Submit applications, including personal an( professional resume, and expected salary no late than March 18 to: Ted Rempel 11620-44A Ave. Edmonton, Alberta R6J 1A3. Full- or part-time additional ministerial staff re quired for 400-member church in Ontario. The applicant should have an interest in some oral of the following areas: Christian education, youtt work, worship, pastoral care, music. Apply to: Aaron Klassen, Chairman Stirling Ave. Mennonite Church 57 Stirling Ave. North Kitchener, Ontario N2H 3G4. 186 MARCH 15. 1977* HERALD PRESS PRESENTS CHRISTIAN FICTION FOR YOUNG AND OLD MENNONITE SOL- DIER by Kenneth Reed is the exciting novel of two brothers during World War I — one joins the army, the other be- comes a conscientious objector. Powerful drama. Cloth, $6.95. EIGHT WELLS OF ELIM by Esther Loewen Vogt tells the story of the Wells, a lively Midwestern farm family. From the point of view of Sara, the mother, you learn to love and appreciate all eight Wells. Cloth, $3.95. THE CRYING HEART by Clara Bernice Mil ler is an account of God's dealing with an Amish girl. Youth, romance, tragedy, dedicated living, and a unique glimpse at a special people. Cloth, $3.95. Children's Fiction NEW! ROSALIE by Dorothy Hamilton. Set in Indiana in the early 1900's. The story of a warm, loving family in a time less complicated and hurried than now. Hard- cover/^.50; Softcover/$2.50. PEACE TREATY by Ruth Nulton Moore takes place in the 17C0's. Twelve- year-old Peter Andreas loses his parents in an Indian raid and is taken captive. Frontier preacher Christian Post brings the message of peace and reconciliation to both Whites and Indians. Hardcover/ $3.50; Softcover/$2.50. A CONSISTENT RECORD OF HIGH QUALITY CHRISTIAN LITERATURE Rosalie Dorothy NEW! NEW! f This ?Very } Day David F. THIS VERY DAY by David F. Barr recreates the last six days in the lives of Dismas and Caleb, the two thieves crucified with Christ. A fresh perspective on the Passion Week. Cloth, $7.95. Herald Press AFRICAN ADVEN- TURE by Marian Hostetler tells of a family who travels to Africa to help the people of Chad grow food. Hardcover/ $3.50; Softcover/$2.50. vii Dept. TM, Scottdale, PA 1 5683/Kitchener, ON N2G 4M5 At your local bookstore Review iiofil IB oak The Good news Bible •as ta Good news Bible, the Bible in Today's English Version, 1976, translated and published by the United Bible Societies, 1865 Broadway. New York, New York 10023, and 1835 Yonge St., Toronto, Ontario M4S 1 Yl, is reviewed by Perry Yoder, Mennonite Voluntary Service, 722 Main St., Newton, Kansas. The Good news Bible in Today's English Version (TEV) is the new English Bible translation sponsored by the United Bible Societies. While the New Testament, now appearing in its fourth edition, has been available since September 1966, the translation project was not completed until November 1976 with the publication of the Old Testament. The format of the Old Testament is the same as the previously published New Testament, including the line drawings by the Swiss artist Annie Vallotton. Each book has a brief introduction with an outline of contents — a great help to the general reader in grasping the overall content and arrangement of the book. Headings to each section are useful in finding a passage whose exact location in a book is unknown. At the back is a series of helpful aids — a word list to explain unfamil- iar terms, a chart of biblical chronology, a set of maps with an index to them, and a subject index to the Bible as a whole. Finally, there are explanatory footnotes for unfamiliar terms and cross-references linking Scrip- tures of similar content or theme together. These aids do not just happen, as a comparison with the popular Readers' Edition of the New English Bible will demonstrate. The latter lacks maps, charts, indices, and cross-references (a never ending source of frustration in its use.) All in all, it appears that the Bible Societies have provided a Bible which will be useful to the average reader — and inexpensive, too, at $2.95 in paper, $3.95 in hardcover ($1 .90 and $2.50 in the United States ordered from the American Bible Society). The purpose of the Good news Bible is to provide an accurate, reliable translation which employs common English language. This Bible, above all, is meant to be readable, especially for those whose first language is not English. In this, the translation is clearly a success. When I have used this Bible in oral reading, people have commented on its clarity. Those with a non-English back- ground find it easy to read. Its vocabulary is simple; its sentence structure, straightfor- ward. While the Good news Bible reads well and is useful, in translation accuracy it raises some troublesome questions. It claims to be a "dynamic new translation of the Bible [which] is completely faithful to the original Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic texts." The two key concepts are dynamic and faithful. By dynamic is meant a "dynamic equivalence translation," which is the opposite of a "formal correspondence translation." The aim is to present the "meaning" of the text (dynamic equivalence), rather than to offer a word-by-word translation (formal corre- spondence). Roughly speaking, we may say that the new translation seeks to translate the sense of a passage rather than its individual words. Seen from this perspective the word faithful carries a different sense than we might expect. As the principles for the new translation state, "accuracy ... is measured by the degree to which the reader of the translation understands the meaning of the text in the same way as the reader of the original text did." Fidelity is to a hypotheti- cal reader's understanding of the Greek or Hebrew text rather than primarily to the actual words of the text. The problem is that it is the words which the translator has before him in the text, not the original reader's understanding of them. This translation is produced by relying on "principles of dynamic equivalence" to bridge this gap. For example, if there is information which the original readers would have taken for granted, but is not stated in the text, this implicit data should be made explicit, insofar as it may affect the reader's understanding of the text. Mark 2:15 illustrates this procedure nicely. The RSV reads, "And as he sat at table in his house . . . ," which Good news translates, "Later on Jesus was having a meal in Levi's house," making explicit what it assumes are the antecedents of the pronouns. (In fact, we do not know how the original readers construed this. Perhaps they thought Jesus was in his own house!) While it is indeed sometimes helpful to have more information made explicit, the results are not always harmless. In 2 Corinthians 11:5 this procedure affects the understanding of the entire book. The RSV translates, "I think that I am not the least inferior to these superlative apostles." The GOOD NEWS Still ll fctext. ill! "c ||C( no j TODAY'S ENGLISH VERSION imiiiimii identity of these superlative apostles haP 1 been debated, but two recent commentarie : by C. K. Barrett and F. F. Bruce, bot lte outstanding scholars, equate these with th Jerusalem apostles rather than with the loca :i Corinthian "false apostles" who were caus ing trouble. The Good news Bible, howevei reads, "I do not think that I am the least bi inferior to those very special so-calli m 'apostles' of yours!" clearly identifying thes apostles with the local Corinthian imposter mentioned in 2 Corinthians 11:12-15. Tha the Good news Bible goes beyond a "neutral translation of what the text says to offer afl'1 exegetical opinion as to what the text mean. is not accidental, but quite the contrary ^ deliberate. As the guidelines state, "Th translation will reflect a single interpretatioi |i of a passage where scholarship has offeree more than one." By design, the nev translation will at times reflect interpreta tion. Again, for the sake of "dynamic equiva lence" the parallelism of Hebrew poetry maj <" be retained or destroyed depending on the judgment of the translators. This leads to great deal of compression at times, foi example, in Amos 2:9, where the RS\ translates, "Yet I destroyed the AmoriU before them, whose height was like th< 188 MARCH 15. 197 rv;ht of the cedars, and who was as strong a he oaks; I destroyed his fruit above and h roots beneath." Good news reads, "And M my people, it was for your sake that I ti illy destroyed the Amorites, men who vie as tall as cedar trees and as strong as 0 :s." t may be that the second part of the verse ails no meaning to the first set of half-lines, m should the translator even take the «;sibility of making such a judgment away f m the reader? If translators are attempt- u to make as much information explicit as msible, it would seem that they would | sent the reader with all that is explicit in 31 text. a Finally, for the sake of dynamic equiva- ljce, "contextual consistency rather than 1 ical consistency is to prevail." This means I t no attempt has been made to translate t same Hebrew or Greek word by the same ] glish word every time the Hebrew or leek word occurs in the text. An absolute Ip-to-one relationship in translation is J rely impossible, but within the limits of I.itext, accuracy of translation would seem I demand as much correspondence as Letters •lodel of gospel proclamation i ;ar Editor: I would like to express my , atitude to you for publishing the wedding . _mon by Jake Enz in your November 30 . ue which I just read, since 1 was abroad ( roughout December. . It is a model of what gospel proclamation i It declares forthrightly what it means to i Iter into a covenant relationship without , suming that, when covenants are broken, , e comes to an end. , Such writing will do much more to restore theology of marriage and hope in such jivenanting than many denunciations of Ivorce or those who get divorced. With best wishes. William Klassen, 1067 [larence Ave., Winnipeg, Man. stewards of idle space i ear Editor: One fact which began troubling {e many years ago while professionally jvolved in counseling local Christian lucation leaders is the silent 6lA days a week hen excellent educational equipment and nany square feet of space stand waiting and Bile in our church buildings. Even though iiere are other factors, some more impor- jtnt, that make for an effective teaching dnistry, space and equipment do play a otable role, and the inefficient use of these possible. Unless improper or misleading English results, each Hebrew or Greek word for a given sense should be translated by the same English word each time it is used. In the Good news Bible, on the contrary, a good deal of compression and leveling of vocabulary has taken place. For example, several words in Hebrew are used to express the idea of dealing with sin (as in Psalm 25:7, 32:5, and 79:9, where the Hebrew text uses three different words.) For all of these, the new translation uses forgive. A check of these verses in the New English Bible shows that it is quite possible to use a different word in each of these passages and make good sense in English. This looseness of transla- tion, bordering on paraphrase, is a further indication of how the concept of a dynamic equivalence translation has freed the transla- tors from translating the actual words of the text. In sum, the idea of a dynamic equivalence translation has produced a translation which at times borders on paraphrase and, at other times, interpretation. While dynamic trans- lation is necessary, and dynamic equivalence is a valid concept in translating, this needs to resources bothers me still. The question haunting me and which I often put to others is, How can we be answerable to God when we condone such waste of these resources? Today this question has become larger. The time has come to assess the irresponsible ways by which we use energy resources in the patterns of our church life and its programs. A day of reckoning is due for the times and ways by which we thoughtlessly, and even in squandering fashion, use the resources available to us. Are we ready and willing to pay a price for an accountability to him by rethinking and honestly evaluating the patterns and habits that form our corporate life as Christians? Maybe it was easier years ago. Today's social norms and physical church structures are not conducive to conservation; excessive air conditioning in summer and wasteful heating in winter are blatant examples we sometimes encounter. Some will remember when it was the custom to wear a coat to church, to pool cars (even wagons) for a ride to a meeting, and to be careful of the use of rooms to save light. Others know from experience that we can meet and with cold feet and frosty halos sing hymns of praise and worship to God. There are many other examples. As Christians we are called to be faithful stewards. This call has usually been seen in be tempered by a fidelity to the language of the text wherever possible. The translator trespasses his limits when he attempts to make the text speak more clearly or simply to today's readers than the original text does or did. If the only real basis for serious exegetical work and accurate understanding is the original text, then the next best thing is a translation which gives a close equivalence to that text. In aiming to produce a dynamic translation which can be easily read and understood by the common person, the translators have sacrificed such equivalence for simplicity. This new translation can be highly recommended for those who up to now have felt it necessary to use the Living Bible. Since children and teenagers should find it attractive, it would be a good Bible for family devotions. Likewise, for non- Christian friends and for new Christians without a Bible background, the readability and explicitness of the text make it ideal. For all of us it can serve as a good Bible for devotional reading, public reading, and just skimming. For more serious study purposes, however, another translation must be used. terms of responsible acknowledgment and management of gifts and blessings received, of talents to be used for his glory and in his service, of Christian accountability in financial matters. Now we must take more seriously than ever the larger context of the message of the psalmist, "The earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof." Our stew- ardship of its gifts is no less a holy task than every other aspect of our response to God's great beneficence. Erna J. Fast, 321 North Maple, Hutchinson, Kans. 67501 Feb. 4 Help wanted Leaders for high school work camps. Persons over twenty years old to colead one or more summer work camps for six to twelve members for two to six weeks Short-term MVS support base. Administrator for Crossroads Community Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Supervise broad range of community programs. Staff worker for Meetinghouse, a community- visitors center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 HE MENNONITE 189 • We've all felt it, so let's be forthright and say it aloud: The Bible has a bias for the poor and a bias against the wealthy and affluent. Jesus recognized that money would be a problem for his servants. Salvation and servanthood eventually mean sacrifice. Jesus faced the issue head-on. It happened just after he had completed his teaching of God's great saving love with those three parables in Luke 15: the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost sons. Following this clear statement about salvation, Jesus deals at length with the servant's proper use of money (Lk. 16:1 — 17:10). He tells his followers to give generously to others (16:9), for their use of money shows just how much they love God. Both sons in Jesus' parable of the two lost sons had problems with money. The younger son (often called the prodigal) wanted to be independent of his father. He asked for an advance on his inheritance so he could start Materialism is the rut that ruins our witness. spending his father's money right away 15:13). The older son, though much wiser, value money so highly that it blinded him human values. He couldn't forgive h brother even when that brother had repent! and returned home (Lk. 15:30). So, he sulkf when it appeared that he would have to sha his father's wealth with his younger broth whom he saw as a no-good. This elder-brother posture also describ the Pharisees and scribes who oppos< Jesus. "They made fun of Jesus" (Lk. 16:1 TEV), not only because "they loved money but also because they held to the idea th, wealth is a reward for righteousness. Becau: they were rich, they "could boast of the own goodness before men" (v. 15, We mouth). Jesus clashed sharply with their idea "God sees through you" (v. 15, NEB). Th< used their religion to cover up their greed ness, for they "devour widows' houses ar for a pretense make long prayers" (M 12:40, RSV). They had tried to serve tw masters, God and gold, but failed. Giving, not getting, is important on tl Servant Way. That's why Jesus observe "how the people cast money into 9 treasury" (Mk. 12:41) at the temple. Thouj the "wealthy put in sizable amounts" (Ne American Bible), Jesus does not make any them his example of generosity. He noti instead a poor widow who gave "two litt copper coins" (v. 42, Goodspeed). Her gi represented less than 2 percent of a laborer daily wage. Yet, Jesus saw great significance in tl widow's gift. He told his disciples that si had "put in more than all the others" (v. 4 190 MARCH 15, 197 i\ Pj Hips). She gave everything. The rich gave rji of their abundance (their profit), but she g!e what she needed to make a living (her c ital). "For they gave a little of their extra fi while she gave up her last penny" (v. 44, ling Bible). While the wealthy (who ii uded the Pharisees and scribes who d oured widows' houses) gave to parade tljir piety, this woman gave her all for the I ; of God. Vhat a strong hold materialism has on us! L the rot that ruins our witness. For that r 'son, Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell h goods and give to the poor (Lk. 1 8:22). In I parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk. lj!9-31), Jesus again shows what he means b "good news to the poor," and how he e >ects the rich to share what they have with t se less fortunate, 'et, today, the rich are far richer and the >r far poorer than in Jesus' day. Even at t beginning of this century, the per capita Each year Lent is a letting go and Easter is a taking up and one must learn to welcome both. income of persons in poor countries was about one-half that of persons in the richest countries. But the gap has widened greatly. Now, the rich earn twenty times more than the poor. Although industrialized nations like Canada and the United States comprise one- third of the world's population, its people consume two-thirds of the world's food. Almost all who have studied the problems of world hunger and poverty agree that the wealth and power of the rich must be shared with the poor and powerless. Will sharing happen voluntarily? Will there be love or sulks? Let the servants of the Servant King share their power and wealth in order that they may gain God's greater blessing and be servants with whom he will be well pleased. Third in a series of meditations for Lent and Easter Elizabeth Searle Lamb Contents Human engineering and the future of humanity 178 Enabling the counseling ministry 180 News 182 Record 186 The Good news Bible 188 Letters 189 Money is a mighty grabber 190 Each year 191 Danger is our opportunity 192 CONTRIBUTORS Donald M. MacKay is a professor at the University of Keele in Great Britain. His article is reprinted by permission from the November 1976 issue of Christian Heritage, 275 State St., Hackensack, N.J. 07062. David W. Kingrey serves on the pastoral team at University Friends Meeting, Wichita, Kans. His article is reprinted by permission from the January issue of Quaker Life, Richmond, Ind. 47374. Perry Yoder is serving a two-year MVS assignment as People's Teacher of the Word, 722 Main St., Newton, Kans. 67114. Maynard Shelly, 624 Westchester Lane, Newton, Kans. 67114, continues his series of meditations. Elizabeth Searle Lamb is a poet from 341 8 West 37th St., Topeka, Kans. 66614. CREDITS Cover, 179, John Hiebert; 181, 190, Paul M. Schrock, Scottdale, Pa. 15683; 183, GCNS; 184, RNS. The Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4 Telephone: (204) 888-6781 Business and subscription office: 722 Main St., Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4 Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton. Kans. 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circu- lation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L. Ramseyer, 488 West Elm St., Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588 South West Maple St., Dallas, Ore. 97338; Western District. Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kans. 67117; En- compass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 671 14; and Window to Mission, Jean- nie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46805. MENNONITE 191 Danger is our opportunity The voice on the telephone at two o'clock in the morning pleaded, "Can you come and help? My husband has a knife and he's after me." Why would anyone respond to such a call? It is dangerous, maybe foolish to intervene when a man is dead drunk and has become violent. Besides, who wants to leave a warm bed in the middle of the night? What could I possibly do to help? After rehearsing all the arguments why I should just call the police and let them handle it, I got dressed and went over. And somehow I felt no fear and nothing happened to me. Oh yes, the couple also settled down and finally went to bed together. Somehow, danger is not my biggest problem in life. In fact, I like challenges. The Chinese are said to have combined the symbol for danger and the symbol for opportunity, to create the character wei- ji. It is an assertion that I believe in; it is impossible to move forward without encountering danger, and the presence of danger may be one of the better signs that we are moving in the right direction. Sometimes my friends have wondered whether I am a masochist, a person who needs to hurt myself. After all, from the time we first reached out a tiny hand to touch a hot stove or iron, we have been taught that danger is a signal for retreat. When Moses sent out the twelve spies to check out the land of Canaan, they brought back a fearful report of giants against whom "we seemed ourselves like grasshoppers" (Num. 13:33b). Except for Joshua and Caleb, they refused to go and possess the land that God had promised them. I have always been an admirer of Joshua and Caleb and their kin. Centuries ago, when a cartographer drew a map of the world as it was known at that time, he inscribed over the blank space on his paper, "Here be dragons." It was a signal for voyagers that entering unknown areas is dangerous. Seemingly, people like Columbus and Magellan saw this danger as opportunity. Don't get me wrong. I don't believe in Evel Knievel's death-defying stunts which have made him a millionaire. The danger that I am referring to might better be described as risk, or vulnerability, in contemporary terms. I am speaking of the necessary risks to help people become what God created them to be. The greatest example of facing danger (call it risk or vulnerability if you like) is Jesus Christ. For him to accept God's mission to be a healing, saving, teaching Messiah in a world already violent 2,000 years ago indicates a character ready to say, "If here be dragons, good!" Ever since, true Christian courage rises with danger whenever we walk with Christ. I make no claim for a special corner on closeness to Jesus Christ. There are many fruits of the Spirit. I, too, have run from danger, probably at the wrong time. And I sometimes see the wrong dangers as opportunities. But I deeply believe that God has given us a Spirit of power that can overcome fear — the fear of failure and the fear of weakness. Instead he wants to give us courage and a freedom to overcome — ignorance, prejudice, timidity, injustice, loneliness, and empti- ness. He is ready to fill our attempts with meaning that may not always appear as victory. Today, when the telephone rings, or when a new danger appears on the horizon, God's people can declare, "Good, that's why we're here." This is no signal for retreat — it's forward full throttle. I'm not sure how this attitude fits my becoming editor of The Mennonite. Maybe I didn't see enough risk to have the good sense to back off. Time will tell. In the meantime, full speed ahead! BW J- » £ 5LKHART k> OP' The Mcmionilc OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO MAN LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST 92:12 MARCH 22, 1977 V, J*" »*»" Every ^^iii^lEsiis; * JP SC lit generation.is influenced }S by the thinking and acting of a previous ration. Teach your children values Helmut Harder Every present generation transports a variety of goods between a past and a future generation. Among the many items which we receive from our fathers and mothers and give to our children is a precious commodity: values. Soren Kierkegaard, a nineteenth-century theologian and philosopher, claimed that every generation needs to begin again from the beginning. While he recognized that we are influenced by our ancestors, he regretted this. He wanted each person to map out his or her own life and to decide on values for each situation. Kierkegaard had a point; each person must to some extent forge life's pathway and find faith personally. But Kierkegaard overdid his point. We are always influenced by the thinking and acting of a previous generation. A church father of the past depicted each present generation as dwarfs who stand on the shoulders of giants, the influential people of the past. Unfortunately, some parents and teachers deny the right to transmit values to the younger generation. It is sometimes claimed, in the interest of the freedom or the creativity of children, that the adult generation should, at most, present the learners with a smorgas- bord of ideas and religions from which they can pick and choose at their own discretion. Such thinking misses the point that our fathers and mothers have been blessed with a firm and valuable faith and that their faith- heritage is to be respected by their children. The transmission of values is never simple. From our forebears we inherit unwritten rules which influence our view of everything we meet in life. As little children we accept their values; as youth we have second thoughts; as adults we choose a value system as well. Thus we learn our values gradually, and not without stress. During our lifetime, the values we inherit undergo a complex process of modification. By the time the future generation receives them, they are not identifiable simply as the values of the past generation. Yet, the connection from genera- tion to generation is there. As a present generation of parents, teachers, and leaders in church and commu- nity, our responsibility is to receive the best values from the past in holy trust and to pass these values on to our children. We need to decide what shall be retained from the past. We continually evaluate our inherited values. While those things which our parents feel deeply about must be respected, it cannot be taken for granted that their deepest convictions must of necessity be our deepest convictions. Values are always influenced to some extent by particu- lar personal experiences and historical situations. Because our parents lived at a different time and under different circum- stances, what they held dear cannot be assumed as priority for the next generation. Although we learn from them and respect their evaluation, we sift and arrange values in deciding what is essential for our genera- tion. Then there is the delicate task of introduc- ing our values to our children so that they can be helped by our contributions and yet not be stifled by our predetermined conclu- sions. During our lifetime, we, like our parents, will feel strongly about this or that way of looking at things. For example, we might place a high value on leisure or perhaps on hard work. We should recognize that these are not necessarily priorities for everyone. Our children may find abundant life without accepting our list of priorities. The related pitfall is to impose our adult values upon our children in such a way that the children are not given the chance to try their own wings. Sometimes parents, teachers, and leaders assume that they have made final decisions on all aspects of life and that children must only be trained along the lines of the adults' conclusions. Besides the questionableness of the adults' conclusions, there is the danger that, under the insistent nurture process to which children are then subjected, they will not be helped to strengthen their own abilities make personal decisions. The children receive good training submitting obediently to their authoritari parents, but this is only one side of ch training. Children also need practice making their own decisions on what is rig and wrong. Frequently children train under authoritarian parents are unable I cope with their responsibilities when thl achieve their independence. They have nK been trained to take responsibility in Htm things and consequently cannot deal wi] ' larger responsibilities. These observations should not, howeva ! lead us to assume that children are best Id completely alone with their decisions as ean i in life as possible. Rather, we should gi L them an environment in which they a begin early in life to assume some respon; bilities for decision making and for beii accountable for their actions. Our children and youth will benefit mo' from an environment which affords the. some structure and some freedom. There danger in offering too much freedom; the* is danger in being too restrictive. Peopi need freedom to grow in inner strength, y sufficient structure for a frame of referem within which to define and evaluate the growth. While the older generation wants to I open-minded and hopeful, they often fe that the younger generation is throwin aside the cherished values of its forebear But the results of a recent study may provic some comfort to grandparents, parents, an teachers who think that in the years of yout the values of the older generation at carelessly discarded. In From teenage t young manhood, the authors conclude thj the value system of the parental generationi the singularly most influential factor tha prevails in determining the ideas and lift styles of the coming generation. But the conclusion of these researcher also raises a discomforting question: Do w really want our children to carry the value 194 MARCH 22, 197' of our generation into their future? It might be just as well if some of our values were allowed to die out and be forgotten! We are being bombarded by ideas on how to value this or that aspect of life. Directly or indirectly, we are influenced by the views of friends and relatives, radio and television, books and magazines. Everywhere people place value interpretations on things and on happenings. How do we then decide on the true values of life? The answers do not come to us naturally or with age. Nor can we trust our inner feelings to be our guide. Also, something may not be right and good just because we desire it with a passion. Certainly the latest and newest views, often reflected through the mass media or on the street corner, cannot be taken as the last word on values. At times our conscience can be our guide, and on many occasions our homey wisdom shows us the way. But the voice of conscience is often dumb, and the eye of wisdom is often blind to the truth. For Christians, the open Bible, the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the fellowship of the church as the living community of the Spirit, and a life of prayer provide the resources for value formation. It is a matter of placing ourselves constantly under the Word, of enveloping our thinking with the teachings of Jesus, of committing ourselves in an ongoing way to dialog with fellow Christians, and of bringing our questions and our proposals to the Father in prayer. In this process we will find the Christian clue to an evaluation of all values: that which leads us to love the Lord our God with heart and soul and mind and strength and our neighbor as ourselves (Mt. 22:37-39) is worth pursuing in life; that which militates against God and neighbor needs to be discarded. If, in our generation, we live in an attitude of humility toward God and responsibility toward our neighbors, the transmission of values to the children will take care of itself. A Meetinghouse article A mother's love never dies "We've waited a long time for this," Mrs. Kenneth Barker told Mrs. Lena Kiser. The two women stood above a deep gorge, looking down at an opening into southeast- ern Kentucky's Big Black Mountain. Mining cars would soon pass through the portal below, bearing the bodies of their sons. For them and nine other families a long, gruesome wait would soon be over. It was a cold and cloudy day, November 19, 1976. Family members of eleven coal miners stood together, listening for the rumble of the three mine cars that would transport the bodies of their loved ones Vh miles out from under the mountain. Since March 11, 1976, three federal coal mine inspectors and eight employees of the Scotia Coal Company had been entombed in the mountain. Two methane gas explosions ripped through Scotia's No. 1 Mine last March. The first explosion, on March 9, killed fifteen miners. After their bodies had been brought out, a second explosion claimed the lives of eleven more men. They were members of a thirteen-man crew which had been trying to make the mine safe for investigations into the cause of the first explosion. The twin explosions were the worst coal mine disasters since December 1970, when thirty-eight miners died in another eastern Kentucky mine on Hurricane Creek in Leslie County, near Hyden. It was snowing when the Hyden mine b!< no up. It was snowing last March when the fii jll '( of the Scotia explosions hit Letcher Count tes v And it was snowing on November 22 wh ijdi the last of the twenty-six Scotia victims wjp buried. purp "I'd like to wake up some fine mornin n' and find everyone shaking hands and lea For with the new day that's dawning, a peace th m this world understands." The old, familiar mountain hymn rai k through the Chapel of Memories at tl :« Sturgill Funeral Home in Wise, Virginia, Ai soloist Larry Hunsucker sang of a day wh( mm the poor and crippled and blind will fii '11 healing and when the sinner is forgiven ar ki[ free. Three hundred friends and relatives < W" federal coal mine inspector Kenneth Ri IB Kiser had gathered on November 21 for h j funeral — over nine months after his death L Harold Kilgore, minister of the Gle L Morgan Chapel in Wise, read the Twent;l \! third Psalm — "The Lord is my Shepherd THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, leach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context ot Christian love and treedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spml II published weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton. Kans 671 1 4, by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonite Church Sr-H on. class postage paid at Newton, Kans 67114, and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions: in U S and Canada. $8 00, one year, $15 50, two years. $23 00. three years, foreign , $8 50 per yeal ,., Editorial office 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4 Business office 722 Main St , Box 34 7, Newton, Kans 671 1 4 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 34 7, Newton, Kans SHI 196 MARCH 22, 197 Smrner spends a final solitary %ment on November 22, looking JSvh the hill at his brother's five — John Hackworth, one of Mse killed in the second Scotia Milosion. Here the bodies were brought out of the Scotia mine on November 19, 1976. < told the family that God judges the hteous as well as the wicked. Durwood Yates rose behind Mr. Riser's jket. "There is still love in the world lay," he began. "Nothing we can say can :e the sting and hurt out of the family's 1 irts. This is one storm of life there is no '•iaedy for — human love goes deep." As he prayed and read from the Bible, Jistor Yates spoke of Job — whose "heart- i ies made him sore from the top of his head t the bottom of his feet" — Job, who learned h l to question God's will. I : 'If God loves me today, you say," Mr. sites went on, "why did he take my brother? iMfiy did he take my son?" Raising his arms >ii|o the air, the preacher said, "God did it for iSpurpose. But don't blame God; blame ■fan." f: For Kenneth Ray Kiser there was irony in Ms work of Satan. He had been assigned to i pect the Scotia Mine. He had repeatedly « d his family that Scotia was a trouble spot. •J complained to them that his efforts to iilick down on the mine got no backing from : ] superiors. f 'When he got the job, he thought he could i I something," his daughter Patty Plaisted jjd. "His complaints would go to the district I JESA) office and then, I don't know where j . in a pigeonhole, I guess. They just never ! med to show up again. After he had the j > awhile he got so frustrated." -I Mr. Kiser had been away from Scotia for a I ne. He'd been hurt in a car accident and !j:n was assigned to other mines. On the i ;ht of March 9, Ray, as his family called I n, came home to his mother's. ; That night of the first explosion I was crying and wringing my hands just like it was my own family," Lena Kiser said. "Ray told me, 'Mommy, that mine would have blown up a long time ago if it hadn't been for me and one other inspector.' I've heard from people that Ray was strict on Scotia — but he said he didn't get any support." Two days later Ray Kiser died in the mine he had feared for so long. "Death is an appointment that comes to every one of us," Preacher Yates told the family. Ray Kiser's appointment brought him face to face with the evils in coal mining which he wanted to erase. As Mr. Kiser's funeral drew to a close, the Baker Trio rose to sing "His faith is like a river." Ray's family began to leave. His mother went forward to his casket and cried, "If I could just see his face." The long funeral procession wound around narrow Wise County, Virginia, roads across Wise Mountain to Caney Ridge. Friends of Ray's parents were waiting at Adkins Cemetery. One woman held back her tears as she remembered the death of her own daughter nearly thirty years ago. "Her husband remarried in eight months' time. He may have almost forgotten my daughter now," she said. "But there is one thing — a mother never forgets." The cars and the hearse pulled up to the grave. A short distance away stands the Pippin Chapel, where Ray's father was preacher for many years. Two assistant preachers from the chapel moved up close to the grave. Cecil McCon- nell prayed. Noah Kiser, Jr., read the Scripture — again the Twenty-third Psalm. Mr. Kiser, though not related, had been in school with Ray's brother Johnny. "At the mine (the day of recovery), Scotia had sandwiches and drinks, but my family was one that wouldn't eat anything," Mrs. Kiser said with bitterness. Hugh, Ray's brother, added, "I don't want none of their favors." "We walked to a wire fence to view the recovery. They were covered with this plastic, and I could see the outline of their bodies. I knew Ray immediately. He was the third brought out," Mrs. Kiser remembered. "He was born November 30, 1 930 You know, a mother's love never dies." IE MENNONITE 197 News Agricultural proposal concerns family farms Many people who want to preserve the family farm are becoming disturbed over a plan for a pooled agricultural land invest- ment fund called Ag-Land Fund I. The $50 million fund, proposed by the Continental Illinois National Bank of Chicago and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner, and Smith, Inc., a New York-based broker- age firm, would buy prime land in midwest- ern and midsouthern areas of the United States as an investment and then rent the land to tenant farmers. Tax-exempt funds, such as pension plans, could buy shares in amounts from $100,000 to $5,000,000. The revenue would be used to purchase working farms, especially those growing the big three export commodities of wheat, corn, and soybeans. A number of farm organizations are concerned about the further concentration of land ownership and control in nonfarm absentee investors, but they have another concern: the two corporations have applied to the Internal Revenue Service for a ruling that would declare the Ag-Land Fund I as a group trust and not an agricultural business. With such a ruling, certain profits and capital gains would be tax-exempt. At any time now, IRS is expected to make a "letter ruling" on the case, a confidential decision with no public hearing. A limited public hearing has been held in the House subcommittee on family farms and rural development, ending February 25. Further hearings may happen later in the Senate. Three issues are involved, according to Jon Jantzen, Mennonite Central Committee staff person for food and hunger concerns, Akron, Pennsylvania. ( 1 ) Ownership of land. Who will control the land? (2) Will the land stay in produc- tion? (3) Who is selling the land? "The scheme is already ten times oversub- scribed," he said. "There are plenty of people willing to sell their land to the bank for the high prices being offered. Are Mennonite farmers willing to sell out to big bank landowners?" He said his opposition to Ag-Land Fund I becoming a trust did not imply he was against all land trusts. "Family trusts and community land trusts can both be beneficial to our agricultural system. But a land trust owned by big business would be a very dangerous precedent." Representative Paul Findley, Illinois congressman, has pointed out another precedent: this is the first time that a major farm management service such as a bank has merged its economic resources for purchas- ing land with a major marketing outlet like Merrill Lynch. Merrill Lynch and Continental Illinois National Bank say that Ag-Land Fund I will give young farmers who cannot buy land a chance to get into farming. But others fear that the establishment of such a fund will result in higher land assessments, leading to higher taxes that might force small farmers to sell their land. The Interreligious Task Force on U.S. Food Policy (110 Maryland Ave., NE, Washington, D.C. 20002) is monitoring the issue in Congress and the I RS. The task force is asking people to request from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Depart- ment of the Treasury a study of Ag-Land tore m ;i- Fund Fs potential impact on family farj |fl* and food prices Or persons may express their concerns ifiistt Roger Anderson, chairman of the boa ifcfs Continental Illinois Corporation, LaS; jt and Jackson, Chicago, Illinois 60604, questing a copy of the "Preliminary prosp tus" for the fund According to Terry Thompson, a Coi jlhel nental Bank officer working with Ag-La i* Trust, the trust plans to make futi (tasi offerings to buy more land if this ventun Iks successful, including bringing in more bar p] at the top end Jeff Cox in Environment action bulk (February 5 issue) comments that average age of the family farmer in fcip United States is fast approaching sixty yea $ a This means that many of the nation's million family farms will be coming on tymin market in the next few years. Pit Some farmers are worried that ownership of farms by tax-exempt trusts could force famn farms out of business. 198 MARCH 22. 197K; Provincial camps may merge hurches testify gainst pipeline ■jinadian church leaders were to appear fore the National Energy Board early in arch to give evidence in the socioenviron- ental phases of the hearings into the oposed Mackenzie Valley natural gas k Ipeline. John Olthuis, of the Committee for istice and Liberty Foundation, said it was :rK e first time in Canadian history that church ™i liders have raised moral and ethical issues & :fore a federal regulatory body like the *, EB. i1sp Anglican Archbishop E. W. Scott of aronto, one of eleven witnesses to be called toi i the foundation, has argued that increas- L: [g energy consumption is not a step towards 'w jcreasing the quality of life. "What deter- u' iines the quality of life is justice and human to gnity, neither of which is a necessary by- oduct of economic growth," he said. The Canadian Catholic Conference of ' ;shops evidence challenges many of the a sumptions of Canadian Arctic Gas Pipe- % ies and Foothills Pipelines, two of the s iplicants to build the pipeline. It concludes at unemployment among northern natives ; jill increase, interest rates in Canada for i nail borrowers will go up, social services ay have to be cut back to finance the i -oject, the Canadian consumers will have to Liy more for gas, and taxes will increase. Workshop topic is ampus fellowships eveloping Mennonite fellowships on state liversity campuses will be the topic of a orkshop April 9 at Faith Mennonite hurch, Newton, Kansas. Sponsored by the Kansas State University lennonite Fellowship, the workshop is tended for university students, pastors, ypeople, high school seniors, and others. Resource persons will be Dale Hersh- :rger, KSU student; Hubert Brown, execu- ve secretary of Mennonite Student Servic- % Elkhart, Indiana; Stuart Showalter, litor of forum, Elkhart, Indiana; David abegger, Western District Mennonite onference church planting staff person, 'ichita, Kansas; and Eleanor Loewen, rector of student services, General Confer- ace Mennonite Church, Newton, Kansas. Registration should be sent to Eleanor oewen, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. family in focus, bluffton 77 I One camp instead of three was approved in principle February 25-26 at the annual sessions of the Conference of Mennonites of Saskatchewan. The meeting, hosted by the Nordheimer churches, heard a suggestion that existing camping programs at Pike Lake, Elim Gospel Beach, and Rosthern Bible Camp were limited in their possibilities for expan- sion and that a new vision for camping was needed. Several sites had been explored for a unified year-round approach to Christian camping. Initially the proposal was tabled and later discussed at great length. The delegates were uneasy about moving so rapidly from the current approach to a new, largely unknown quantity. Eventually, after a number of motions, the delegates approved the idea in principle and asked for detailed study of the proposal. A recommendation from the resolutions com- mittee in the dying minutes of the conference suggested consultation with all churches and the three existing camp committees. The philosophy of the new approach and probable programs will be presented to the delegate body probably at the 1978 sessions. A new church was welcomed into the conference: the College Park congregation from Saskatoon, pastored by John Kroeker and organized in 1976 with twenty-seven members. The new church receives support — moral, financial, and prayer — from the five other General Conference churches in Saskatoon and the provincial missions committee. Recently a plot of land has been bought in east Saskatoon with the help of a church building loan from the Conference of Mennonites in Canada. A number of personnel changes took place in 1976. AbeNeufeld left after a six-year stint as conference pastor to General Conference churches in Alberta and Saskatchewan. His place was taken for a short time by Abe Baergen, Tofield, Alberta. However, the new conference pastor found the traveling more than expected and tendered his resignation. Eric Froese of Watrous, Saskatchewan, was appointed camp coordinator. Jake Klassen of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, has been hospital chaplain for the past year and has had his appointment increased from three to four days a week. Margaret Friesen, Marsden, will be coordinator of a pilot project initiated by the conference's committee on aging to bring community services to senior citizens. This work has begun in Hague, Osier, and Warman as well as Waldheim and Langham. The delegate body also heard about the M-2 (person-to-person) ministry to prison- ers in the Prince Albert penitentiary. The program is well accepted by the institution but is seen as a threat by the guards. The recent federal investigation of prison prob- lems reacted positively to the brief presented by Orville Andres, M-2 coordinator, and his associates. The missions committee reported on proposed cooperation in radio broadcasting with the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba. Presently, this means the use of the German broadcast from Manitoba, since H. H. Penner has terminated as speaker for "Wings of the morning." An English program is also a possibility. Speaker for the conference was Helmut Harder, professor of theology at Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg. Mr. Harder traced the story of salvation in Genesis, the Gospels, and the Epistles. He emphasized the forgiveness and grace which God offers through Christ and the important role humanity plays in God's world. Although God is the author of a person's salvation, works are also part of the scheme of things, he said. Reelected were Henry Funk, Drake, chairman, and Edwin Epp, Hague, secre- tary. The new vice-chairman is Abe Hiebert, Swift Current. The conference schools, Swift Current Bible Institute and Rosthern Junior College, reported briefly. SCBI has an increased enrollment and will study its needs for expansion. RJC's enrollment is slightly down. Conference treasurer Werner Zacharias reported that churches had given nearly $153,500 in 1976. The conference approved a 1977 budget of $230,400, which calls for church donations of $179,000. Lome R. Buhr, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan World Peace Tax Fund bill to be introduced in Senate Senator Mark Hatfield of Oregon has told the MCC Peace Section Washington office that he will introduce the World Peace Tax Fund bill in the U.S. Senate for the first time. The bill, introduced in the House each session since 1972, would extend the princi- ple of conscientious objection to war to federal income taxes. Mr. Hatfield said he was prompted to introduce the bill by a letter from Dan Slabaugh, Mennonite pastor in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Mr. Slabaugh concluded his letter, "The only basis I have for inviting you to consider sponsoring the bill is the Tightness of it. I doubt that it will make you more famous or get you more votes." HE MENNONITE 199 Outside pressure on South Korea urged Now is the time for the United States to pull its troops out of South Korea and put pressure on President Park to rescind his Presidential Emergency Decree No. 9 and release political prisoners, according to David Satterwhite. Mr. Satterwhite, on the staff of the Quaker International Affairs office in Tokyo, Japan, visited South Korea in December. He said opposition to the repressive measures of the Park government is growing because of campaign indications that U.S. President Carter's administration may lessen its support of Park if human rights continue to be violated. Catholic Cardinal Kim Soo Whan told Mr. Satterwhite that, though he was eager to see Park replaced by a more humane form of rule, he doubted whether sufficient initiative could come from within; instead, external pressures would have to spark, and combine with, the resistance in South Korea. With- drawal of U.S. support of the Park regime has often been cited as the most effective of potential external pressures. Cardinal Kim suggested a third force was needed to bring both North and South Korea to the conference table and genuinely reduce tensions. Mr. Satterwhite said that, in spite of continued suppression of the press and trials of those opposing Park, the government was noticeably hesitant to appear newly repres- sive and chose to ignore several events which would have brought reprisals a few months earlier. For instance, several hundred gathered in the Christian Building on December 28 for the presentation of a Human Rights award from Christianity and crisis magazine to Lee Oo Jung, Korea chapter president of Church Women United. Several people took the stage to praise her role in the March 1 Declaration (which asked for an end to the harsh measures of emergency rule, including suppression of all dissent), using the occa- sion to add their criticisms of the regime as well. On another occasion, twenty wives of prisoners and their supporters gathered on a hill overlooking Seoul's Westgate prison to sing Christmas carols. When the same family members had met last Easter to sing, they Divorce and forgiveness discussed Marriage, divorce, and remarriage were the topics of the Manitoba ministers' and deacons' conference February 19 in Morden. The education committee, responsible for hosting the one-day conference, challenged the 168 participants that as followers of Jesus, they would be freed by his truth from past traditions, from present worldliness, and from future procrastinations. David Schroeder of Winnipeg gave a frame of reference from which to move in facing practical marriage and family prob- lems in the church. In interpreting Scripture, said Mr. Schroeder, there is always the problem of separating the revelation of God from the life of the people. Christian faith must always be seen as historic faith. To understand God's revelation means to see it as progressing. As an example, the speaker referred to the "tooth for a tooth" concept in the Old Testament. Murder is to be dealt with in terms of murder. But in David's sin of murder there is already something new in the mercy of God. David is not murdered. He is forgiven. How can we solve ethical problems when the biblical material is not that clear? Using 1 Corinthians 7 as a base, Mr. Schroeder pointed out the Apostle Paul's four criteria in dealing with ethical problems: ( 1 ) a word from Jesus, (2) the tradition, (3) interpreta- tion by the Spirit, and (4) Paul's own decision based on the previous three points. Paul uses this approach when dealing with practical matters like eating meat and the place of women in the church. "We have not badly wanted to see how Paul made judgments," remarked Mr. Schroeder. Speaking directly to marriage and di- vorce, Mr. Schroeder asked, "Where do we go from here?" We need a knowledge of Scripture. We need to answer. How do you deal with people who have failed to live up to the will of God? Finally, the Spirit gets through in giving direction. John Neufeld, a Winnipeg pastor, spoke of tension between the ought and the is. Answering how to relate to sinners in the church, he said, "Forgiveness must have skin on it." Mr. Neufeld challenged church leaders to follow Jesus in giving sinners a second chance. "If we won't, then let's cease singing hymns of atonement. Let's close our hymn- books, Bibles, and churches." A good bit of questioning followed the coffee break, speaking to a looseness of interpretation and revealing anxiety about where this freedom to forgive sinners who divorce and remarry might finally lead. If the spirit of the conference said anything clearly, it said that this was not to be the last word on the subject. Edward Cornelson, Altona, Manitoba had been hustled off to a local police static Last Christmas the official reaction \ much subdued, and although priso guards scrambled up the hill behind group they made no move to disperse gathering, said Mr. Satterwhite, who w present. "Although these are not significant acts resistance in themselves, they have let opposition test the regime's confider] regularly," he said. Christian action asked against torture |!a[ In response to widespread use of torture pA governments which receive military ai lature economic aid from the United States, sevei W Christian groups are issuing a joint call rship. come to Washington in April for a campaij pities of nonviolent direct action. Sponsors of the campaign are Liberty the Captives, a Christian direct action groijj based in Philadelphia; the Sojourne Fellowship, a community in Washington D.C., that publishes Sojourners magazir and The other side, "a magazine of Christhljifc discipleship." Pan MCC U.S. Ministries volunteers Bev ai lid Charles Lord work part-time with Liberty licl the Captives in Philadelphia. The sponsors plan to dialog with touris the r and governmental officials, distribute lea igc lets, appeal to Congress, and presepr/r "torture tableaus," dramatizations of toiler; ture. irid The group plans to spend the weekend < rata April 1 in worship, planning, and nonviolei — training followed by a week of "worshipfi (k nonviolent action." After April 10, week] ilier actions will continue one day per week fcjinii about two months. iie "We are appalled by torture and reprei wc sion in Communist nations like the USSR tt said the sponsors. "But we feel a particular responsibility to speak and act against sue A practices in countries that receive America \vt military and economic aid. Such aid serve ft to strengthen these regimes. It makes us sid iar with oppression rather than with liberty anjitlv justice." toi More information is available frot k Liberty to the Captives, Box 12236, Philaipi delphia, Pennsylvania 19144. » In earlier action, Liberty to the Captive Dk published an open letter to U.S. Presideriliii! Carter, which included demands for: — an end to private military and police ainsor a workshop on curriculum for ristian camping September 11-16 at cky Mountain Mennonite Camp near rel/ide, Colorado. Participants will take part ai nature crafts and games, rock climbing, kpacking, hiking, Bible study, fireside rship, and sharing. Participation in ivities rather than discussion of program 1 be emphasized. Purpose of the work- ip is to strengthen concepts of Christian nping and learn how these concepts can relayed to others in one's own camp cing. -c: o part-time conference ministers serving Pacific District are being sought by the a trict executive committee. Because the trict has a wide geographical spread — r 700 miles separate the closest churches liilthe northern and southern regions — the ing of two conference ministers seemed st practical. The proposal will be submit- for approval to the delegates at the next trict conference session June 9-12 in rora, Oregon. ckway Mennonite School thrift shop in chener, Ontario, and Mennonite Central mmittee (Ontario) have set up a coordi- ing committee to administer the Rock- y store and a new MCC store to be opened re. An MCC thrift shop for the Kitchener a has been under discussion for several mths, but because most of the Mennonite lgregations in the area are already relating the Rockway Thrift Shop, there was some .itancy in proceeding. Miriam Cressman, ■ckway's representative on the coordinat- ; committee, said her group is enthusiastic aut working with MCC and sees the angement as "an opportunity for the vice and education parts of the church to operate. " She said there was some concern it the new MCC store not be located too ise to the Rockway store so that they will t be competing with each other. But she t there was enough market for both stores fjdo a good business. | least one book of the Bible has been ]: blished in 1,603 languages since the I ginning of printing, according to the nerican Bible Society. Twenty-nine new languages were added to the list in 1976. The Gospel of Mark is the book most frequently appearing first in a new language or dialect, although the choice of first book translated varies according to culture. The Central States World Hunger Concerns regional committee will focus during the coming year on hunger education in the congregations, being a channel between MCC and congregations, and helping groups find ways to be disciples in a world of injustice and inequality. The committee was called into being about a year ago by MCC to raise awareness of world need among Mennonites and Brethren in Christ in Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Michigan. Chairperson is H. Clair Amstutz. Seventy-six people who had immigrated from the Mennonite colonies in Mexico to southern Ontario received Canadian citizen- ship certificates recently with the help of the MCC (Canada) Ottawa office. All were of Canadian parentage, but for various reasons the procedural requirements whereby chil- dren born abroad to Canadian parents retain Canadian citizenship had not been fulfilled. While Canadian laws did not require that these people be recognized as citizens, it was legally possible for the government to grant them such recognition. "One hoped, too, that secure legal status for these people — and they are only a small part of the several thousand who have come from Mexico to Ontario in the last two decades — could be followed not only with secure legal status for others, but with a bond of friendship from those other branches of the Mennonite family, from which they have so long felt estranged," said William Janzen, Ottawa office director. More than five hundred people attended the dedication of the new and rebuilt facilities at Mennonite Collegiate Institute, Gretna, Manitoba, March 6. The new facilities include a gymnasium, classroom, darkroom, and offices. The student residence had every room renovated, washrooms renewed, heat- ing system changed to individual-room- controlled electric heat, kitchen modernized, and lounge improved. Radio Southern Manitoba carried a live broadcast of the afternoon program and open house. Catholic and other independent schools will receive provincial government funding for the first time in the history of British Columbia. When these funds will be allotted, how much, and under what conditions will be spelled out in legislation by the Social Credit government. Catholic and other independent schools in British Columbia do not receive any direct government funds Radio spots aimed at young people Melodie Davis, Larry Heatwole, and James Fairfield record the narration for a Proverbs radio spot at Mennonite Broadcasts' studio in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The radio spots — along with posters, newspaper ads, and TV slides — are part of " Proverbs for youth." a series to influence values and choices. The media package has been developed by the General Conference Mennonite and Menno- nite churches. The "Invitation to live" multimedia campaign now offers bus cards, reading, "Share yourself. That's God's way of giving. " That campaign is sponsored by the two denominations above plus the Mennonite Brethren Church and the Church of the Brethren. now. The Ministry of Education, however, does provide textbooks and public health services. There are about seventy Catholic schools in the province, with about 10,000 students. The schools are financed primarily by church funds and fees. The struggle to secure provincial funding has been going on since the province entered the Conferation in 1871. IE MENNONITE 201 Frank Dyck looks for Mennonites Seeking out the lost children of Menno is the task of Frank Dyck of Winnipeg. Since April 1976 he has been visiting Mennonites who have moved to Winnipeg but haven't related to any church in the city. They are rural Mennonites who have recently moved to the city, Russian or Mexican immigrants, divorced and remar- ried people, single people, or those who simply haven't found a circle of friends in a city church. Frank's title is "city missioner." He was hired full time for two years by six General Conference Mennonite churches in Winni- peg: Bethel, Sargent Ave., Fort Garry, North Kildonan, Springfield Heights, and Home- wood. The Northdale Mennonite Church furnishes office space and supplies. "Rural churches had sent in the names of people who migrated to the city, but the city pastors couldn't keep up with them," Frank explained. "There are a lot of people who get lost and don't want to have church ties. "1 try to establish a point of contact with the church so those people can relate to someone when they need it," he said. Many people are not ready to commit themselves to a church, Frank said. "I don't push. But I am that point of contact. When they find a congregation, my job is over. I'm not out to start a new church." The names of people to contact come about equally from three sources: from rural areas, from city churches, and from Frank's own contacts. Some are like a Mennonite couple from Mexico whom he visited. They didn't feel at home in any of the Winnipeg churches. They had no friendship circles. "It was a cultural thing — different rituals and a different type of language," he said. "People from Russia also have difficulty adjusting to our life here. It isn't that easy for them to get into our circles. The two groups have been separated for at least a whole generation," Frank said. He felt that whether a person joins a church depends most on person-to-person friendships. "Yesterday I visited a couple who had come in last June. She says, I'd like to go to church, but my husband doesn't want to. But she already had a brother or sister in one of the churches here in Winnipeg. That's a point of contact. So I contacted the pastor of that church." People need to find a friendship circle in the church, he said. "If the church shelves them as a member, like a library book in the card catalog, I don't feel good about it." One way of finding friendship circles would be a "Mennonite-your-way" directory for Winnipeg, Frank suggested. "We need open homes where people who come to the city can visit on the spur of the moment without being invited," he said. In the city, one doesn't go to see people unless invited. But people coming in from rural areas of Manitoba and from South America and from Russia are used to dropping in. "That's something we have lost and need to recapture," he mused. "We need to educate our people to take a friendship approach. Don't talk religion with people right away. Become friends. Then someday we can share our Christianity with them verbally." Single people find it difficult to relate to church groups, he reported. Many of them don't need the social aspects of the church; they find it in their profession. Nurses and teachers often have the need to get away from people, not get involved with them, he said. Others who have difficulty relating to the churches are those who want to remarry after divorce. "Often the church doesn't want to deal with it," said Frank. "I try to get thi to go back to their churches. In one case,t church refused to marry them. I talked I them about their commitment and marri| them. Both have now been accepted baj into the church." There are also counseling cases, people|» i the hospital with no real church connectioi people who cannot find acceptance in t church. "We Mennonites who come from go settled backgrounds find it hard to relate k« such people," he said. "Our set of vahi { doesn't help them. I'm reporting back si churches who can't accept people who a different. People on both ends have problem." The job as city missioner has be challenging for Frank, he said. It's dri him to reading so he can better understai] the people he meets — reading about ot religions, sociology, divorce and remarriajl the charismatic movement, psychotherap| He wants to establish the contact that help people find the church and the chun find people. Lois Barrett Si Eat carrots with your rice Tea stalls and other shops in Bangladesh decorate their walls with pictures from newspapers and magazines. Why not use their walls for a good cause? The Mennonite Central Committee team in Noakhali, Bangladesh, has produced a carrot poster as part of a publicity program to encourage winter crop production. The winter season is the prime time when farmers can grow crops other than rice. By growing and consuming more vegetables, soybeans, and wheat, the people will get a more balanced diet. Two years ago, the MCC team was concerned mostly with production. Today their problems have shifted to marketing. In the past, it was assumed, if good seeds were available at reasonable rates and farmers knew how to grow them, they would do so. This is true in some isolated areas in the district, but not on the whole. "We sell a lot of good seed, but only a fraction of the seedlings are used and in some places the produce of the gardens goes to waste," said Gerhard Neufeld, MCC worker. "With these problems in mind we launched a vegetable and sunflower oil and cake publicity program." "Eat carrots with your rice" is one of the eight slogans on the carrot posters. Another poster shows two healthy children in a vegetable garden eating vegetables and beside them, in an empty field, stand two Ion m children in obviously poor health. "Hi vegetables for good health" is the slogan t With a sunflower oil and cake poster t MCC workers want to popularize these tv products, but also let customers know wh they are buying by displaying them in sho that sell oil. Besides producing posters the tea bought front-page space in a local newsp per. On October 1 1 a five-minute rad program on the reasons for growing veget bles was broadcast by Radio Bangladesh "In two selected areas where we thii fl^ vegetables have a good prospect, ' equipped our extension workers with portable generator and slide projector," W Neufeld said. "They contact schools, ct leges, farmers' co-ops, and other interesti groups of people and show slides. We find difficult to select an audience that needs ai wants the information. "In Feni, we combined advertising ai public relations," said Mr. Neufeld. "T only road connection between the port ci of Chittagong and Dacca goes through Fei At the major intersection the local polk j» man who directs the traffic is at the mercy the prevailing elements — rain or sun. V built a giant umbrella for him and decorati N it with our posters and drawings of crops ai their uses. If nobody else in the country w kk appreciate our efforts, the policeman < k: duty at this intersection does. In, 202 MARCH 22, I9ft\ lecord Workers for a replacement for Erland Wahner, who Church Center, Route 5, Box 145, Mount / pointed to the presidential selection cjnmittee for Mennonite Biblical Semi- j-y, Elkhart, Ind., are board members ifer G. Sawatzky of Steinbach, Man., and mrvin Zehr of Fort Wayne, Ind.; faculty timber Jacob Enz; student Delmar Epp; mbert Kreider, Newton, Kans.; Olin Kreh- ill, Reedley, Calif.; and Henry J. Ger- Ijndt, Winnipeg, Man. They are searching will be retiring from administrative work in 1978 or 1979. Calendar Central Mar. 29-30 — Ohio pastors' marriage counseling workshop, Smithville, Ohio Apr. 8-10 — Retreat for widowed and divorced persons, Laurelville Mennonite :>ung people and television ar Editor: It is with interest that I read IJrry Kehler's articles on television. The earch which he did relative to its influence s commendable. It would have been pful if he could have given more leads as 1j how young people can become involved in (Inmunications. This past year we have learned that young pple who have grown up with television Ave a special talent in producing spots and l;)grams for TV. They have proven very ■ ective in developing programs with a j sitive message. It would seem that pnitoring programs is not as meaningful to |:m as communicating their concerns on a |o-way television communication system. nold Regier, 212 Pine St., Newton, Is. 67114 Feb. 4 I'hat is Christian education? :ar Editor: In my mind there is a clear finition of Christian education. I realize, course, that I'm old-fashioned. But what is |r Mennonite church calling Christian lucation? It appears to me that Christ has been taken i t of our education. Have we been striving 1 hard for progress that we have lost the jht? Instead of a "fresh approach," have we j it the heart? Is there anything wrong with using Bible pries for children, or at least having some ' erence made to Scripture or Jesus? ilnstead of using prime church time on I nday morning to increase our knowledge I the teachings of our Master or from the j pphets or to help increase our faith, we are i her lost in a maze of our ancestors or the :mework of our conferences. (Some of our founding fathers would really be shocked if they could step into our sanctuary some Sunday morning.) I'm getting fed up with "much ado about nothing." We need to put Christ back into our Christian education. Then we wouldn't need to make such a loud clamor over collecting material things. Mabel L. Bertram, 2302 East Jackson St., Bloomington, III. 61701 Be faithful to Holy Spirit Dear Editor: I have always enjoyed The Mennonite but have come to appreciate especially your provoking, stimulating articles. The ones on the subject of TV were very good, but my writing is especially prompted by "Basic principles for planting new churches" by Leonard Wiebe (February 15 issue). The brief, thorough, and meaningful coverage was evidence of the author's experience in this line, together with a good biblical foundation. Too much of our attention is on numbers, especially promp- ted by the crusades. To look at numbers only would be as wrong as to judge all people and lands by the GNP. In Paraguay, the GNP is less than a tenth of that in the United States, yet we see families happy, well nourished, almost self-sufficient, and incidentally with less chance for high BP (blood pressure). The main thing in church growth, as Leonard says, is the Holy Spirit, who gives power. It is important that every one of us is found faithful. We should keep the six points he mentions in mind to keep us on even keel and permit ourselves to be used, to live "in the world." We need to speak to people and be compassionate for a purpose. John R. Schmidt, Box 82, Goessel, Kans. Feb. 12 Pleasant, Pa. 15666 Apr. 29-30 — Central District Council of Committees, Camp Friedenswald, Cassopo- lis, Mich. Pacific Apr. 22-24 — California Mennonite Fel- lowship Convention, First Church, Paso Robles 1 Journalism position open this summer General Conference central offices Duties: half-time assistant editor of The Mennonite and half-time editor and writer for General Conference News Service Qualifications: A warm, open commit- ment to Christ, a familiarity and appreciation for the General Confer- ence Mennonite Church, competent skills in editing and writing, a crea- tive and aggressive attitude toward news, and preferably some skills in photography Salary: Commensurate with education and experience Apply in writing, enclosing resume, samples of work, and references, to: Heinz Janzen, General Secretary General Conference Mennonite Church 722 Main St., Newton, Kansas 67114 Telephone: (316) 283-5100 An equal opportunity employer M/F IE MENNONITE 203 Ileview low should we then live? (41 w should we then live? a ten-episode film ues written by Francis Schaeffer and o duced by Franky Schaeffer, 1976, Gospel r}ns, Inc., in cooperation with Dutch Wional Television, is reviewed by Betty me Dyck. 791 Peralta Ave., Berkeley, C'ifornia 94707, a missionary on furlough firn the Philippines. F\w should we then live? portrays the rise a' decline of western thought and culture. Tl: premiere showing took place in the San F ncisco Bay area in January, a three- n(rit-and-one-full-day affair. n addition to answering questions after e h film segment, Edith Schaeffer lectured 0 "What is a family?" Franky Schaeffer on " 't forms in a Christian's world view," and Emcis Schaeffer held "clergymen only" s iions. ;rancis Schaeffer expressed four purposes jf] these films: (1) the conversion of many Ipliple who don't realize the "richness" of )(jristianity, (2) that believers might grasp a 'nv concept of lordship over all of life in cjitemporary society and culture, (3) that Ifievers might "have dreams and see 4 ons" (Acts 2:17) which would help them t influence today's culture, and (4) that fc,ievers not responding to a greater liidship of Christ might hear a warning. The title of the films and the companion t jk (Revell, 1976, $12.95) come from the vtchman passage in Ezekiel 33:1-11. This f >ject is the Schaeffers' call for western (jjristians to repent, ipisode 1 — The Roman age shows how 1 me collapsed because it was built on I mankind and human ideas alone. Early (jristians survived the catacombs and the (iiseum because of an awareness of God's ( th and existence in their lives. Their ■ thodoxy of community" and "orthodoxy ( doctrine" not only survived; they multi- t-d. I Francis Schaeffer commented in the I sstion period that he sees many North j perican churches with a biblical doctrine I I lacking the sense and practice of « nmunity. Biblical community grew out of i caring for each other, not from a (Jtimunistic sharing of goods. (Episode 2 — The Middle Ages portrays the | litical and materialistic seduction of the d's Spirit was moving within me. fjDn that wet, snowy New Year's Eve in 1 974, Ruth and I sat i[!one chair beside the fireplace. We were pondering the call ■Jesus in the Sermon. For years we both had claimed Christ ■ Lord. Now we also knew that the pressures of wealth had Ixeasingly claimed the greater allegiance in our lives. A jjice had to be made. What would we do with the "wise" Sd "foolish" man? We knew what had happened to their Buses. What were we going to do with "he who has ears to pr, let him hear"? (Ruth and I were not angry toward God. We were respected l ive Mennonite churchgoers — perhaps even overly active, ■at evening Matthew 6:24 became personal: "No one can I ve two masters; for either he will be indifferent to one and |'e the other, or he will be devoted to one and will look Iwn on the other." In a life-sapping, deadly way, we had pn hating and despising him. In pursuing our success- I ented goals, we had indeed become indifferent to the lister. These were the birth pangs of the Jubilee Year 1975. |ifolding was now giving way to greater awareness, began to pray about leaving the school system. It became arer that we could no longer continue in two directions — ying tribute to little God but actually serving big immon. In the next month I was led to the pastors' ninar at the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries in chart. I returned home with a keener sense of direction. Did God want me to leave the school system after lOVi rs? What about its security and my tenure? Was seminary ly the next step? Before the 1975 Jubilee Year was over, our family had wed to Elkhart and realized four months of the Lord's going presence and goodness in studying his Word. became clearer that we could ) longer continue in two rections— paying tribute to little od but actually serving big ammon. I And the Lord took me as a patent attorney George R. Caruso Recently a student here at AMBS asked me how a patent attorney became a minister. To answer his question step by step required more time than we had, so I gave a simple summary: "When God calls, you do as he directs." Although my answer was complete, it was oversimplified. God began working in my life long before I knew it. As a senior in college I requested baptism at my hometown church. We called it our church but didn't attend any place. Why did I ask to be baptized? Today I know it was the Holy HE MENNONITE 211 Spirit working in my life. At that time I had never heard of the Holy Spirit nor really of Jesus. Yet I wanted to be baptized. I often wonder what would have changed in my life if the minister had taken time to explain the story of salvation to me. In any case, he didn't. To my knowledge, my life did not change at that time. I finished college and went into the army. Here 1 met a Christian officer who remained loyal to his faith in spite of our taunting. He even managed to get me to go to church with him for six or eight Sundays. Then I decided I'd rather sleep off my Saturday night party. This Christian did not condemn me. He simply went on loving me and accepting my critical comments. (I know now that he also went on praying for me.) The next six years were filled with activity. 1 was employed as a foreman in a steel mill. 1 was married. Our first son was born, I changed jobs and finished night law school. I felt no need for God. When I was sick, facing a big exam, or suffering a hangover, then I'd ask for his help. As soon as the crisis passed, I'd forget him. I never even took time to say thanks. I felt I had all the purpose I needed in life — a wife and child requiring my attention, a full-time job, and ten hours of night law school so I could get farther ahead in business. Then the schooling was done and I was sworn in as an attorney at law before the Illinois Supreme Court. I was offered a patent law position in Phoenix, Arizona. This was great, except that I had to leave my pregnant wife in Chicago while I went to Phoenix. A strange thing happened in Phoenix while I was separated by 1,700 miles from my wife and first son. On the first Sunday, instead of sleeping in or going to a tavern, I went to church. I was beginning a new and exciting career. I did not have a negative feeling of any kind. Why did I go to church? I believe the Holy Spirit was leading me again, even though I didn't know it. My still pregnant wife arrived three weeks later to be welcomed by the bright Arizona sun, a blue sky, and a husband who wanted to go to church. Five months later we joined a seven-year-old Methodist church of about 800 members. This group was filled with God's love and dedicated to his mission. Four months later as I prepared a senior high Sunday school lesson on justification by faith, I realized that this was what I needed in my life. In a simple move, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior and began giving my life over to him. Praise God for his patient timetable which was so different from my "do it yesterday" attitude. My career flourished. We moved from Phoenix to Elkhart, where I joined Miles Laboratories with a 50 percent increase in pay. The next eight years saw more promotions, increased responsibility, higher salaries. At the same time our involvement in the church increased. We joined a small three-year-old mission church in deep trouble. We shared in a ministry with others and worked for a dynamic Christian congregation. I served about four years as district lay leader in a district of sixty-two Methodist churches. I was then appointed a part-time lay pastor of a small church. Although we enjoyed this ministry, I felt God wanted me to devote my full time to my patent attorney profession. So in August 1974, at my request, I was relieved of my appointment. Although I tried, I found I could not devote myself to I study of law as I knew I should. As time passed, I w receiving less and less satisfaction from my career in spite continuing success. God was showing me that people a more important than things. With my success, I had less time for my fellow workers needed to take work home at night and on weekend Tension developed between my profession and my work f my Lord. After much prayer, I yielded to God, saying, ' you want me to be a minister, I will," and the peace cam It is still hard to understand how I could have been at peai so quickly after giving up so much of the worldly security had considered important. But now I have much great security in Jesus Christ because it is an eternal security. Ai look back I can see that he prepared me for accepting his ci by showing me two life patterns, that of the attorney and th of a full-time pastor. After tasting both, the better one for had to be the full-time pastor. In response to God's call, I left my position and enrolUi full time in the master of divinity program at the Associate Mennonite Biblical Seminaries. In my profession, the bulk my time was spent in the study of case law, scienti publications, and new concepts developed by our scienti: and in writing patent applications, agreements, and lette To shift to the study of God's Word seemed a natural moi My legal profession opened my eyes in a unique way to least one ministry. It made me a part of the busine community, which is often not penetrated by the clergy (orb witnessing Christians). This large segment of our societ continues to be a deep concern to me. In my legal work became aware of how the church has taken the attitude th; this segment, because of its material success, does not need be or cannot be evangelized. Yet I have seen and had share with me the great needs of these "middle class" persons believe this is a special ministry God has prepared me for an called me to. He continues to open unexpected doors to me. When didn't want it, he provided a congregation in need of student pastor. To such a loving congregation, we couldn' say no. With this salary, we still have, 1 Vi years later, someo the money we set aside for our first year of school, believin God would provide for the rest. Friends have asked me tod legal work for them because, they say, they want a Christiai lawyer doing their work. This is helping financially. It is alsi opening new avenues of witnessing to God's grace for me am my clients when they introduce me as a minister. Two years ago I had a plan for my future. Then I said yesti God's call to the ministry on his terms, not mine. I don' know what tomorrow holds in worldly terms. I do knowi promises some new and exciting ministry in the service of rn; Lord and Savior. More and more I am giving my future ove to God. Can I trust him? Let me share a confirmation. In collegi and afterwards, I said 1 wanted to be a corporate president When I went into the ministry it looked as if that would neve happen. On my way to the seminary one morning, it dawnet on me that God works in strange ways and what fools we are The night before, I had been elected chairman of the board o O-Tronics, Inc., a small, profit-making corporation a frienc asked me to help him organize. My goal had been reachec after I quit seeking after it. THE MENNONITE seeks 10 wilni publisher) weekly except blweekl] class postage paid at Newton K, Editorial ollieo 600 Shaltesbury E leach motivate and build the Christian fellowship wilhm the context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance of Ihe Scriptures and Ihe Holy Spirt! It nng July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton Kans h/ I 1 ■! by the General Guar it ol the General Con tor on, e rVennonitc Church Second 67114 and at additional mailing ollices Subscriptions in U S and Canada to 00 one year illi so two veais S?a" 00 three years foreign *8 50 per . " evatd Winnipeg. Canada R3P OM4 Business ollice 722 Main St , Box 34 7 Newton , Kans 67114 Postmaster. Send Form 3579 to Bo« 347. Newton h.i« i..ih 212 MARCH 29, 1977 hi And the Lord took me as a medical doctor Ben Kenagy At the age of nine I first heard the Lord speaking to me, but didn't understand what was happening. Although I was baptized at that time, it wasn't until one or two years later that 1 began to realize the fact of sin and alienation from God and turned to him with all my heart. It has not always been "with all my heart," but there has always been a conscious- ness of a relationship with Christ. This has become, through his grace, increasingly precious to me. He has given me the desire that he might truly be Lord and Savior of all my life and that I might grow in the love and knowledge of him. My first years as a Christian were characterized by a painful immaturity that must have been a trial to my family and friends. But the Spirit was working. Much maturing took place during the four years 1 worked at home on the farm in Oregon as a dropout before beginning high school at Hesston. If it hadn't been for the encouragement of Milo Kauffman at a difficult time, I would have dropped out again. Later, the Lord used one of my teachers from public high school to direct my call to medicine. While at Goshen College, I made a commitment to service. My medical training at Northwestern University was aided financially by a long-time Christian friend in Oregon as a matter of stewardship and encouragement for service. We served in Puerto Rico for three years. When we returned to Oregon in 1959 to enter private practice, we felt that the Lord would have us there until our family of two daughters were grown. At times we were not sure of the Lord's timing. But as the time came for the younger daughter to enter college in fall 1976, the Lord prodded us to get going. We are again thankful for the people the Lord used to help us decide. Several years ago, Donald King suggested seminary study before further service, and the Tightness of this decision was confirmed in various ways. A year and a half before leaving my practice, the Lord arranged a change which greatly facilitated the later break. And because 1 needed to work for both professional and financial reasons while studying, he arranged part-time work in a clinic near the seminary. My particular interests at seminary are the peace studies program and biblical languages. We are committed to the gospel which, when properly understood, not only reconciles people to God, but reconciles people to each other on both the individual and corporate levels. We are thankful to be part of a brotherhood that, at least in part, understands this. How this will work out in future service with a medical ministry, we are trusting the Lord to show us. We anticipate a period of service which will probably be abroad. HE MENNONITE 213 Maynard Shelly Power-the Jesus way "Hosanna," they cried. That ancient word of praise was also a prayer to God: "Oh, save!" In that last week of his earthly life, Jesus most clearly showed his followers the saving way. In Jerusalem, in the space of just a few days, he demonstrated all that he had taught them in Galilee: weakness alone must be the servant's way of life. Yet, the people shouted, "Hail to the King!"(Mk. 1 1:9, Living Bible). And king he was. But he was not a warrior king after the manner of old King David. Rather, he was the bleeding and dying Passover sacrifice, the Lamb upon the throne. In hailing Jesus, the Jerusalemites expect- ed from him the mighty works that only a king could do. No one could come to their city as a king without being asked to do one more mighty work: "Save us from the Romans." Without lifting a sword, Jesus would save them — and us — from so much more. But in Don't think that just because the strength of God was once expressed in the weakness of the cross that now the rest of us can return to strength in the old human tradition. doing so, he cut our understandings of powe| into little pieces and cast them to the wind He had to save us from our own notions o|| strength by being the suffering Servant. The ancient prophets left us with duel about the meaning of that servant deedjj They affirmed that "he took our infirmities and bore our diseases" (Mt. 8:17, Revised] Standard Version; see also Is. 53:4). Wij cannot explain just how this happened, bu|f; we know Jesus did just that. Jesus proved himself the perfect servantH He made himself available for what neede(p(« most to be done: to bear the sins of thd people of the world. Here's good news: Jesus gave himself t( inlli the cross. All else written in the Bible unti mi this point was written so that we migh' ipa\ understand the meaning of the Servant's self*;*:, giving. Christ on the cross is the gospel, thfci good news from God and the good news tha tol the apostles preached. Ike Through Christ, God set his people free » Christ saved us from slavery. He has brough ^ us into a new nation and kingdom. Ir -lor becoming the offering for our sins (Is b 53:10,11), he became the ransom for manjj-i,-; (Mk. 10:45). In him, the last became first, thf am servant became king. p The power of the Jesus Way was ob|! nto dience to God, willingness to suffer thai « others might live. The greatest test of tha hi obedience for the Servant-King was th< ir, willingness to give himself to a lost cause, a, All that the people of Jerusalem could set -ill in the events of the crucifixion was weakness j o and defeat, the bitter end of a lost cause H They had hoped that in Jesus Christ thej m, would see God acting as he had once acted j;> through Moses to lead them across the Re< -\» Sea. ioiu But God allowed Jesus to be destroyed or ~h\ the cross. The evil one triumphed and the m, enemies of God had won the victory. Or, soil d0l seemed. 214 MARCH 29, jays Paul of Christ: "He was crucified in tf.kness" (2 Cor. 13:4, RSV). And he dj overed that to "preach Christ crucified [j a stumbling block to Jews and folly to G itiles .... For the foolishness of God is *pr than men, and the weakness of God is singer than men" (1 Cor. 1:23,25, RSV). I Don't think that just because the strength ajjod was once expressed in the weakness ajhe cross that now the rest of us can return u'.trength in the old human tradition. For tilt would be to deny all that we have learned about the Jesus Way and all that has been revealed to us by God through him. The suffering Servant way was not a temporary tactic of God to get through the tight spot of the crucifixion, after which he would turn once more to the dazzling spectacles of power that people have always expected of gods made in their own images. Weakness and suffering are God's standard operating procedures. Since we have come to know God in the person of Jesus Christ, God can and will not use any other way of working. Jesus Christ was his fullest and most complete revelation of himself. Through weakness and suffering, God works in us and through us. Paul found this true for his own life. After struggling to make it otherwise, Paul heard God say, "My power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Cor. 12:9, RSV). That's the Jesus Way — the way of the suffering Servant and King. Meditation for Lent and Easter lews ( hurch proposes TV violence resolution S tatement on television violence has been aiipted by the Eden Mennonite Church, \i>undridge, Kansas, and will be presented fii consideration at the triennial sessions of tl: General Conference Mennonite Church My 28 to August 3 in Bluffton, Ohio. ■The resolution states that "we believe that tl influence of television violence will tend tijerode our basic principles of love and Japassion as revealed in Christ. Therefore 4 vision violence must be viewed with fl -easing alarm by those who proclaim the i / of love and peace." The congregation then recommends sever- al,uggestions for action "with regard to a fflness against violence on television": I -form an ad hoc study commission in e h congregation. I -form monitoring committees to record 111 amount and kind of violence on a pi'gram, the name of the show, and the |ne of the sponsor. -write letters of protest to sponsors of Blent television shows and write letters of a ouragement when companies sponsor leficial and nonviolent programs. -talk with sponsors and program direc- t\h of local television stations about 1 lence in television programming and ask I m for suggestions on how churches can Ip produce more creative programming. I -write letters to the editors of local and rliional papers. -ask denominational and church school ionizations to explore the matter and Pi'duce and encourage better program- n lg. — write to the many organizations con- cerned with violence on television. The Eden Church itself has already started involvement in some of these suggestions for action. A task force within the congregation, headed by Delbert Goering of Moundndge, has been meeting. A group of about a dozen people has been monitoring television shows, and the congregation is being surveyed on its viewing habits. Eden pastor Walter Neufeld appeared on a Wichita television station in February in response to an editorial which had defended violence on television. The National Citizens Committee for Broadcasting monitored U.S. television for six weeks during the summer of 1976 and found that CBS had shown 4,993 acts of violence; ABC, 6,329; and NBC, 6,581. "The USA's mania for violence, one has to agree, cannot be blamed entirely on Holly- wood, Broadway, or the networks," wrote Franz J. Ingelfinger in a recent issue of Columbia journalism review. "One can maintain, however, that television is encour- aging violence by its prevalence — indeed, its glorification — on so many prime-time net- work programs. Is it television's mission to exacerbate a disease of our society, or should the most pervasive of all media not accept a modicum of responsibility?" Seattle volunteer works on Skid Road A new involvement on Skid Road has been started by the Seattle Mennonite Voluntary Service unit No. 1 . The unit has planned and is funding a one- year project to place one volunteer at the First Ave. Service Center. The center, which is supported by churches and individuals, provides a place where Skid Road residents can get together, be warm, and interact with a sense of community, said Clint Stucky, a member of the MVS unit. "There are not many places to hang out except if they're drinking," he said. The center provides an alternative to the taverns and also to the rescue missions, which often have a paternalistic attitude toward their patrons. MVS worker at the center since March 4 is Joe Martin, a native of Boston, who has been a VISTA worker in Seattle for the last three years. He will spend about twenty-five hours a week at the center as a social services advocate on behalf of patrons who are dealing with welfare agencies, veterans' agencies, and other organizations. Some people just need help in getting birth certificates. Others may be referred to medical or mental health care. Mr. Martin will also spend about fifteen hoursa week teachingat the Summit School, an alternative high school. The center's director, Wes Durland, is not from Skid Road, but the rest of the staff is hired from among Skid Road residents, and policy is set at weekly community meetings. 1! E MENNONITE 215 Seminary extension recommended in Ontario An extension of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries in Ontario, beginning in September 1978, is being recommended to their respective governing boards by admin- istrators of AMBS, Elkhart, Indiana, and Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ontario. Administrators of the two schools met March 7-8 in Waterloo with representatives of the Inter-Mennonite Conference (Ontar- io) to discuss the details of the proposed graduate theological program in Ontario. A series of recommendations from the planning group includes the following: — that the Ontario program not be a new seminary, but rather an extension of AM BS in the sense of academic supervision and accreditation. — that the Ontario program be coordinat- ed on behalf of AMBS by Conrad Grebel College, which would name a director in consultation with AMBS. — that an Ontario advisory committee be set up. — that the Ontario program focus on both academic courses and experiential learning (supervised pastoral education), normally providing one year, but in exceptional cases allowing for a maximum of two years of training toward the AMBS master of divinity degree. — that the academic work be centered at Conrad Grebel College and include new courses as well as existing ones at the University of Waterloo and nearby seminar- ies. — that the funding include resources of Conrad Grebel College, AMBS, and the Inter-Mennonite Conference, the latter to carry most of the financial burden. In addition to requiring approval of the governing boards, the proposal will be checked out with the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theologi- cal Schools in Canada and the USA and with the University of Waterloo. A joint news release from CGC and AMBS said the idea of graduate theological training in Ontario arose from two develop- ments: AMBS involvement in two congrega- tionally supervised pastoral education cen- ters in Ontario in the last decade and from Ontario ministerial students transferring graduate academic work from a variety of Ontario schools for credit at AMBS. While the Ontario program should not be seen as one serving or sponsored by all Mennonites in Canada, it is hoped that the program will help give North American seminary education a binational orientation, the release said. Present at the planning meeting from Elkhart, Indiana, were Erland Waltner, president of Mennonite Biblical Seminary; Marlin Miller, president of Goshen Biblical Seminary; and Ross Bender, dean of the Associated Seminaries. Present from Conrad Grebel College were Frank Epp, president; Rodney Sawatsky, director of academic affairs; and Ralph Eebold, chairman of the School of Adult Studies. Vernon Leis, chairman, represented the Inter-Mennonite Conference. United Mennonites will hire conference minister Caution and consultation were the watch- words as the Conference of the United Mennonite Churches of Ontario voted to hire a conference minister. Delegates to the annual sessions February 18-20 in Virgil had some apprehension that such an addition to the conference structure might lead away from involvement in conference decisions. But most delegates felt a need for providing counsel and spiritual support to the numerically and geographi- cally disadvantaged churches and fellow- ships in the province. "Such a person," H. P. Epp, conference moderator, indicated, "would allow our conference to grow in its witness and to develop energetic, creative leadership that would keep the churches involved in exciting and fruitful relationships." The decision characterized the conference proceedings in that it encouraged freedom of expression and choice. The centrality of Christ in the gospel and the liberation of his sacrifice that set people free to do Christ's work was the challenge of George R. Brunk, Harrisonburg, Virginia, who was the confer- ence speaker. Missions and service committees were active in church planting surveys, especially in Chatham and in Sudbury, where this work is being done at the interconference level. Research is continuing in Windsor; another survey is planned for Grimsby. The possibility of ministering to the 80,000 Chinese in Toronto was revealed by missions chairman Peter Janzen. The ministry would be patterned after a pilot project in British Columbia, where two such churches have been established with the help of a Christian worker of Chinese background. The lack of operating funds threatens to curtail some of the work being done at Craigwood, where thirty boys are in train- ing. Another concern of community witness was expressed by Hugo and Doreen Neufeld, working at the Welcome Inn in Hamilton. "More and more we are beginning to see that a large part of our work must be to help people identify where they have touched base with God in the past, affirm that, and then work on commitment and developing 01 ii 0 a be se UK Ii k Christian community," they said. The importance of education to tr conference was reflected in the fact thi $43,000 out of a $1 17,000 is earmarked fl'l education. Herb Hamm, Kingsville, Ontan »cfc Jlll'N Indonesian economic efforts gather steam A new chapter in the life of YAKEM, trP'N' economic development program of tw Indonesian Mennonite conferences, W2 celebrated at the February 14 dedication ( ®hi its new center in Pati, Indonesia. On hand for the three-hour festivities wei»urt local dignitaries, Indonesian church leader sv; and Mennonite Central Committee repn sentatives. The first dedicatory speech for the nefi' facility was delivered by Mesach Krisety; chairman of the Muria Mennonite Church, 5,000-member body made up primarily c I people of Chinese descent. Speaking forth Javanese Mennonite Church was S. Djojod hardjo. Representing MCC were William l|f» Snyder, executive secretary, and Ver Preheim, Asia secretary, who were in Asi it"1 on an administrative trip. YAKEM ( Yayasan Kerjasama Ekonon Muria) means "Cooperative Economi Corporation of the Muria area." YAKEM work reaches back about ten years to MCCl lo initiated rural development projects in pi mmi raising, dam construction, and other seal ledui tered projects. In 1975 the work wa reorganized into the present YAKE\ indar corporation with a governing board that wa lion to be appointed by the two conferences. Las tnm year the program plan was expanded t include credit and intensified efforts in a fe\ villages rather than scattered unrelatei projects. YAKEM board chairman C. Setyoprayit kh no explained the current credit and technics assistance programs to the opening da s\\ gathering. Each pump serves a group c athe twenty to forty farmers and makes possibl ipov two and sometimes three crops of rice pe « year in areas where only one crop wa ' possible before. Financial support for the work of YA§nl; KEM comes from the two Mennonit conferences, the European Evangelizatioi Committee (EMEK), and MCC. Referring to the credit program. Mi Preheim told the YAKEM board that MC(h is encouraged to see the credit dimension o the program because it emphasizes Jubilee nature of what Christian life should become. "The Bible cautions against usury, he said, "but if the wealth can really b a redistributed more equitably through ric e credits, YAKEM really is bringing go0< u news to the farmers who participate in th program." Gene Stolizfus. MCC Indonesia 01 216 MARCH 29, 197 a fords & deeds hoir of about seventy voices from Central aois churches will sing parts of The ation by Haydn on the opening night of Central District Conference annual sions April 14 in Washington, Illinois. derstanding family relations is the topic a series of classes at Trinity Church, ijlsboro, Kansas, led by Scott and Noreen (jesebro. The classes are designed to help f lilies cope with some of the problems and j fssures of a rapidly changing culture. The asses meet on Sunday nights. 1st Church, Calgary, Alberta, hosted this jj'ir's World Day of Prayer for their city, 'jine service had been written by a group of > men from the German Democratic 1 public, and many of our members have t i and still have connections there," said line Klassen, church correspondent to The ii'nnonite. "The service itself was lovely in i- simplicity. The theme was 'Love in a ion,' or 'Gebe eine Liebesgabe.' " ininor in communication will be an option i'inning next fall for students at Bethel ( liege. North Newton, Kansas. The first of t: foundation courses for the minor, ( mmunication and the Mass Media, is S;ieduled for fall 1977. Later courses to be lied will include Print Journalism and Indamentals of Broadcasting. Communi- c ion internships will also be offered. Jentually a major in communication may | offered, incorporating a semester or year (I the University of Kansas School of jurnalism. i ngregations which belong to both the 1 mnonite Church and the General Confer- ee Mennonite Church have been invited to : athering May 12-13 in Rosemont, Illinois. 1 rpose of the meeting is to assess the siengths and weaknesses of dual affiliation to propose ways of improving relation- 1 ps, according to Heinz Janzen, General (•nference general secretary, who is con- ining the meeting on behalf of the Council I Moderators and Secretaries. The council 1 in inter-Mennonite clearinghouse fortop- Ji el officers and administrators. I ormation about the Rumanian earth- lake is being gathered, but Mennonite < ntral Committee is not soliciting money 1 Rumania at this time, according to Peter I ck, Europe and North Africa secretary. 1 e Rumanian Government has requested I untries sending aid for the victims of the » thquake to suspend shipment of further Bterial resources. Unsolicited goods and personnel had been arriving in greater quantities than necessary. MCC plans to work in cooperation with the International Mennonite Organization (the European Mennonite relief and service organization) in any effort in Rumania. MCC had already begun receiving contributions designated for disaster relief in Rumania. Seven seminary students who are enrolled in training off campus met recently with their Once a week Margaret Regier winds her car around Appalachian hills and past hollows until she comes to Irene Day's house. Irene, a middle-aged woman who grew up in Appalachia, greets her with a slow smile at the door of a small, neat house. In a room edged with knotty pine, Margaret spends an hour helping Irene with writing, reading, and math before traveling to her next student. Ms. Regier is an Appalachian Mennonite Service Program (AMSP) volunteer who is helping adults like Irene near Whitesburg, Kentucky, further their education. The home extension classes are a free service of the adult education program of the Kent Valley Educational Cooperative. Each teacher must find his or her own students. "I like the idea of going into the homes because it gives me a chance to get to know the people in a different way," says Ms. Regier, who began her teaching in a rural one-room school. She says she has found her students to be "very fine, down-to-earth people." Although Irene Day's house is easily accessible, Ms. Regier must travel eighteen miles of curving mountain roads to reach one student. She walks across a rickety foot bridge and climbs a steep clay bank to reach another. Although some people say there is apathy in Appalachia, Ms. Regier has not found it in her students. She notes that Irene Day worked all the way through a textbook in one week. Since she started teaching, at least ten other people have requested her once-a- week classes. "The fact that most of these people want their high school diploma is very interest- ing," Ms. Regier says. She enjoys her students, who are from twenty-five to fifty years old. Most can read on about a seventh-grade level. Although twenty-five years of teaching experience have given her ample preparation for teaching reading and language, "when we come to algebra, I'm going to have to do some studying," she says. Why did she choose to go to Appalachia at age sixty-seven? "Appalachia has been in the back of my supervisors on the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries campus, Elkhart, Indi- ana. Betty and Levi Hochstetler are enrolled in an urban training program in Chicago while serving as copastors of the Grace Mennonite Church. John Lenshyn and Jake Frose are in the Valley View congregation, London, Ontario; Sheryl and Peter Dyck at Hamilton Church, Hamilton, Ontario; and Bob Schloneger at Oak Grove Church, Smithville, Ohio. mind for many years," Ms. Regier says. Although the dream persisted through years of teaching and studying in which she acquired an MA in reading and counseling and a PhD in reading, she did not give it serious thought until last year. While taking a year off to do some writing in Sante Fe, New Mexico, she suddenly thought, "Why not now?" She wondered if Mennonite Central Committee had a project in Appalachia. She investigated, found it did have a combined AMSP with the Mennonite Board of Missions, Elkhart, Indiana, and came. Although Margaret Regier started teach- ing in a rural school in Kansas, her most recent teaching job was at Roosevelt University, Chicago, Illinois, until 1972. The job included working with primary-age children to adults in a reading clinic. Ms. Regier, a member of the Emmaus Mennonite Church, Whitewater, Kansas, graduated from Bethel College in 1947. Her MA and PhD were acquired from the University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. Her two-year assignment with MCC began in January. Christine Wiebe Margaret Regier Winding her way to school IE MENNONITE 217 Come, sit on the grass with me I but r Norman Derstine, serving at Radio Botswa- na under the sponsorship of Africa Inter- Mennonite Mission, interviews Ed and Irene Weaver, AIM M missionaries who have just completed a two-year term in southern Africa. They previously served with Menno- nite Board of Missions in 1935-56 in India and 1959-71 in West Africa. Norman: Ed and Irene, how do you see the development of the African independent churches during your two years in Botswa- na? Ed: Independent churches are growing rapidly in spite of earlier strong opposition from both the mission churches and govern- ment to try to wipe them out, or at least control them. Now both are trying to find out what contribution independent churches are making to the nation's religious life. Norman: What is the membership of independent churches in Botswana? Ed: No one has done a recent survey. One reason is that people who attend indepen- dent churches often have a dual membership. They are members of mission churches and at the same time members of independent churches, where they probably attend more often. A recent survey in Selebi-Pikwe, a new mining town where people have come from all over the country, showed religious affiliation equally divided among tradition- al, independent, and mission churches. Norman: How would you describe the difference between worship in an indepen- dent church and in a mission church? Irene: It is far freer and more African in style, not trying to copy after western ways as the mission churches do. They are not as free to be themselves in Botswana as they are in West Africa. In West Africa, if they want to dance, they dance; if they want to drum, they drum; if they want to clap, they clap; it is spontaneous worship in their own way. But certainly they [the southern Africa churches] are free to worship in their own way. The people speak of the Spirit of the Lord being present in their services. They have a definite time for healing and for prayers — people coming up to be prayed with— which is usually not found in the mission churches. Norman: Is healing one of the chief differences between independent churches and other churches? Ed: A quick answer is yes. Among the so- called spiritual churches, healing has a strong emphasis. But it isn't the kind of thing people in the West or in mission churches usually think of. As thought of in the whole man and has to do with more than the physical condition. Irene: Norman, I'd like to express this by what happens to me. I feel a freedom to be myself. I feel that they are not inhibited at all and if I want to go up and kneel for prayer, I can. Recently when one of my secondary student friends went forward for prayer, I knew she was praying about her exams. I felt compelled to kneel beside her in affirmation. I put my arm around her and had a tremendous experience. Another time at Kanye, meeting under a tree, people came forward for prayer. I was experiencing some physical difficulties and I went up. When they came to pray for me, Ed said, "Irene, may your prayer be answered." He didn't know why I was there. God heard that prayer and I was healed. Norman: I heard someone say that the church has not really taken root in Africa. How do you respond to such a statement? Ed: That's what independent church movements are about! Christians in Africa are struggling to find an African interpreta- tion of the gospel— the interpretation, application, and practice of the gospel which fits African culture and yet is the same gospel Jesus was talking about. Irene: We have both kinds of responses. There are those in the upper class who still can't understand our role. Others feel that the independent churches are the church of tomorrow and have a voice which the wider church must hear. Norman: What has been your role within the independent churches? Irene: Our role has been a supporting role. We have often said, "We don't want to be possessed by them, and we don't want them to feel that we possess them." If we can have a part in leadership training, work with and not for people, this is what we want — a role of teaching Bible and leadership train- ing. Ed: The kind of work that Irene and 1 are Ed and Irene Weaver wee »)te ion th have to 1 I pel in needs a lifetime. Little can be acco plished in two short years. How independ churches attempt to interpret the gospel terms of their culture, this is the biggi theological question that any church fai throughout the world and we haven't e\| worked it out in our own country! ourselves have a too western, Americ, cultural understanding of the gospel. How can people in any culture understan ^ and apply the gospel in their partial; culture? It has to be done in dialog becausjly we can't quite see ourselves if we look at] gospel only in terms of our own culture this way we learn to understand and appi the gospel beyond our own cultural back|iif;* ground. African Christians have so much til teach us. Irene: One of the greatest ministries have is to help people feel loved an be done. We are convinced that nonites need to be united in their ;ss in southern Africa. Secondly, we listen to understand what Africans are g to say to us before we attempt telling i what we feel so urgently needs to be Thirdly, people are so much more >rtant than any programs we may want olt up to do "our thing." hrman: What gives you the conviction hiMennonites have a special contribution make? I: Mennonites in this particular time location are called of God to give a ;ss of reconciliation. This, first of all, njllves the independent churches them- e|s, then the relation between the newer ndpendent churches and the older mission filches, but also our relation to the ;oi rnments of countries in southern Africa, nt pendent churches and Mennonites have . i w things in common which makes v|;ing with them both easy and mutually v^hwhile. Africans do not intend to h< ~h V2 in n yjj logize or systematize their religion. r religious experiences are expressed in a much like the Old Testament. We, too, the present time, were more interested he practice of our beliefs than in matizing them. wman: Does the political situation nd Botswana create new opportunities >i|ose doors? K' I think we can see this as new open Hs — new opportunities for witnessing to }|'s reconciliation in word and deed. >wdland MCC director Dan Nissly's going o|hodesia to find open doors to minister to lahle in trouble is a courageous example of vl I we can do in one of the most difficult rations in southern Africa. A ministry of o| forgiveness, and reconciliation will find Ag-Land Fund will not be set up The proposed Ag-Land Fund I, a plan for a $50 million pooled agricultural land invest- ment fund, has been dropped, according to a recent report in the Wall St. journal. Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company said it withdrew its applica- tion to the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for tax-exempt status. Employee benefit plans would have invested in the fund. The newspaper said the bank announce- ment came after bank officials met March 1 1 with Secretary of Agriculture Robert Berg- land. A bank spokesman said, "We have decided not to proceed with the plan after discussing the proposal with various members of the business and agricultural communities and government leaders." Farm groups, particularly, had expressed concern that the fund would drive up the price of land, further concentrate land ownership in nonfarm absentee investors, and lead to higher taxes that might force small farmers to sell their land. Hearings had been held in February in the House of Representatives subcommittee on family farms and rural development. The fund was to have been marketed by Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner, and Smith. Fighting in Zaire is not affecting Mennonites The locations in southern Zaire where armed forces from Angola have held eight to ten Methodist missionaries under house arrest are close to some Mennonite congregations. But the General Conference's Commission on Overseas Mission has no indication that Zairian Mennonites or missionaries are in immediate danger. The eight Methodist missionaries were confined to their homes in the town of Kapanga, which, along with Dilolo and Kisenge, fell to the insurgents. Six mission- aries were flown out of the town of Sandoa because of the fighting. It is not known whether the invasion from Angola is from Angolan forces, or forces led by Cubans or from remnants of the late Moise Tshombe's separatist forces who fled in 1963 from Zaire into Angola. The area of fighting is about 600 miles from Mutena, a Mennonite center. It is about 24 kilometers from the Angolan border, and missionaries Elmer and Esther Dick are assigned there. The General Conference has about twenty-four missionaries in Zaire under Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission. Missionaries in Kinshasa said by phone March 18 that earlier reports that Tshikapa had been taken by guerrillas were false. Record Ministers ™ Svendsen Charles Svendsen, minister of the Deep Run Church West, Bedminster, Pa., was ordained to the pastoral ministry Jan. 9. He is a graduate of Wheaton (111.) College and Westminister Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. He is doing postgraduate work in church history at Princeton Theological Seminary. He has served the Deep Run congregation for the past three years. Among those participating in his ordination service were Chester Mill, president of the Eastern District Conference; William Steele, Bethany Mennonite Church, Quakertown; John Sprunger, Indian Valley Church, Harleysville; and Russell Mast, Zion Church, Souderton, Pa. Published The concept of grace in the Radical Reformation by Alvin J. Beachy, Bethel College Bible and religion professor, has been published by B. De Graaf of Nieuw- koop, Holland. The book is Volume 17 in a series on Bibliotheca Humanistica and Reformatories. The major portion of the book was first presented as a doctoral thesis to Harvard Divinity School in 1960. An appendix of over 140 pages updates the material and adds Mr. Beachy's later reflections. The forward is written by George H. Williams, Hollis Professor of Divinity at Harvard University. Workers Garold Burkholder has resigned as business manager at Bethel College, North Newton, Kans. Mr. Burkholder has been associated with the college for nearly fourteen years, serving in various capacities in the business office. His future plans are indefinite. Jerry Griffin, chaplain of Bethel Deacon- r [ MENNONITE 219 ess Hospital and Home for Aged, Newton, Kans., was elected president of the Menno- nite Health Assembly at its annual meeting in Philadelphia, Pa. As president, he is to be responsible for the 1978 meeting to be in Dallas, Tex., and he is president of the executive committee. The Mennonite Health Assembly is part of the Protestant Health and Welfare Assembly, which is composed Conference budget Budget for 1977 includes: of seventeen affiliate Protestant hospital groups. Mathilda and Rufus B. Unrau, farmers near Lehigh, Kans., and members of the Alexanderwohl Church, Goessel, Kans., arrived in the Swift Current area north of Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua, Mexico, to help finish the work in the parsonage for Daniel and Elma Peters. They are serving under the 1977 BUDGET: $3,179,883 Commission on Education $234,048 Commission on Overseas Mission $2,084,949 Commission on Home Ministries $579,918 Mennonite Biblical Seminary $280,968 Total $3,179,883 $3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 General Conference Commission on Ov seas Mission. Harold and Ruth Voth, Alexanderw Church, Goessel, Kans., spent three week January and February conducting B study, visitation, and other tasks for General Conference Commission on O seas Mission in a number of the villages Cuauhtemoc, Chihuahua. Previously Voths had served in Mexico, Harold in MCC projects and Ruth as a nurse in hospital. Calendar ACTUAL INCOME J FMAMJ JASOND Budget receipts for January and February totaled $330,584 in 1977, compared with $389,084 in the first two months of 1976. General Conference has received 10.4 percent of its budget as of February 28, compared with 1 3 percent at the same time last year. Ted Stuckey, conference treasurer Apr. 14-17— Central District Confere annual sessions. Calvary Church, Washii ton. 111. Apr. 28-May 1 — Eastern District Con ence annual sessions, Camp Men-O-L Quakertown. Pa. July 28-Aug. 3 — General Conferer triennial sessions, Bluffton, Ohio Aug. 22-26 — Mennonite Voluntary $ vice orientation. Camp Mennoscah, Mi dock, Kans. Northern May 28-30 — Mennonite Family Cad Eastern Montana Bible Camp, rural Blooi field; resource people, Willis Busenitz ai John Koppenhaver A$OCIMED /MENNONI1E BIBLIG4L SEMINARIES Students come for: Personal growth Self-understanding Gift discernment and development Widening perspectives Development of free church self-awareness Christian scholarship For more information mail to: Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries 3003 Benham Ave. Elkhart, Indiana 46514 Name Street. City Stale/Province . Please send me: □ A catalog □ An application form □ Place me on the mailing list Program information on □ Master of divinity (three years) □ Master of arts (two years) Peace studies Christian education □ Overseas mission training □ One-year theology f teing speakers of the word ot doers only. CC volunteers share their faith as well as skills i religious education classes in African schools, i Swiss and Indonesian Bible colleges, i Bible classes at Brazilian orphanages, i sharing with local congregations, -i vacation Bible schools in Bolivia, irough cooperative planning with other church gencies. i personal sharing in 38 countries. Jjnnonite Central Committee South 12th Street j;ron, PA 17501 or '1-1483 Pembina Highway mnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2C8 Letters Liked COE issue Dear Editor: I thought the issue of The Mennonite which the Commission on Education sponsored was so meaningful. One of my friends told me she hated to tear up my article to play the game. Oh well, we can't have everything! I felt much the same way about the articles and our family discussed the questions without playing the game. Thanks for your encouragement. Donna Lehman, 5111 East Stale Boulevard, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46815 Feb. 23 More on taxes and abortion Dear Editor: The article by Carl Lehman "I also have a conscience" (February 22) showed real insight and solid thought. There are two areas on which I would like to see some further thought and thorough treatment: ( 1 ) a biblical-theological study on what it really means to "Render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's and to God the things which are God's." We might come out with more than one view. But we could try. On more than one occasion when talking to people within our conference, I have requested such a study. But so far I feel that we have not adequately considered the authority of the Scripture on the subject. (2) The second area of concern is abortion. It seems to me that this is an issue of taking life. We have clearly and without reservation condemned the taking of life in war. This is good. But why is it that when a greater, yes, far greater number of people's "right to life" is violated and thousands of people are killed, we remain comparatively silent? I must also confess that I have not said enough against this evil. Again, thank you for the article by Carl Lehman. It made me think. He brought out a number of points that I had not thought about until I read his article. Paul F. Goossen, Wayland, Iowa 52654 Not a matter of conscience Dear Editor: Why is there so much discus- sion on the topic of "war taxes"? Why hasn't the General Board taken a biblical stand on such a highly controversial subject? Are they and others like Marie Janzen who (February 15 issue) states that she"had neverthought it through from a biblical background until now"? I don't know what sources the board is using in their study, but I know we have the source and final authority at our fingertips. Romans 13 gives us a broad base for our study. Verses 1 and 2 command us to "be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever, therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God." These verses, and others such as 1 Peter 2:13-15 and Titus 3:1, clearly tell us that the government receives its authority from God, and to disobey the government is to disobey God. These are broad, general statements, good for foundational purposes. However we need not rely entirely upon them. We have more specific examples and commands on paying taxes. We know from the account in Matthew 1 7:24-27 that Christ paid taxes. We also know that he com- manded others to pay taxes, for he says in Matthew 22:21, concerning "tribute" or tax money, "render, therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God, the things that are God's." Christ seems to have settled this matter for us by both his words and deeds. For many people, the answers we find in God's word are not sufficient. These people suffer from what I call the "cultural disease." Their standard reply is, "That's cultural," or "That's old-fashioned." or "Things have changed." At the risk of being infected by "that disease" or of being accused of practicing or condoning that method of interpretation, let's take a quick look at the Roman Government of Christ's day. The Roman Empire had a small army compared to modern-day standards. However, 50 to 55 percent of the public treasury was used to support the military. There were also other sizable special funds for the military, supplied by revenue from taxes for that specific purpose. This government, which heavily taxed its people, continually grew by aggression and force and was the greatest war machine of its day. It was the same government that Christ commanded others to pay tribute to. To reason among ourselves with our finite minds on an issue that God has already settled in his Word is folly. As it is written in 1 Corinthians 1 :25, "The foolishness of God is wiser than men." If paying our taxes was contrary to God's Word, then we should take the Apostle's example and "obey God rather than men." That is not the case. I would challenge the General Conference as an employer to stand by God's Word, obey the laws of the land, and thereby be both a witness and an example. If you don't like the law, then lobby to get it changed. As long as it is the law, obey it! This is not a matte! individual conscience as many would hi you believe. It is a matter of obedienq God as set forth in his Word! Eric Cour.sey, Versailles, Mo. Feb 0 an Also fast-growing churches Dent Dear Editor: I just finished reading article on the United Church of Can (February 15 issue). If you are going to continue with m articles regarding other churches, I hope will have some on the fast-grow churches — for example, the Baptists (d overlook the fast-growing, "hardco fundamentalist groups of Baptists) and Pentecostal groups. I would also like to an examination of why they are growin I hope that the article on the Un Church of Canada did not imply accepta of the church or its general policies a model for us (I was appalled at it). Paul Zoschke, Box 1, Warroad, Minn. 56 761 Feb Sa pi Encouragement, suggestior Dear Editor: I find many articles, tide etc., informative and enlightening. Altho one cannot always agree with every articl opinion, I believe there is much food thought. One suggestion: I would appreciate see and reading expository and comment articles by our professors, teachers, past' missionaries, laymen, etc. Such artr could cover a range of approaches fi word studies to new understandings pert; ing to biblical interpretation. Clare Neuf Mather, Man. Jan Help wante Elementary teacher for Hopi Mission School, Or; Arizona, for August 1977. Secondary teachei alternative schools in several locations for fall 1 Two-year terms preferred. Medical personnel needed in several locatii including doctors, RNs, and LPNs. Two-year te preferred. Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 671 14 (316) 283-5100 IX KO itqi hi :.i lo lin - Or, ers - hi 222 MARCH 29, 1S Ileditation Contents "he joy of risking the extravagant act p parables are an art form. Although the illustrations are taken from everyday life, they ttjnscend the commonplace and become the vehicles of the extraordinary. The parables of Bus are often marked by the unexpected and the unusual and out of that surprise is born the rognition of the extraordinary — the kingdom of God. [For example, it is not usual for all guests to refuse an invitation or for the king to fill his lie with riffraff (Mt. 22:9), or that one would come to the marriage of a king's son in filthy jjments (Mt. 22:11), or for corn to yield a hundredfold. Ifhe normal shepherd would hardly leave his ninety-nine sheep in the wilderness to search g the one. Nor is it likely that a woman would spend a great deal of time sweeping the whole Iise with a lighted lamp to find a coin. |Ve might get around this by saying that the shepherd left his flock with his companions or tit the woman was particularly poor and a drachma was worth a lot to her, but we can jldly get around our surprise at the unusual behavior of the shepherd and the woman when ly put on a big party for the neighborhood to celebrate their joy of finding the one sheep |l the one lost coin. The point of these twin parables is the same as that of the parable of the J)d Samaritan. They are characterized by the willingness to risk the extravagant act. jThe parables speak of a broken wholeness; an implicit interrelatedness which holds this vfrld of humans, animals, and things together; its restoration; the experience of loss and ■joy of recovery. The restoration of wholeness between humans and animals, humans and iigs, and humans and humans is accomplished by risking the whole for the sake of the (J: — an extravagant act — the ninety-nine for the one, great diligence for one coin, ajourney i,:rrupted and time, energy, and money lavished on the needy stranger. Ipe kingdom of God, therefore, means the restoration of a broken wholeness and the rmation of the interconnectedness of the world. The kingdom of God implies the ognition that the loss of even the least is a great loss; it is the loss of the fullness of life, the Is of the possibilities, potential, and gifts that the least of things and people bring. There- jjje we can take a great risk and find great joy in the restoration of the least. Wo see and feel the kingdom — the purpose of the parables of Jesus — is to be awakened to it! recognition of the interrelated wholeness of life in this world. But why does this kingdom- M require such risk and extravagance? ■Ve are beginning to realize how uncertain life in the universe really is, against what odds m under what unusual circumstances life becomes possible. You and 1 were conceived in the ffllst of great odds, in a lavish and extravagant act. An extraordinary number of sperms I suing one recalcitrant egg is the story of our conception. The same principle holds true in kl rtship and marriage. When men and women court each other they take a risk — the risk of ■action and disappointment. In courtship we act extravagantly, we lavish energy in the form ■;are, preoccupation, and emotions — to what end? — to relate to one man or woman. I )o we then believe that Christian community, fellowship, care, intimacy can be got 'c aply and with less effort, risk, sacrifice, and lavishment? Authentic Christian mission and B) ness is like courting, dating, proposing, tense waiting, risking disappointment, but also ejecting to be surprised and delighted. s not Christ's dying for his enemies an extravagant act? Is not God's coming to us in I ikness a risk? Is not the forgiveness of the sinner in a world in which often the righteous Bier and the evil prosper intolerable divine extravagance? Why cannot Irish Catholics and Itestants, Israelis and Palestinians, Hindus and Muslims extricate themselves from the Be of terror and violence? Is it not because they have lost sight of the interrelatedness of all df? Is it not because they have become incapable of risking the extravagance of mutual T jive ness? rj"he church is called to embody and exercise this life of the kingdom of God by risking itself rathe sake of even one, even the least. It is called to relate redemptively to only as many as it I in this full and overflowing manner. To act as a citizen of the kingdom of God is to act like itj shepherd searching for the one lost sheep, like the woman sweeping the house for the one '14 coin, like the Samaritan extending lavish care on one unfortunate and needy person. B'ut simply, the kingdom-life is to risk the extravagant act for the joy, fullness, and v )leness that it promises. Lala Kalyan Kumar Dey ll And the Lord took me as a school psychologist 210 And the Lord took me as a patent attorney 21 1 And the Lord took me as a medical doctor 213 Power— the Jesus way 214 News 215 Record 219 Letters 222 The joy of risking the extravagant act. ..223 A good place to grow 224 CONTRIBUTORS This is a Mennonite Biblical Seminary issue. Erland Waltner, president; J. Herbert Fretz, coordinator ot church and seminary rela- tions; and Dale H, Schumm, admissions counselor, helped plan this issue. Frederick J. Obold studies at the seminary and is a member of the pastoral team at Hively Ave. Mennonite Church, Elkhart. George R. Caruso, another student, is the pastor of Maple Grove United Methodist Church, Elkhart. Ben Kenagy studies at AMBS and is a practicing physician at High Park Clinic, Goshen, Ind Maynard Shelly, former editor of The Mennonite, continues his series of Lent and Easter meditations. Lala Kalyan Kumar Dey is a graduate of MBS and is a seminary professor at Drew University, Madison, N.J., on sabbatical this year and teaching at AMBS J. K. Zeman is a seminary professor from Acadia Divinity College, Wolfville, N.S., on sabbatical this year at AMBS. CREDITS Cover, "A prophet," from the Rembrandt Bible published by Hugo Schmidt, Munich, 1921; 211, 214, Paul M. Schrock, Scottdale, Pa 15683; 213, RNS; 217, Christine Wiebe, MCC. 218. Lois Barrett The Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781 Business and subscription office: 722 Main St., Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Associate editor Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114, Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert, Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circu- lation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L. Ramseyer, 488 West Elm St., Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick. 588 South West Maple St., Dallas, Ore 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kans. 67117; En- compass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 671 14; and Window to Mission, Jean- nie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46805. E MENNONITE 223 A good place to grow J. K. Zeman For this academic year, my family and I have become part of the community at the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries in Elkhart. We live on the campus, meet regularly with professors, students, and their families, and participate in many events of seminary life. As a visiting lecturer on sabbatical leave from a Canadian Baptist seminary (Acadia Divinity College in Wolfville, Nova Scotia) I also teach some courses. This is our first longer involvement with Mennonite Christians. To sum up my impressions thus far, I would suggest that AMBS provides a unique combination of opportunities for growth. 1. The seminary program is centered in the Scriptures. The Word of God is accepted not only as the foundation of the curriculum in the specialized studies of the Old and New Testaments, but also as the searchlight which is employed in all other subjects to clarify and determine directions and decisions in Christian life and service. 2. Every church group (denomination) has been shaped, to a large extent, by its own historical development. No denomination can afford to ignore both the positive and the negative impact of its particular tradition on the contemporary life of its churches. Members of the AMBS faculty, past and present, have made an important contribution to the knowledge and interpretation of the Anabaptist-Mennonite heritage. But the more impressive thing about the "believers' church perspective" at AMBS is the fact that it is not confined to the "specialists" in church history and theology. It permeates all other disciplines, especial- ly the practical training for today's ministries. 3. Some seminaries accept head knowledge as the main goal of the training process. Such schools differ from secular universities only in their field of inquiry. AMBS is different. There are daily opportunities for renewed commitment to Christ and to each other in the community of believers. No visitor, let alone a regular student, can remain unaffected by the atmosphere of familial concern for one another. Every student is encouraged to be part of one of the many small groups which meet weekly for Bible study, prayer, discussion, and supportive sharing. There are other channels for personal Christian growth as well. This is particu- larly crucial today when many students, men and women, come to seminaries as seekers rather than as committed disciples. 4. The dimension which has impressed me most at the AM BS is the strong sense of global mission. It is reflected in the cosmopolitan composition of the student body. Many American and Canadian students come here after years of voluntary missionary service in countries on all five conti- nents. Others have responded to the call of Christian ministry after several years of work in other vocations or professions. Besides, there is a significant proportion of international students. The presence of so many mature and different persons makes the seminary one of the most fascinating experiences in international living. AMBS is a good place to come — in order to grow among God's people "in breadth and length and height and depth of Christ's love" (Eph. 3:18). THE MYSTERY OF THE EMPTY TOMB Paul L. Maier On Sunday morning, April 5, A.D. 33, the sepulcher of Joseph of Arimathea, outside the northwestern corner of Jerusalem, no longer contained the body of Jesus of Nazareth, who had been buried there on Friday evening. Why the tomb was empty has been debated ever since. Some have denied that the sepulcher ever was empty, arguing that all evidence for the event derives only from the New Testament — a source biased in favor of Christianity. Nevertheless, important historical evidence — quite apart from the Gospels — shows that Jesus' tomb was indeed empty on Easter morning. Even the earliest hostile sources referring to Jesus agree that his body was missing in fact, and up to A.D. 150, Jerusalem authorities were sending emissar- ies across the Mediterranean world claiming that the tomb was empty because Jesus' body had been stolen (Justin Martyr, Trypho. 108). Christians, on the other hand, celebrate Easter because they believe the sepulcher was empty because of Jesus' resurrection from the dead. Insisting that natural laws cannot be suspended, however, non- Christians, the secular viewpoint, and some theologians have generally advanced other theories to account for the missing body. Following are the most familiar explana- tions for this fascinating enigma: The stolen-body theory: This is the oldest and simplest explanation for an empty tomb. Jesus' body was removed by his disciples either in order to protect it from possible desecration or to hatch the myth of a risen Christ, according to this theory. Or, Joseph of Arimathea, who had first hastily buried Jesus in a cave near the execution site, later gave the body permanent, secret burial in his own tomb. Or, Pontius Pilate may have ordered its removal to forestall any cult of martyrdom at the grave site. At any rate, when the women of the Easter story came to the original tomb at Sunday dawn, they would have found it empty. The wrong-tomb theory: Because of Jesus' hasty burial and the fact that they came in dim morning light, the women were not sure exactly which of the many rock-hewn tombs in the area was Joseph's. When they examined the wrong one, which was empty, they were startled by a gardener or grave worker (whom they thought an angel) who guessed their mission and tried to correct their mistake. "He is not here." the gardener advised, and then pointed to the correct sepulcher, "See the place where he lay." But the women panicked, fled, and later an- nounced an empty tomb. The "lettuce" theory is an alternate of the above. The gardener was so piqued at curiosity-seekers trampling over lettuce seedlings he had planted in the garden around Joseph's tomb that he removed the body of Jesus and reinterred it elsewhere. Crude as this hypothesis sounds, it was, in fact, one of the early non-Christian explana- tions for the resurrection, and the second- century church father Tertullian hin ' records it (De spectaculis, 30) The swoon theory: Jesus never really d He appeared to die, but, perhaps becaus the effect of some narcotic administered him on the cross, he lingered on in a stal suspended animation. After his burial, cool of the tomb and the healing effect o; J* spices wrapped around his body revived \f Exchanging his grave clothes for those gardener, he somehow managed to crawl of the sepulcher and then encountered IV Magdalene. After her glad recognition made his way to Joseph or the disciples, nursed him back to health and presented as the risen Lord. Forty days later, wounds got the better of him, but just be he expired, he assembled the disciples mountaintop and parted from them walking into a cloud. Though he crawling off to die, the eleven believed he ascended into heaven. Various forms of theory have been suggested ever since pagan philosopher Celsus first proposed the second century A.D. (Origen, Cot celsum, 2). The psychological, or hallucinati it theory: The various visions or appearars -: of Jesus were merely the psychic effect: profound wish fulfillment. When one of women claimed to see the resurrected Je: the experience became contagious and s others "saw" him, too, including finally disciples. Jesus' prophecies of his triun over death had primed his followers expect exactly that, and so the whole m began with "the visions of a half-frai woman," according to Celsus The twin-brother theory: Jesus had exact twin brother, who substituted for on occasion but generally stayed out of sif When Jesus truly died on Friday, the nf emerged triumphantly from seclusion | Sunday and people beheld the risen Lo Ik i id IB kit p ilk di 101 :i :! Kl \ )ther theories, such as the rapid-decay iothesis, are not worth the listing. In estine's hot climate, supposedly, the cess of organic putrefaction was acceler- J, and the sepulcher was not visited until body had fully decomposed. But in only ;e days, this would have been impossible, "ertainly these various theories stand as utes to human ingenuity. And they have od the test of time: although all of them still in current use, nearly all were aranced in one form or another many tc turies ago. The different explanations a ) have this in common: they all require at I ;t as much faith to believe in their validity lain the resurrection itself. The overpower- il weight of all the sources, all circumstan- tj evidence from the first Easter, and logic [jlf stand against them, if he stolen-body theory founders on two i urmountable obstacles: the problem of sr live and the problem of execution. To t n a tricky grave robbery of a closely £ irded tomb would have required an ilredibly strong incentive by a daring and e remely skillful group of men. But who |i this incentive and then the courage :* :essary to bring it off? Certainly not the c pirited disciples, huddling and hiding in ■fir despair over Jesus' evident failure and ilfear of the temple authorities. Certainly i|j their discredited leader, Peter, who, ijible to stand by Jesus in life, could hardly tfj/e had the audacity to snatch his body in ith. The mistake in the wrong-tomb theories uld quickly have been corrected on Sunday morning when the hubbub first arose, and however interesting the swoon theory may be, it seems impossible that Jesus could have survived the spear thrust at the close of Good Friday. The hallucination theory would be attrac- tive if only one person had claimed to see a vision of the risen Jesus — perhaps Mary Magdalene, who formerly may have had psychic problems anyway. But the disciples were a hardheaded and hardly hallucinable group, especially "Doubting Thomas," and they claimed to see the risen Jesus at different times and places. Jesus' missing body, then, still presents a mystery and an enigma which has not yet been solved by explanations involving a The disciples were a hard- headed and hardly halluci- nable group, especially "Doubting Thomas," and they claimed to see the risen Jesus at different times and places. purely natural cause. Christianity, on the other hand, believes a preternatural cause was involved, first and best expressed by Paul, who wrote in his first letter to the church at Corinth: "Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, he was buried . . . raised on the third day . . . and appeared to Cephas (Peter), then to the Twelve. Then he appeared to more than 500 brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all . . . he appeared also to me" (1 Cor. 15:3ff.). '{ ristians celebrate hter because we wieve that the tomb its empty because I Jesus' i. urrection. Mavnard Shelly Easter is the first day of a new world Pentecost — that first great miracle in the life of the early church — was a life certificate for Jesus Christ. Just what was the meaning of that great movement of the Holy Spirit among those thousands of people in Jerusalem? Peter got up to explain the event. He had one word for it: resurrection. Jesus had been crucified, "but God raised him to life again." said Peter, "as we can all bear witness" (Acts 2:24, 32, New English Bible). "All that you now see and hear flows from [the resurrected Christ]" (v. 33). The resurrection brought them into the kingdom of God that Jesus had said was near at hand. The key to that kingdom was his servanthood, and he opened the door to greater service through his obedience. Jesus' resurrection opened a new creation. Easter Day was the first day of a new world. Resurrection means more than life after death — it means life before death, a new life that begins now. Having experienced resurrection, Peter and the other disciples came to realize that all that Jesus had said about servanthood and about himself as the Servant King was true. Servanthood really works. God would not let his "loyal servant suffer corruption" (Acts 2:27, NEB). Jesus, the Servant King, could not be stopped even by crucifixion. Therefore, we dare give ourselves to the Jesus way of servanthood. But many still hesitate. Why? Dare we take the risk? Dare we believe that Jesus was who he said he was and follow him? If we do, we will begin to see things differently. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus turned the world around and upside down. We even feel the change in the way the reports have been written in the Gospel record about those great events. Before the crucifixion, Jesus was ever the center of attention, always at the front of the stage. He took the lead in teaching and healing. All eyes looked to him. But after the crucifixion and resurrection, he is no longer present at center stage in the same way. The disciples have grown larger. We see events from their point of view and we live through their experiences. But Jesus is not gone. He is still there. We cannot escape his presence. We know he is present in every scene and in every event, but now in a much different way. Instead of leading and going before the disciples, he is within the circle working through the believers. That's the resurrection fact. Seeing Christ work from within the believers is to see the resurrection living as servanthood. For seeing the risen Christ is not a matter of physical identification; it is a seeing that requires spiritual insight, which is a gift of God (Mt. 11:25). Such seeing sharpens our understanding of what W'L prophets taught about the Servant King' On the road to Emmaus, the risen Chf overtakes two disciples and opens their e with a sharp rebuke: "O dull-witted men with minds so slow to believe all that prophets have spoken!" (Lk. 24:25, W mouth). Then, he takes them through important passages of the Old Testamj beginning with Genesis and going throt the Prophets. He must have toucl; pointedly on the Suffering Servant passa of Isaiah 53, for he asks, "Was the Mess not bound to suffer thus?" (v. 26, NEB) Those disciples saw the truth of servant way. Jesus had spoken abr suffering before, but they thought it me; only an exception in the plan of God t! % [id It II! Louise Dueck re you there l the cluster of avid curiosity-seekers gathered round the victims of an accident, while someone helpfully removed the cash from their wallets? Were you there when the elderly lady, approaching her doorstep, was relieved of her purse, savagely beaten, and left for dead? ild lead to victory over their political the Romans. Now, they saw that 0 j ering servanthood was a way of life and climax of God's plan, f death had been the end of Jesus and the as Way, the disciples and their message ild have long since disappeared. But they ted living as servants of the Servant No persecution or death could stop The gospel spread around the world. :y, like Jesus Christ, experienced resur- ion. he royal road of servanthood lies open >re us. The way has been tested. Jesus |[ks with all who have faith in him — faith erve as he served in the way well pleasing jod. .a.si in the series for Lent and Faster Were you there when the bus driver offered politeness to a group of young men and was rewarded with curses and attacked? Were you there in the milk store when the cashier flashed anxious eyes, appealing for help to the one who stood behind the man who emptied her till? Were you there among the passengers in the dark subway, watching as a young woman wrestled with her rapist, pleading for help which never came? Were you there when the native girl was accosted by three young whites, who declared, "That's what squaws are for"? Were you there waiting to grab the apartment from which the young black family was barred, or had you the courage to refuse it in protest? MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. It is ished weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton. Kans. 67114. by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonite Church^ Second- i Postage paid at Newton, Kans. 67114, and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions in U S and Canada. 18.00. one year. S1 5.50. two years: $23.00. three years; foreign. $8.50 per year. □ rial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard. Winnipeg. Canada R3P 0M4. Business office: 722 Main St , Box 347, Newton. Kans. 67114. Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Box 347. Newton. Kans. 671 14. IE MENNONITE 229 News Alberta Conference endorses church planting The 1,500-member Mennonite Conference of Alberta in its annual session March 1 1-12 at Edmonton voted support for three church planting projects — Calgary Mennonite Fel- lowship, Lethbridge Mennonite Fellowship, and Mennonite families at Airdrie. The conference also asked member con- gregations to free their pastors to make one visit per year to Vauxhall, Grande Prairie, and Lethbridge. Fred Enns, delegate from the Edmonton church, commented, "I have never before seen so much interest for church growth and planting here in our Alberta Conference." Judy Harder, the conference's first full- time youth worker, appointed last fall, reported that the Alberta Mennonite Youth Organization has ten active groups interest- ed in spiritual growth and service. Among their plans are a Mennonite Arts Festival, a provincial song festival, and chartering a bus to the General Conference sessions at Bluff- ton. The education committee has already sponsored a family life consultation and is working on a retreat for Sunday school teachers and promoting the Foundation Series. The Camp Valaqua committee received approval for some major capital improve- ments. The item that created the most discussion and the closest vote was a decision to go to a six-day camping program from the former seven-day schedule. Other resolutions passed were to: - begin planning for a fiftieth anniversary celebration in 1979. — encourage MCC counsel for Mennonite groups involved with alternative schools. — assume full responsibility for matching the Conference of Mennonites in Canada share of the Every Home Plan for church publications. A contributions budget of $103,200 was adopted. The conference moderator com- mented that this was a 450 percent increase since 1970. Peter Unger, chaplain at the Menno Hospital, Abbotsford, British Columbia, presented four talks about Christian concern for the aged. Reports from MCC (Alberta) and Men- nonite Disaster Service indicated more involvement. The two schools, Rosthern Junior College and Swift Current Bible Institute, received affirmation in their development plans. Bernie Wiebe Students play behind the gate of Hope Secondary School, Beit Jala, West Bank Beit Jala school transferred Amid the tensions of the Israeli military occupation, the Mennonite Secondary School in the town of Beit Jala, West Bank, has taken a new name — Hope Secondary School. The name change is part of an administrative transfer of the school from Mennonite Central Committee control to a local organization, the Arab Charitable Society (ACS). The MCC-ACS agreement signed Febru- ary 1 1 in East Jerusalem provides for a five- year transfer of the secondary school, which offers low-cost commercial training to Palestinian Arab young people. MCC's financial contributions to the school will decrease from $103,675 in 1977 to $25,375 in 1981, including administrative funds and student sponsorships. Transfer of the school to local administration has been an MCC goal for several years. MCC also agreed to attempt to place one or two volunteers at Hope Secondary School for teaching English or physical education or for maintenance. Volunteer Bishara Awad currently serves as headmaster of the school. Founded in 1962, the school is located in a grove of fir trees in Beit Jala, a village on the highest peak of the Judean range, two miles from Bethlehem. The Mennonite Preparato- ry School for Boys, as it was then called, had as its goal to provide educational opportuni- ties in a Christian environment for Arab |G Kill boys from low-income or war-torn hom ■ Its junior-high-level courses were primar in commercial subjects. The June 1967 Arab-Israeli War radica changed the situation of the Mennon » School, since the west bank of the Jord|";" River was now underthe control of an Isra military occupation force. Almost half oft school's students were from the east ba and were not permitted by the authorities return to classes. All but one member oft teaching staff had to be replaced. Initiated in 1968, Mennonite Second; School had built up to three preparatc classes and three secondary classes by 19' At the first graduation in 1971, nine be graduated from Preparatory III and fi from Secondary III The Arab Charitable Society, Ho Secondary School's new administrati body, was formed in Beit Jala in May 19' Its goals include encouraging education a religious, cultural, and sports activiti while holding no political or sectari motives. Its members are all committ Christians from West Bank churches. When the ACS agreed to accept trans of the administration of the school frc MCC, one of the conditions was that th drop Mennonite from the name and i something more suitable. ACS chose t word hope. 230 APRIL 5, 19 leader critiques Here's Life Church growth ■Ire in the United States the Great Emission will be fulfilled by the end of year." That's the belief of Bill Bright, ident of Campus Crusade which is isoring Here's Life, America, he president of another evangelical inization also committed to carrying out Great Commission is not quite so sure, i Arn from the Institute for American irch Growth has raised some questions in ebruary bulletin published by the insti- 1 the United States, and Canada as well, e's Life is described by its sponsors as a gram to saturate metropolitan areas and Her communities with the message of ist through a multimedia campaign. This udes billboards, bumper stickers, news- er ads, radio, and television. Under the ;an "I found it," church members are uited to answer telephone calls, deliver iklets, contact homes by telephone to lain the "four spiritual laws," and seek a imitment to repeat a prayer to accept ist. The eventual goal of the program is aturate the world with this approach. Wr. Arn looks at the campaign through cjrch growth eyes. He said the goal of the C at Commission from a church growth p spective is to establish a cell (church) of jefimitted Christians in every community, jsry neighborhood, every class and condi- iti 1 of people, where all can hear and see jdjionstrated the gospel from their own iijmates and in their own tongue and have a Jionable opportunity to become a disciple Blesus Christ. mgainst the Great Commission objective, M. Arn analyzed the Campus Crusade e eavor by asking and responding to five |f stions. The following excerpts reflect Mr. kf l's critique. If. Is the goal adequate? A major goal of ■re's Life is decisions for Christ. Success is t. isured by the number who make a verbal ijamitment. ■Mr. Arn said a person with church growth be s could not be satisfied with only a verbal Hamitment. He would be concerned with M nature and establishment of those elisions. Were they indeed genuine? Are ■ y being discipled? Are they part of a cjnmunity of believers — the church? It is If enough simply to wish hard that they t ome established in a church — for wishing B:s not make it so. Effective evangelism qnands that incorporation into the body of (jrist be built into the decision-making gj'Cess. ■ Is the evangelism effective? What are ■ facts? The Institute for American Church C )wth researched some of the cities where Here's Life was held and talked to some of those involved. In Edmonton, Alberta, a city of approxi- mately 500,000, sixty-three churches in the area participated in Here's Life, America (Canada). The budget for the event was $75,000 (approximately $70,000 was spent); 1,700 people were trained. By the end of the campaign 1,009 decisions had been regis- tered. Approximately 250 attended one or more Bible studies. How many of these decisions are now part of a local church? Mr. Arn checked with ten of the sixty-three participating churches. None could report any new people incorpo- rated into the body. The institute, in researching Here's Life, America, in Philadelphia, assigned an inde- pendent researcher some months later to obtain facts about its effectiveness in evangelism. After repeated attempts and failures to meet with crusade leaders to get facts, the researcher gave up the project because of their unwillingness to cooperate in making information available. It was learned, however, that the emphasis for which Campus Crusade promoted Here's Life, America, to the Philadelphia churches (that was, reaching Philadelphia for Christ) had been revised, with leadership saying the purpose was to motivate and train lay people. One pastor said, "There's no question that Here's Life missed its mark completely in terms of evangelizing Philadelphia for Christ." For a broader perspective on the total impact of Here's Life in a citywide campaign, the Institute for American Church Growth sent a random sample of 200 surveys to Protestant churches in Indianapolis and 200 to Fresno, California, where Here's Life campaigns had been held six and eight months previously. Patterns were apparent and consistent among reporting churches. — 30.9 percent of the churches in the communities participated in Here's Life, America. — 823 people were trained. — 28,976 telephone calls were made. — 5,991 people had the spiritual laws explained to them. — 1,665 people made a decision to accept Christ. — 242 people who made a decision began the Here's Life Bible program. — 101 people who began the Bible study, completed the program. — 41.2 percent of the callers noted an increased resistance by those being called; 58.8 percent noted no increased resistance. — 29.4 percent of the churches have some kind of continuation of the Here's Life program. — 114 of the 823 people trained are not actively involved in a continuation of the calling program. — 55 people are now members of a church because of Here's Life; 23 of those 55 transferred from another church or had had some kind of previous involvement with another church. — Of the participating churches, 52.9 percent said they would participate again, if asked; 41.2 percent said they would not participate again; 5.9 percent were not sure. Is Here's Life effective evangelism? Not if evangelism means making disciples and responsible members, Mr. Arn said. The shrinkage between those who respond to the spiritual laws and those who were incorpo- rated into the church shows its ineffectiveness — less than four (3.3 percent) of every 100 decisions are now active members of any church, and 42 percent of these came by transfer. 3. How does Here's Life see the church? The church growth point-of-view holds the church to be the central part of God's plan for the salvation and discipling of people and nations, said Mr. Arn. New converts must not only believe in Jesus Christ, but must become responsible members of the church. One perspective to this issue surfaced in Newsweek September 6, 1976. An article entitled "Politics from the pulpit" stated, "Last winter (Billy) Graham told Bright to remove his name as a supporter of Bright's latest crusade — a massive campaign called Here's Life, America, through which Bright intends to 'evangelize' the United States by the end of this year, and the entire world by 1980. What most worried Graham are indications that Bright's organization, which also operates in eighty-three foreign coun- tries, 'has become almost a denomination by itself, in competition with the churches.' " 4. Is Here's Life worth the effort"? Positive values can be identified, Mr. Arn said. He suggests these: — something is being done. — it is the best effort of Campus Crusade to date. — evangelism has moved closer to the local church. — lay people are being trained and in- volved. — high visibility is being achieved. However, when Mr. Arn calculated the bottom line figure, he found Here's Life in the red rather than the black. At this point, he concluded, church growth and Here's Life, America, are working at fulfilling the Great Commission in different ways. EMENNONITE 231 Words & deeds Seven ministers who are "sons of the congregation" are Holy Week speakers at First Church, Pretty Prairie, Kansas. They are Erwin Albrecht, Kenneth Schrag, Har- old Graber, Richard Ratzlaff, Willard Schrag, Waldo Kaufman, and Waldo Flick- inger. "The sanctity of life: Birth and death" is the theme of the Eastern District Conference annual sessions April 28 to May 1 at Men-O- Lan, near Quakertown, Pennsylvania. Speakers are Elmer Neufeld of Bluffton, Ohio, president of the General Conference and professor of philosophy at Bluffton College, and Don Follmer, family physician in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and chief of the department of family practice at St. Luke's Hospital. The More-with-Less cookbook, compiled by Doris Longacre and commissioned by Mennonite Central Committee, is now in its sixth printing. The book, which was released in April, now has 83,000 copies in print. When George and Anne Froese of Winnipeg celebrated their twenty-fifth wedding anni- versary in 1975, they asked that no gifts be given to them because "the Lord had supplied all their needs." Instead they suggested that friends could make donations toward the Mennonite Brethren church building in the village of Thadiparty, India, where the Froeses had worked in 1962-67. More than $1,500 was given for this, and in August 1 976 the building was completed and dedicated. The first peace program in Canada has been started. In January the University of Waterloo officially approved a program of peace and conflict studies to be administered by Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ontario. The program is interdepartmental and will allow students majoring in existing disciplines to concentrate their studies in problems of conflict. Conrad Grebel College teaches a group of core courses, and eight other departments in the university also participate. "Unburn infants in the first three months have no protection anywhere in the United States," said C. Everett Koop, a pediatrician who spoke at the recent Mennonite Health Assembly in Philadelphia. "Unwantedness amounts to a death sentence for the unborn infant," he said, asking for a reversal on the Supreme Court's position allowing abor- tions on demand during the first months of pregnancy. Southern African refugees stream in Above, a Rhodesian mother cries after bidding farewell to her son i refugee camp near Francistown, Botswana. The youth was one about 400 Lutheran high school students abducted from Manart Rhodesia, into Botswana by armed guerrillas. A delegation from All African Lutheran Conference later said that fifty of the origii group chose to return home, while the remainder decided to conti in exile and work for the liberation of Rhodesia. Refugees are a pouring from the Union of South Africa into Lesotho. MCC wort Kathy Royer in Maseru, Lesotho, said about 100 refugees from Soi Africa are registered with the Christian Council of Lesotho, where helps give counseling and material assistance to political refuge Nearly forty of these are young people who were forced to leave th homes because of the disturbances in Soweto which began last Jw Catholic bishops in Canada are preparing to fight proposed federal legislation which would allow divorce solely on the evidence of either husband or wife that the marriage was finished. "Marriage legislation should sup- port marriage and family stability," a spokesman said. The World Peace Tax Fund bill has been introduced in both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Senators Mark Hatfield and Mike Gravel introduced the t | March 3 in the Senate as S 880. The samel was introduced in the House on March under its former number, HR 4897, Congressman Ronald Dellums and mwever, the main contacts were with atives or others who had moved from aguacema. By 1976, the Sunday school endance was about forty with a church mbership of twenty-nine. After chatting with the Souzas, a visitor ally asked, "And just where does the arch meet?" 'Right here in this living room" was the |. The 9x12 room is filled with two sofas. four upholstered chairs, and one small table that holds a TV and hymnbooks and Bibles. Until recently, that same room served as dining room and had a table in the middle. But now they can eat in a room built onto the back of the house. One sofa can hold a surprising amount of people, especially if some of them are children. But even so, people sit in the hall, and the young people are usually in the bedroom trying to listen and participate from there. The congregation is looking for another building in which to hold services. However, a new and planned city holds some problems that North Americans don't face. Special lots have been designated as church lots, and most of them are along two streets near the center of the city. But those lots are large and expensive, costing at least $20,000. Building codes will only permit certain types of structures there. The people in the congrega- tion are poor, with the majority being young people. Families are large and no one owns a car. A more practical possibility for them is to buy another house in their neighborhood and adapt it for services by removing some inside walls. On the same street there is such a house, and negotiations are under way for the purchase of it for $10,000. This year the Association of Mennonites in Brazil has put as a priority project the purchase of a building for the Gama congre- gation. Erwin and Angela Rempel, new mission- aries with the General Conference Menno- nite Church's Commission on Overseas Mission, Newton, Kansas, moved to Gama this year to assist with the work. There are possibilities of starting other Bible study groups in Gama and other satellite cities. The Hochstetlers are begin- ning one such group in nearby Taguatinga on Sunday mornings. Angela Rempel uth group in Gama, Brazil, sings for a worship service. In the background is COM issionary Erwin Rempel. Hutchinson unit plans project with retarded A halfway house for mildly retarded adults is being planned by the Mennonite Voluntary Service unit in Hutchinson, Kansas. MVS worker Michael Kluk said a house- hold would be set up for four volunteers and four mentally retarded adults who had been living in a group home with houseparents. One of the four volunteers would spend half time helping the residents complete their household tasks and develop the skills to live independently. The other volunteers would be working in jobs similar to volunteers in the current MVS unit — primarily day care and prison work. The MVS unit and its two sponsoring churches — First Mennonite Church and South Hutchinson Mennonite Church — are now looking for a house for the project and about $5,000 to bring the building up to city and state codes. The need for such a halfway house came to the attention of the voluntary service unit through Mr. Kluk, who had been doing some volunteer work at a home for the retarded in Hutchinson. Broadcasting petition reported dead! A petition being circulated across the United States is calling on church members to gather signatures protesting an imaginary petition by Madalyn Murray O'Hair to ban religious broadcasting. Mennonite pastors and church members across the country have called the MCC Peace Section Washington office asking if such a threat is authentic. "It is not!" said Delton Franz, director of the office. "Such a petition by the famous atheist does not even exist." In December 1974, he said, two citizens of California (Madalyn Murray O'Hair not included) filed petition RM 2493 with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to issue rulings that would freeze the expansion of additional TV or radio licenses to groups planning to air only religious programs. On August 1, 1975, the FCC in a unanimous action denied the requests made in the petition. It was a dead issue, but the campaign has been revived by some un- known persons, resulting in 4'/2 million pieces of mail clogging the FCC mail room. "If Mennonites want to help preserve the Christian witness in public affairs, if we want to maintain respect as responsible communi- cators, we should squelch this hoax when it hits our communities," said Mr. Franz. "The Washington office stands ready to check out the validity or falseness of such campaigns." Developmentally disabled need church, too When Byron was 1 V2, he had spinal meningi- tis. After he was better, he had to walk and talk all over again and it was clear that he had suffered brain damage. Now, more than twenty years later, he holds a steady job with a bus company. His pastor has asked him to be the leader of a scout troop for mentally retarded boys. Byron is developmentally disabled, said Nancy Williams of Arvada, Colorado, Mennonite Mental Health Services (MMHS) consultant for developmental disabilities. According to her definition, a develop- mental disability is one "attributable to mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, or neurological impairment which may originate before eighteen years of age, but which can be expected to continue indefinitely and which constitutes a substan- tial handicap." Put in simple terms, that definition means "anything which holds back an individual's development." Ms. Williams, who began her job as consultant with the MMHS section of Mennonite Central Committee in January 1976, spends a great deal of time talking to people about ministry to the developmental- ly disabled. With families, students and seminarians, church groups, administrators of Mennonite institutions for the develop- mentally disabled, Mennonite media, and conference leaders, Ms. Williams discusses the ways Mennonites and Brethren in Christ can become more involved in the problems of "DDs," as she refers to them. According to Ms. Williams' statistics, between 3 and 10 percent of the Mennonite population are developmentally disabled, a proportion about the same as that of the general North American population. Al- though parents and professionals within the conferences understand the problems of DDs very well, the church community as a whole does not, she noted. "I believe the brotherhood should be inclusive," Ms. Williams said. For her, that means that DDs as well as the aged and ethnic minorities should not be segregated from the fellowship of the church. "If your youth group has a party where everyone goes bowling, the person in the wheelchair can't participate, and soon he or she drops out," she pointed out. "If in your Bible studies you often go around, each one reading a paragraph, the slow learner is soon discouraged from coming." Rather than separating developnientally disabled persons from the group, they should be maintained with their own age group. That way, according to Ms. Williams, DDs can benelit from the stimulation oi the Williams group and at the same time, "normal" members can learn a great deal about sharing. One of Ms. Williams' goals is to help incorporate special materials for mentally retarded children in the Foudation Series, a Sunday school curriculum project spon- sored by the Mennonite Church, the General Conference, the Brethren in Christ, and the Church of the Brethren. Another thing that she would like to see developed is an Anabaptist curriculum to prepare mentally retarded adults for bap- tism. God's call must be made understanda- ble, Ms. Williams believes, so that it is open to those who are slow of intellectual under- standing. "As Mennonites we say we are a peculiar people," said Ms. Williams, who became a Mennonite a year ago. Although we have not always adhered to our vision of being different, we should understand what it is like. Jesus, who set high standards for his followers, also demonstrated absolute ac- ceptance for all sorts of people. "We must remember that DDs are also created in God's image," she said. "Salvation means to be healed. Those in contact with Jesus are made whole." Ms. Williams insists that churches must become sharing communities with their eyes open to the needs of DD individuals and their families. "One-to-one activities, such as teaching someone to ride a bus or to swim, are so necessary," she said. "All this could be done in the congregation. "No family can care for a DD child twenty-four hours a day all year round, either," she went on. Other members of the congregation should care enough to learn how to take care of such a child and offer to keep the child occasionally so the parents can get away. Mennonite colleges and seminaries are also high priorities for Nancy Williams. "Reaching young people prepares us two generations ahead," she said. Among the things she talks to students about are preparation for parenthood and for careers. Those going into the pastorate also need to know about counseling families of DE Families of this kind experience grief much as families who lose a member death, Ms. Williams said. However, there no termination date for the counseling neei of DD families. Pastors are also needed interpret parents to professionals who woip with their children and to help paren understand what professionals are sayii its about their children Ms. Williams is a member of the Arva< i. (Colorado) Church. She received her trai ing in clinical psychology from Adelp University, Garden City, New York, at Itdl< interned at Mental Retardation Institut Ml New York Medical College. 1 at Hope reported in Northern Ireland Protestants and Catholics in Norther ae as isNi (d! Ireland are coming together in ways the haven't previously, said Denis P. Barritt, a Irish Quaker, who spoke recently in Nort Newton, Kansas. Mr. Barritt visited Bethel College as pa of an American lecture tour sponsored b the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR). In spite of continued bombings — 1,80 last year — and assassinations — 300 peopl ilk' killed last year — there is hope in trip situation, Mr. Barritt said. One sign of hop ml is an organization called Protestant an mk Catholic Encounter (PACE). Throug in PACE, started in 1968, many smaller group have been organized, six of them in Belfas In these living-room-size groups. Protest ants and Catholics can meet, discuss, argui raise funds for charities, send older peopl and children on holidays away from troubl spots, initiate community projects, and pra together as Christians. Among their project are advice centers, free legal aid, a voluntar service bureau for people who want t| donate a few hours a week, and long-terrj volunteer projects. These latter projectj include a battered wives' hostel, a children) play school, and the collection and distribuj tion of secondhand furniture. "Everyone says they want peace, but the) give the men of war too much cover," sail Mr. Barritt. "We need to catch the imaginaj tion of the young people and change thl climate of opinion. "The Irish Republican Army will proba bly have to be allowed to become political,! he said. "But quite a lot of them are want© for murder. How do you know who is political murderer?" Mr. Barritt is chairman of the Fellowshi] of Reconciliation in Ireland and is secretarj 1 of the Belfast Voluntary Welfare Society, 234 APRIL 5, 197 Record Workers fa\ D. Harder, Edmonton, Alta., has been rei cted to another term on the conference jjfflutive of the Mennonite Conference of V! rta. rhbert W. Neff, seminary teacher at Oak Blj>k, 111., has been elected general secre- im of the Church of the Brethren General ■ d beginning Jan. 1, 1978. He will sed S. Loren Bowman who is retiring. Neff. age forty, has taught biblical ies at Bethany Theological Seminary : 1965. •■egg Schmidt has been appointed head etball coach and administrative assis- at Bethel College. He is currently ng as basketball coach and instructor at sas Newman College, Wichita, Kans. He ived an MEd degree from St. Louis 'ersity and is completing a DEd degree gher education. lublished 73(| Mennonite bibliography, a two-volume sej >n writings by and about Mennonites i 1631 to 1961 , is scheduled for release in ember by Herald Press. Major work on bibliography was done by Nelson P. Sanger, curator of the Mennonite Histori- Jbrary, Goshen, Ind. The set, totaling I than 1,200 pages and 28,000 entries, retail at more than $100. (aleiular Dr. 14-17 — Central District Conference lal sessions, Calvary Church, Washing- Ill. pr. 28-May 1 — Eastern District Confer- annual sessions, Camp Men-O-Lan, kertown. Pa. ay 16-18 — Ministers' get-acquainted nar. General Conference central offices, ton, Kans. ne 6-10 — Mennonite Voluntary Service itation. Camp Mennoscah, Murdock, ly 23-27 — Conference of Mennonites in ida, Toronto ly 28-Aug. 3 — General Conference !ri nial sessions, Bluffton, Ohio ipt. 11-16 — Camp curriculum work- si, Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp. Dijde, Colo.; sponsored by Mennonite ■ping Association, 516 East Waverly Ave , Goshen, Ind. 46526; travel scholar- ships available to all participants Eastern Apr. 23 — WMA spring meeting; speaker, Carol Lindberger Western Apr. 15-17 — Young adults retreat for married and single persons, age nineteen to twenty-five; Camp Mennoscah, Murdock, Kans.; resource persons. Perry and Eliza- beth Yoder; contact Dale Koehnor Michelle Friesen Carper Mini*! i*rs Werner Froese has resigned as pastor of the Bergthal Church, Didsbury, Alta. He will assume the pastorate of Eigenheim Church, Rosthern, Sask., effective Sept. 1. Lee Henise, pastor of the Roaring Spring (Pa.) Church, was ordained to the gospel ministry Jan. 23. He has served there since October 1975. He holds a bachelor of theology degree from Grace College of the Bible, Omaha, Nebr. John Krueger began serving the pastorate of the Aberdeen (Sask.) Church in February. He had previously been pastor of the Arnaud (Man.) Church. John R. Lehman is the new pastor at the Richfield (Pa.) Church. He has previously been a pastor in Illinois and Indiana and was a staff person for Peoria Messianic Testi- mony. He served for ten years on the board of directors of Grace College of the Bible, Omaha. Nebr. Russell Mast will be installed as a copastor of the Bethesda Church, Henderson, Nebr., Apr. 24. Carmel House, a special foster-care home in Saskatoon, jointly administered by the De- partment of Social Services and the Menno- nite Central Committee (Saskatchewan), aims to be a normal family setting for five juvenile-aged boys. New houseparents are needed, effective July 15. Forfurtherinforma- tion, call or write: Wayne Dueck, Chairman 2705 Jarvis Drive Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Phone: (306) 373-1395 (evenings) Irvin Schmidt will become pastor of the Carrot River (Sask.) Church effective in July. He is currently on study leave at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Ind. He has previously served pastorates at North Battleford (Sask.) Church and Eigenheim Church. Rosthern, Sask. Journalism position open this summer with General Conference central offices Duties: half-time assistant editor of The Mennonite and half-time editor and writer for General Conference News Service Qualifications: A warm, open commit- ment to Christ, a familiarity and appreciation forthe General Confer- ence Mennonite Church, competent skills in editing and writing, a crea- tive and aggressive attitude toward news, and preferably some skills in photography Salary: Commensurate with education and experience Apply in writing, enclosing resume, samples of work, and references, to: Heinz Janzen, General Secretary General Conference Mennonite Church 722 Main St., Newton, Kansas 671 14 Telephone: (316) 283-5100 An equal opportunity employer M/F TI MENNONITE 235 if you think it's about time . . . for you to decide where you will spend the next one to four years of your life these are people who have decided to come to Bethel this fall as faculty lo( ■fc m (S does not indicate that he brushed awjilvfi Judas' kiss of betrayal in the garden. ' m.l accepted people where they were, and thi<»e were redeemed . . . transformed into in jthz beings. gehov This was my experience in pasto ■tear- counseling. Counselors, like Jesus, of dog unconditional acceptance to persons w jme; problems. They listen, love, redeem, a transform imperfect humanity. Our day was not spoiled. It was saved, relationship improved. But because thikabl habits were so deeply ingrained, it was r n h 01 Ruth McDill Cary e( / to change. It took conscious effort. I sipped being the martyred mother to my sl!> of a son, the pious matriarch, condemn- I silently my grown daughter's different B-es. I recognized expressions of anger as Bjjjral and human and healthy instead of pjuonal affronts when they were directed ajinst me. It took time, but it relieved a lot ension in our imperfect family. Jl honest feelings are a part of the human o dition. Jesus displayed redemptive anger wn the religious institution of his time was wused. According to the Gospels, he also ■ft. Jesus was a whole person, the most ■rly perfect person our world has ever ic wn. If he was emasculated by tears, why e we taught our sons for thousands of rs that it is unmanly for them to cry? Snehow it seems less than human for a -year-old boy to be told not to cry when dog is killed by a car. He is likely to ome a cold, insensitive man or a guilt- |len one because of his feared "feminine" )tions. I have learned that it is not always :tical to act upon my feelings, but it is orable and healthy to accept them as part ny humanity. there is germ of life aiting latiently to e born from fich \n perfect W9- I saw a felt banner on which was appliqued in the upper left-hand corner a green caterpillar; in the lower right-hand corner, a multicolor butterfly. In between were the words: Who change? Me? "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature," said Paul to his friends in Corinth. For God so loved the world, that he sent Jesus to show us what it is like to be loving, accepting, caring, angry, searching, suffer- ing, human. The clock signaled mealtime, so I carefully opened the messy-looking Easter egg and scooped out the contents into a bowl. Egg salad for lunch. I held the shell in my palm. "My stone of self-deception has been rolled away," I mused. "My tomb of perfection is empty. Like John Bunyan's Pilgrim, I am free to suffer and search for my Celestial City." I looked at the broken shell, the empty tomb, in my hand. Surely God, who accepts caterpillars and transforms them into but- terflies, can change me, too. Surely he who provides a larger world for each emerging bird has a like plan for his children, his imperfect eggs. That is the message of Easter. Contents The mystery of the empty tomb 226 Easter is the first day of a new world 228 Were you there? 229 News 230 Record 235 The Easter egg stands for joy 237 God's imperfect eggs 238 Live under the spell of the resurrection 240 CONTRIBUTORS Paul L. Maier is a professor of history at Western Michigan University. He is the author of First Easter and other books. His article was made available through the Associated Church Press, 326 West State St., Media, Pa. 19063. Maynard Shelly, 624 Westchester Lane, Newton, Kans. 67114, concludes his series for Lent and Easter. Louise Dueck resides at 55 Flerimac Road, West Hill, Ont. M1E 4B1 Donna Lehman is a homemaker and free- lance writer at 5111 East State Boulevard, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46815 Ruth McDill Cary, 3355 Breckenridge Court, Annandale, Va. 22003, writes about a family experience. CREDITS Cover and other artwork, John Hiebert; 230, Gayle Gerber Koontz, MCC; 232, RNS; 233, GCNS; 237, Donna Lehman; 238, Eastman Kodak Company. The Meiiiionite Editorial office 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781 Business and subscription office: 722 Main St., Box 347, Newton, Kans 67114 Telephone: (316) 283-5100 Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4. Associate editor Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kans 67114 Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher Art director John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel Circu- lation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L Ramseyer, 488 West Elm St , Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588 | South West Maple St , Dallas, Ore. 97338, Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kans 67117, En- compass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 671 14; and Window to Mission, Jean- nie £ehr,4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Ind. 46805 EMENNONITE 239 i under the spell of the re red ion Everybody loves Christmas. Its ideas have universal appeal. Christmas is about a baby, about green trees, and about gifts. It speaks of life. Somehow, as holidays go, Easter takes a back seat. There is not the same hustle and bustle on the streets. The markets are not so obviously accelerat- ed. At Easter, Christians may be grossly misunder- stood. There is the betrayal of Maundy Thursday, the ugly tree of Friday, thorns, spitting, gambling, and defection. It speaks of death. When all is said and done, Easter is really our beginning. It is the greatest festival of the Christian church. Because Easter is where life, eternal life, saw its first fruits. The baby Jesus of Christmas still had a human mother. Somehow it seems plausible. The resurrected Jesus has no human precedent. There is no rational defense. It is a miracle of God that you and I must choose to believe or to reject. Those of us who choose to believe that God raised Jesus from the dead regard Easter as a celebration. Yes, we also recognize the evils of that first Holy Week. And if it weren't for Easter, that pattern of human inconsistencies, injustices, and frailties could be enough to plunge us all into the depths of hopelessness. Easter removes the gloom and fear. When Jesus was born, the angelic message said, "Be not afraid." And kings came to worship the babe in a manger. When Jesus rose from the grave, the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid." And ever since that day, Christians have worshiped the King who could not be held by death and a specially sealed tomb. The historic litany of the Christian faith begins with "Christ is risen." All Christians respond, "He is risen indeed." The resurrection is not a mystery to be explained; it is a mystery to join ourselves to and rejoice in its dynamic power. Jesus declared it as a principle of truth, "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit" ( Jn. 12:24). Paul regards our confession of the resurrection as the touchstone for our faith. He says, "If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (1 Cor. 15:14). In the Easter event, past, present, and future come together for an unavoidable now. Now becomes a day of salvation; now becomes the time for decision. All of history past and yet to come confronts us in our risen Lord. Because of this unique phenomenon, we can regard death as overcome. We can see that ugly day of the cross as a Good Friday. We can be joyful not only "in spite of," but also "because of that first Holy Week. The ultimate human depravity comes to encounter the ultimate power of God, and God's Son comes alive forevermore. Easter holds a personal message for each one of us. Honest, brave, and true as Jesus was, yet he was betrayed and deserted. It can also happen to us. In Jesus' life and victory, we can appropriate to ourselves a dignity with promise. Temporal limits are not forever. Old habits and problems have their day. There are new visions over the horizon. There are new worlds to be visited. When Peter preached about the resurrected Christ, it was as if he was under the spell of the resurrection. Acts 2:43ff. tells us that this spell spread rapidly. Many came to live under it. The signs of human depravity still abound. Evil continues to rear its ugly presence. Easter is that time of the year when Christians can give a special affirmation to joy and gaiety. We confess that we have seen the evil even in ourselves, but we have discovered victory in our Lord Jesus Christ. We live joyously under the spell of the resurrection. BW God, source of our life Nearly a decade has passed since completion of the catechism study book 77?/^ We Believe. It has been gratifying to know that those outlines of Christian belief have been useful to many young people and adults. In this series of articles, 1 reflect further on basic Christian beliefs. I write from within the faith. These statements must be seen as confessional. These articles will not coverall the important topics in Christian belief. But I ipirsiii 1 James Wahner hope they can be used alongside studies in church membership classes to raise further questions, to reinforce learnings, and to encourage growth in faith. What about belief in God? An early Christian confession begins, "I believe in God the Father almighty, maker of heaven and earth." That statement is rooted in many Old Testament and New Testament pas- sages. Isaiah wrote of God, "who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread forth the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people upon it and spirit to those who walk in it" (42:5). And Paul, in the sermon at Athens, proclaimed "God who made the heaven and earth ... is not far from each one of us, for 'in him we live and move and have our being' " (Acts 17:24-28). and have our being' " (Acts 17:24-28). It is important that we think and talk about God. One of the most vital issues for people today is the theological question. (ibti iktart fttse nuai What does God mean in terms of the v see the world and my place in it? In our day, so reliant on technolo progress, yet so torn by fears, it is impoi to ask: How can we think of God? Is hidden? Can God be known? What di ence does my understanding of God ma \p daily life? For most of us, questions about the "i where" and "why" and the "where to" o are hidden beneath the surface of routines. We are busy going to scr carting children, doing our jobs, kee conversation open with those around u: figuring out how we'll pay for the taxes gas and electricity and insurance and al extras of modern living. Only when we drawn aside or jarred by the great uncert ties of life do we become tuned to the re; of God. Oh, there is the romanticized view th; the world of beauty and order we are poii toward a supreme Intelligence. But do) peaceful woods prompt most people tc to praise the Creator? Or do people drive along the roads see a field of whe£ growing corn as testimony to God's bot or a marvel of agricultural technology? The alternative. We become consciou God-feelings most often when confronted death or the threat of nothingness. So thing terrible happens and people inst tively cry out, "God help us!" Prayers hidden even in those minor blasphemies people for whom in every sense God is dt except that they still have to speak to even if only through clenched teeth. Wit whole world condensed on an 18 * 23-i screen in the living room corner, reminc of violence and death and oblivion corn us daily. We see how hostile and full of death universe is. Yes, we have seen man set foo the moon and watched Viking I placed planet Mars 212 million miles away. Yet still only in this narrow band of the ear atmosphere that humanity is free to bre£ ..j and work and play. Just a little dista under the earth's surface, miners die poisonous gases. Similarly, death alw hovers near in the skies. In that thin band between zones of de above and below, the Creator has reserve .. space for us! Is that not the real mirach creation? The Genesis story speaks of ( separating "the waters which were under firmament from the waters which v above the firmament," making possible narrow band of human life in between, flood that the Genesis writer describes being sent by God in judgment is the gi symbol of catastrophe. And every time heavens open and the torrents of i descend, or rain does not come and theea is parched and plants wither and animals: y. i 242 APRIL 12, 19 If pie die, or every time the earth shifts and | kes or belches forth fire and smoke and i;anic ash, we are reminded that our life Igs by a thread. vVe live by God's grace. The writer of ■ lm 104 knew well that we live only by li's gracious gift of preservation: "When ■u hidest thy face, they are dismayed; |:n thou takest away their breath, they die ij return to their dust" (verse 29). Once we ■sp that fact, that we live by God's gift of l:e, then we want to know this One who I a heart of pity. Can it be that the Creator Preserver of life actually cares for us, you and for me? As the writer of Psalm 8 looked at the universe, he recognized also the miracle of human life. If the God of the whole universe should take note of me and make me a being that can breathe and live and think and praise, "who am I that God cares for me?" Then God does make a difference. What matters is that God is not only "out there." God has identified with human life. He is present when I am sick and gasp for breath. He takes seriously the words, the prayers, the fears, the longings of my heart. The miracle is that almighty God loves me so much that everything in my life is important to him — not only my soul — but my headache, the crowded streets I drive, the person who needles me, even the daffodils that lift my spirits. We do not talk very long about God apart from Jesus. As Martin Luther said, "Whoev- er sees Christ as a mirror of the Father's heart, actually walks through the world with new eyes." In Jesus we see into the heart of the Creator and so even begin to see and handle things differently and to look at ourselves and other people differently. God both changes our view of life and through us intervenes in life itself, using us in the transformation of life, in the ongoing creative acts of the Almighty. Barrv Moore 0 queries have confronted me throughout history of our association: Is "mass ngelism" a viable, relevant way to reach >ple, and What is its future? "he answer to the first is a ringing irmative. Yes, mass communication ngelism is a relevant, productive means communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ, lough it is not the only way, but another 1 It does not replace local congregation, dent, youth, or Sunday school evange- i. It does not replace the personal ngelistic approach. dass evangelism adequately done must i with a person-to-person confrontation, .ss communication evangelism presents claims of Christ to many at one time, yet st of the genuine work in commitment alts as an individual Christian personally ks to help an anxious inquirer, iome insist that the New Testament kes more of the personal witness than the ss approach. A two-way conversation :s tend to be microscopic. A close-up of a sonal discussion presents finer lines than a telescopic panorama of a large, nebulous scene. The New Testament shows John the Baptist speaking individually to King Herod (Matthew 14) and to the hundreds in the wilderness (Mark 1). Peter witnessed to Cornelius the Roman centurion (Acts 10), but also preached to scores at Pentecost (Acts 2). Paul unhesitatingly witnessed to Felix and Agrippa (Acts 23, 26) but startled the masses on Mars Hill with his philosophi- cal reasoning (Acts 17). Philip spoke alone to the Ethiopian businessman after he had come from preaching to large crowds at Samaria (Acts 8). In Luke's Gospel, Jesus is reported to have spoken individually to eleven persons in addition to thirty-three large crowds. Not less than fourteen times in the Book of Acts, as the early church moved out into the world, we are told of the effects of mass evangelism. Several phrases picked at random indicate that 3,000 believed on one occasion and 5,000 on another; a great company of priests became obedient to the faith; multitudes gave heed to the gospel; a whole city gathered to hear the Word of God; great multitudes believed; the world is said to have been turned upside down by the preaching of the gospel. To be sure, mass evangelism has been highly suspicioned and pointedly criticized, yet it is a scripturally proven method of communicating the Word and infiltrating every level of society. Much mass evangelism has been discredited and its criticism justified, but to discount all mass evangelis- tic efforts because of the relative misappro- priations of a few seems to be highly severe. Some criticisms which have resulted from misunderstanding can be cleared up. If the personnel of this kind of evangelism are characterized by integrity, its business affairs by honesty, its preaching by uncompromis- ing, biblical verity, its primary motivation the redemption of people, and its penetra- tion aimed at the entire community large or small, it will work. Crusade, or mass, evangelism has a great future because it benefits five levels of society. Since the mission is established and * E MENNONITE 243 Ma55 communication evangelism presents the claims of Christ to many at one time, yet most of the genuine work in commitment results as an individual Christian personally seeks to help an anxious inquirer. moves ahead initially by the endorsement of the clergy, it is only fair that they profit from it. A measure of that profit is voiced by an eastern Ontario minister who says, "I have come to know my fellow ministers in this whole area in five months in a way that I would not know them in five years other- wise. I can say the same for the consecrated, concerned laypeople who have shamed me by their devotion and intense desire to make Christ known. One cannot easily dismiss the importance of this unity. Unbelievers who usually scorn divisions among Christians are impressed by seeing such groups standing shoulder to shoulder in an effort to call people to faith in their one Lord." Second, it gives an opportunity to the casual onlooker to make contact with the Christian gospel. The pastor of a large denominational church observes, "The impact made by the collective effort of churches in evangelism can break through the spiritual indifference of the onlooker. Reports of great crowds, widespread publici- ty, the fact that a religious event has become news, the power of united prayer, and the hoverings of the Spirit of God cut a deep swath into people's don't care attitudes." A church leader says, "The issue of our day is the issue of communicating to a pagan, post-Christian world: a world which has heard a language and relegated it to the four walls of the church; a world which will only hear the language again if it can come with a freshness, a stimulus, a shining sparkle." As the prejudices caused by denominational walls are broken down, the individual is impressed to see the church aggressively at work. The congregation experiences the greatest joy of the Christian life — spiritual reproduc- tion. A minister writes following his involve- ment in a United Crusade: "You only need to move among the counselors downstairs to feel the thrill of being in on the making of history — not world history, but life history. Don't be among those who look down their thin, supercilious noses and rule everything out of order because of what they call 'emotionalism.' There was emotion. My soul, there has to be that. It baffles me how we can expect a person who has been heading in a downward direction to turn with divine aid to the light and the right and to do so with as little feeling as he would pay his telephone bill. If you were in the counseling room after a crusade service and witnessed the quiet, earnest, serious talks, you would marvel at the restrained way it was all carried out." The congregation gains new impetus in its evangelistic fervor and may be compelled to continue on the congregational level to practice some of the facets used in the lurch si \a fc«t in- crusade. It also experiences within members new life and commitment. To the newly committed — those VI express their first decisions for Christ-j given opportunity to identify with Chris}1 public. This type of public identificatj offers a source of strength which helps maintain that witness in other areas of pul j^p life — school, work, society, or fam I Because the new convert hears in ensu ^ services topics that discuss the process p1"1 spiritual conversion and Christian grow & a that person is helped into a deeper undp standing of commitment. Finally, in the community a valid impi sion is left because of the scope, efficien fi»Ph quality, and aggressiveness of the Christ voice. It reduces criticism that says W°r Christian faith is broken up into so mi fc ' factions that it can no longer be effecti And it starts the momentum of indige evangelism that makes it easier to talk ab<||P the church, the Scriptures, and God report indicates that a "final good result o| flint crusade is that it sharpens into focus the inescapable fact of everyone's need \ i conversion, not just the morally unfit, prodigal, the profane scoffer who has not for the church — but everyone" because conversion is a spiritual awakening in whi the whole person becomes alive. Everyo needs it. John MacKay of Princeton has point out, "Wesley, mediating Christian love t< loveless and paganized age, wrought t ffl most creative revolution in modern histo He wrought it by restoring to a renegade a decadent people its soul — Wesley broug forth water from the rocks to make a barr land live again." And he did it through the medium of ma communication evangelism. A British doctor was required to travel o day by train. While en route, the train was an accident that injured some and kill many. In the confusion that follows someone recognized the famed surgeon an called, "Doctor, can't you help some of the poor people? Please do something!" response, the doctor cried, "I could and would, if I only had my instruments." Ma evangelism is one usable instrument. For some time, we have heard that churc oriented evangelism is poorly attende unworkable, or even passe. We are co vinced that a well prepared program crusading should be reinstituted on the lev of the local church for the whole congreg tion. Mass evangelism does have a future we dedicate it to be an instrument communicate Jesus Christ. tiso v; m fd( ikl| \ \ ■da i Laii at SB THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian tellowship within the context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It is pu lished weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton, Kansas 67114, by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonite Church Second-era postage paid at Newton, Kansas 67114. and at additional mailing oflices Subscriptions: in United States and Canada. $8 00, one year; $1 5 50, two years, $23 00, three years, foreign, $8 50 per year toil rial office 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P0M4 Business office 722 Main Street, Box 347. Newton, Kansas 67 1 1 4 Postmaster Send Foi i 3579 to Box 347, Newton. Kansas 671 1 244 APRIL 12, 197 lews urches to share 'den surplus len Patch, a produce market geared to low-income consumer in the Newton, sas, area, will again function this mer. ist year members of Goessel, Hesston, Newton Mennonite churches brought en produce to the Mid-Kansas Commu- Action Program (Mid-Kap) Center in ton once a week for sale to low-income .lies. Prices varied according to the dy wholesale market, and profit went to .ls-on-Wheels, a senior citizens' nutrition ;ram. his year's Garden Patch is planned for er in the growing season than last year's, lation of clean, good produce, rather i poorer quality or reject produce, is hasized. Proceeds will again be designat- or hunger-alleviating programs locally abroad. Mk powder shipped t< eleven countries ic is one of the cheaper forms of natural ein. But in countries where there is no y industry or no good method of cooling preserving fresh milk or where there has 1 widespread violence and upheaval, pie do not have milk to drink. 0 help supply some of these people with Mennonite Central Committee ped 322 tons of skim milk powder from ada to eleven countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America between December 1, 5, and March 1, 1977. The recent ments followed a 1975 shipment of lty-two tons of milk powder purchased Uberta and sent to Chad, a country in ca's Sahel region. he current shipments sent 165,000 nds of the milk powder to Chad, 1 32,000 nds to Bangladesh, and 60,000 pounds to sria, Egypt, and Lebanon. Other coun- > receiving the milk were Honduras, lawi, Rhodesia, Swaziland, Sudan, and ■e. The milk powder was purchased from Canadian Dairy Commission by the ladian International Development Agen- CIDA), and MCC paid the shipping is. 1 many cases, the milk powder is sent to rch agencies which distribute it in their ntries. For example, the Middle East mcil of Churches will arrange distribu- . of the milk in Lebanon, a country rebuilding from several years of civil war. During the war more than 30,000 people were killed and many more were forced to leave their homes. In Rhodesia, the milk will be distributed by Christian agencies to people forced into enclosed villages by security forces of the white minority government. The "protected villages," the government claims, protect the villagers from the guerrilla war in the region. However, the villagers are virtually impris- oned andlive in poor conditions. Cincinnati voluntary service transferred The voluntary service unit in Cincinnati, Ohio, will be transferred from Mennonite Central Committee administration to Gen- eral Conference Mennonite Church admin- istration July 1 . Charles Neufeld, an associate director for Mennonite Voluntary Service (General Conference), said the transfer is part of a policy of MCC U.S. Ministries to move out of an administrative role in voluntary service. The decision to transfer the unit to the General Conference rather than another conference was made by the Cincinnati Mennonite Fellowship. Details of the transfer were worked out in March by those in Cincinnati, by Mr. Neufeld, and by Lynn Roth of MCC U.S. Ministries. Three volunteers who will terminate in September will stay under MCC, but MVS will have immediate responsibility for new personnel and program projections. The program of the unit is expected to continue as it is: involvement in the Reading Center at the nearby Clifton-Fairview elementary school; in Menno Housing Repair, primarily serving senior citizens; and Hub Services, an adult education program conducted jointly with the Sisters of Charity. The five volunteers are located in a low- income neighborhood, largely made up of Appalachian immigrants. Mr. Neufeld said Mennonite Voluntary Service is planning to open a new unit in Lake View, a multiethnic neighborhood on the north side of Chicago, at the invitation of the Lake View Presbyterian Church. Volunteers are expected to be involved in an alternative secondary school, teaching English as a second language, a senior citizens' nutrition center, a thrift shop, and community case work. The first volunteers are to arrive in August. Volunteers get shingles from yard to roof Fred Solberger is an eighty-six-old bachelor living alone in northeast Portland, Oregon. Last summer Fred was approached by a local "construction" firm, which offered to reshingle his roof and put new siding on his house for $5,000. Several months after paying for the job, the only results Fred had seen were a small stack of lumber and a pile of shingles in his front yard. One day while taking a walk, Greg Dirksen, Mennonite Voluntary Service worker with Mennonite Home Repair in Portland, came across the supplies in Fred's front yard. Curiosity overcoming him, Greg checked with Fred, evaluated the situation, and offered to shingle the roof for $100, which would cover costs. The original contractors were legally apprehended a month later, but Fred would never receive his money back. By that time Mennonite Home Repair had completed shingling Fred's roof, hanging new gutters, and mending the front porch. Stories like Fred's could be repeated in any of the locations where Mennonite Voluntary Service workers are involved in home repair: Portland, Oklahoma City, Wichita, and Philadelphia. The Philadelphia home repair workers reported replacing a radiator for a woman whose house had been without heat for a week. "Our team fixed up the whole terrible situation for $25. The lady who owns the house held the guys up for half an hour telling them how wonderful the Mennonites are," they said. Other jobs for Mennonite housing workers are more major. In Wichita, volunteers do both small repair jobs and major rehabilitation in an older neighbor- hood. The two organizations under which the volunteers work — Mennonite Housing Re- habilitation Service and Midtown Construc- tion Company — recently got word that they will receive a $100,000 grant from the city of Wichita (through federal Community Devel- opment Block Grant funds) for buying and rehabilitating three older houses. The houses will have additional insulation and will be equipped for using solar energy. Part of the grant will also be used for solar energy research and development. The houses will later be sold by the city to low- and moderate-income families and the proceeds recycled into future rehabilitation. TE MENNONITE 245 Martha Wenger: Go-between How would you like to attend both an Israeli and an Arab university in the midst of the biggest Palestinian uprising against the Israeli occupation since the Six-Day War of 1967? Martha Wenger did. Martha Wenger, a senior at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, recently returned after spending eleven months as a peace studies intern in Israel and the occupied territories. Ms. Wenger attended the Hebrew Univer- sity at the Mount Scopus campus in Jerusalem and the Bir Zeit University on the West Bank (that part of Jordan occupied since 1967 by the Israelis). Three weeks after classes began last March, Martha went to the Bir Zeit campus to find several of her classmates beaten, some with teeth out, and the dormitories damaged after a confrontation between demonstrating students and the Israeli army. Four months of incidents followed with continual clashes between Palestinians and the Israeli army, resulting in arrests, many wounded, and some killed. Twice during the four months eight- to ten-day, twenty-four-hour curfews were imposed on Ramallah, a city through which Martha had to travel to get to class. What does a pacifist have to offer in this place? During a time of conflict, rumors run wild. Martha worked closely with Leroy Friesen, director of the Mennonite Central Commit- tee program in Israel. One task of such an agency is to be an information source. "After I'd been there awhile, I began to see myself as a go-between because an outsider could so easily slip over the boundaries," Martha recalled. "In the West Bank I was recognizable as a foreigner by my skin, eyes, and hair. In the Gaza Strip, where refugee women dress in black skirts and headcloths, I could sometimes become inconspicuous by so dressing, but only if I didn't have to use my limited Arabic. "Both sides seemed to be afraid of each other, yet at the same time intensely curious about one another," Martha stated. Some people help bring both sides togetherto learn to know one another. One such person, she said, is Joseph Abileah, an Israeli pacifist who runs the Society for Middle East Confederation. Mr. Abileah, who speaks English, Hebrew, and Arabic, has a wide circle of friends. His society has both Jews and Arabs, and his home provides a place for them to get together. Martha said that Joseph Abileah knows that peacemaking is a long, slow process, but he feels that individu- als can contribute by getting to know one another. The most significant way that groups such as MCC (and the Quaker and Brethren service agencies) can contribute is to help empower the outgroup, the Palestinians. The Palestinians have been used as pawns by both the Israeli and the Arab states. Many Palestinians are refugees. They have no passports and, therefore, no official identity. For reconciliation talks between two groups to succeed, both parties have to have equal power. If not, the stronger party will impose an agreement. MCC can help by reminding the Palestinians that they are not forgotten. "Although I as a peace intern could be of help in some ways, I received more than I gave," Martha said. "Maybe that's the strongest argument for an internship in a program like peace studies. The internship allowed me to see the practical side to the theories I studied." Besides studying in both universities, Martha stayed with both Arab and Israeli families. From ltaf Arafat Masaad, her Arab hostess, Martha learned what it meant to be a Palestinian refugee. Itaf has to carry an identity card given to her by the Israeli army. If she is caught without it, she will be »* iToi (illi imprisoned. Or, if she is found traveling tc :b° place she is not authorized to travel, shewj j! be imprisoned. Some Arabs call the identic card "the permit to live." The problem a conciliator in the W< Bank faces, Martha stated, is to promote t 1 tactics of a Gandhi — those of stricl nonviolent yet persistent strikes and demo " strations. J^t Martha said she often envied the touris)! "u because they could see the beauty of t u01 country without having to deal with U bitterness and pain. They didn't see the rr4 im* of the occupied West Bank being draggn : ; out of bed, stripped, beaten, and having tlj ;p dogs let loose on them if they didn't confej to whatever the charges. They didn't know j the eleven-year-olds who died from tli gunshot wounds from soldiers firing "wan ing shots." On the other hand, they didn't see til inner beauty of these people either. Martli said her Arab host family accepted her n part of the family, which meant that forthr^ days she was treated as a guest. Thei according to Arab custom, she was part the family. Martha Wenger arrived in Israeli-otcupied West Bank last year to find several of h classmates beaten in clashes between demonstrating students and the Israeli army. Abovi Israeli troops arrest an Arab youth lying in a road after a rock-throwing incident last y em Israel sent hundreds of crack troops into the strife-ridden West Bank of Jordan area. 246 APRIL 12, 197 Slso, she learned to value time in an Arab se e. "To an American every minute must bt sed in some constructive way. An Arab lets on that he has other things to do Hies talk to you and share his Arabic ccj:e." p completely had Martha internalized thArab viewpoint that she felt fear when shiwas to meet her Israeli family. II was depressed and angry upon having tojeet my Israeli family. I imagined that the fa-sr who had just returned from army sdice may have been one who beat the when or children the past few weeks. I ■is this must be the way an Israeli feels ■lit meeting a Palestinian who might have Hi the terrorist who set a bomb and killed hineighbors." lartha attended an Israeli wedding in a Icijiutz located near the Jordan River. Fear high of guerrilla attacks from across that ler. The men at the wedding — civilians — : carrying guns. The men were never without their guns, i when they were relaxing," Martha said, me men felt so dependent upon a weapon ;ecurity that they were without it only in shower. I fear for the children who are Kg in a society where death and guns are sc ormal." lartha found it more difficult to get close tidlhe Israelis. Few were willing to discuss ffljltical issues openly with her. MCC had djjculty finding a family willing to risk g her host family. This was partly tuse of the orthodox Jews' regulations nst having a single woman not a member le family living under the same roof with family. Perhaps more significant is that tha had been a student at Bir Zeit, which considered by Israelis a stronghold of enemy. fter living so intensely for eleven iths, it was hard for Martha Wenger to ijust to life in an American college again. casualness of Americans seems as tgh much talk is small talk. "I've almost otten how to converse, especially using g. English there is more formal." Martha says that people there greet one another haking hands, or, if friends, by kissing, e one may leave a group without even a d-bye. There I would wait for the next news >rt to see what happened and wonder ther I'd have school tomorrow or be lissed for a demonstration. Here, my n problems are exams and term papers. The internship has been the most .able part of my education at Bethel lege thus far," Martha said. "I wish oiprs had the opportunity to face the e; tement and frustrations of learning to be ajonciliator and of living in another dure." Sandra Zerger Ibrahim Malar, right, MCC development specialist on the West Bank, explains drip irrigation to a Palestinian farmer. Farm program under way in West Bank Relief work is changing to agricultural and technical development in farming villages and with agricultural cooperatives in areas around Jerusalem, Hebron, and Jericho. The three places have been centers for MCC relief work among some of the 900,000 Palestinian refugees displaced by the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Last year MCC began an agricultural development program in cooperation with the West Bank Department of Agriculture. After twenty-five years, why should the program make such a major shift? Although it is ten years since Israel occupied the West Bank, the area west of the Jordan River which was formerly part of Jordan, the West Bank has not been annexed as part of Israel. It is ruled by an Israeli military governor under an occupation system. As a result, farmers on the West Bank receive limited aid from the Israeli Govern- ment or from their former government in Jordan. Services from foreign government agencies and most private foreign aid organizations are not available because the groups are reluctant to give aid to territories under military occupation. To further complicate the plight of the West Bank farmer, the Israeli military government has begun regular confiscation of land owned by West Bankers for Israeli settlements and for security reasons. Along with the land, they have taken over water sources and drilled new wells, dropping the water table below the bottom of the more shallow Palestinian wells. But Palestinian farmers have routinely been denied permits for well digging. Military occupation by Israel has also disrupted normal trade patterns for the West Bank. Paul Quiring, MCC country representa- tive, and Ibrahim Matar, development specialist, have not found the Israeli military government in opposition to their new agricultural projects. Projects last year included distributing 1,100 olive trees to eighty-eight farmers, loaning money to a cooperative for a generator, setting up drip irrigation systems, helping a farm cooperative buy a tractor and equipment, providing electricity to a village, and building grape trellises. Expanding the olive tree and irrigation projects, helping grape farmers get stocks that are disease-resistant, and helping a chicken cooperative with a feedmill are on the agenda for 1977. E MENNONITE 247 Island centers rehabilitate Lao youth Thousands of trees, bleached white by the sun, stretch like giant fingers out of the green water of the vast lake behind the Nam Ngum hydroelectric dam, seventy kilometers north of Vientiane, Laos. On several lush islands rising abruptly out of the lake, young Lao drug addicts, prostitutes, thieves, and street people are being rehabilitated by the new government. "These young people are victims of the evils of the old regime and U.S. involvement in our country," the director of the rehabili- tation centers explained. "Instead of study- ing or working they were corrupted by drugs, western music, and decadent books and movies. They spent all their time in coffee shops or on the street. Here we are trying to teach them to work and what it means to be Lao." The centers were established in April 1976, when 1 ,500 persons were sent to the islands. Today they have a population of about 2,000—1,500 on Don Thao, the island for men, and 500 on Don Nang, the women's island. Recruits for the islands are selected by local authorities after repeated warnings to the young people to change their life- styles. Life for the mostly urban inhabitants has changed drastically since the years of massive foreign presence. They get up at 5:30 a.m. for a day of work and study. Divided into groups of 100, they have built villages with Lao-style bamboo houses on stilts and terraced the hillsides for growing vegetables. In the morning the inhabitants study, seminar-style, various themes emphasized by the new regime: the importance of work and self-reliance, the effects of the French and American involvement, the natural and cultural wealth of Laos, the differences between capitalism and socialism, the nature of class conflict, and the importance of Lao youth's having good morals and healthy bodies. In the afternoon the women teach each other handicrafts including basket-weaving, embroidery, and sewing. The men learn other vocational skills such as metalwork, carpentry, weaving fish traps, and producing charcoal. Social activities on the islands include playing volleyball, singing new revolutionary songs, and dancing the tradi- tional Lao lamvong. "Once they've understood the new life," the director said, "the young people will be sent back home." Nearly 400 inhabitants have already completed rehabilitation and returned to their villages. After several months of treatment using methadone, herbal medicines, and healthy diets, fifty-five men, formerly drug addicts, have moved from the islands to an agricul- tural cooperative nearer Vientiane. Here the rehabilitated addicts plant vegetable gardens and raise pigs, cows, and water buffalo. They are also clearing land for cultivating rice, cotton, and castor oil leaves for silk worms. Eventually the cooperative plans to diversify to other occupations such as wood and metal working and cloth weaving. Additional housing is now being built for the addicts' families and twenty rehabilitated female addicts who will come from the islands. Visitors to the islands cannot doubt the sincerity of Laos' new government to rehabilitate the victims of social ills. The inhabitants are well provided with food, clothing, medicine, and housing. For many drug addicts and for orphans and girls sold as servants, minor wives, or prostitutes by impoverished parents during the war, the new opportunities offered by the islands are certainly welcomed. Other inhabitants, however, seem lonely and depressed; for them the islands are more like a prison than an idyllic summer camp. They resent the harshness of being separated from their families, friends, and society. Many have tried to flee but have been sent back to the islands. Asian socialist countries like China, Vietnam, and perhaps Laos have cleaned up their social problems, a task at which western capitalist countries have largely failed. The accompanying result, however, is probably greater discipline and regimenta- tion than most of us are used to. With the return of peace in 1975, Laos is trying to recover from the many physical and social effects of three decades of devastating warfare. Unfortunately the U.S. Govern- ment has so far refused to help this poor, war-torn country reconstruct. "Some of the young people don't like it here on the islands," one of our guides explained, "but some way must be found to involve the youth misled during the war in rebuilding our country." Murray and Linda Hiebert, MCC Lmos Indian affairs discussed at USM meetings For the first time Indians have participatj in federal decision making, said Cur||'iJ[" Berkey, Indian affairs consultant for Me nonite Central Committee U. S. Minisffl at the March 1 1-12 U.S. Ministries meetii Inures in Chicago. Mr. Berkey's report on Indian affairs w !)'■ one of the focal points of the meeting The American Indian Policy Revii Commission which is staffed by many Indi people, he said, represents one of the f< times Indians have even been asked participate in the formation of policy. Tl commission was created by Congress in 19 and will complete its work in summer 19"/! Mr. Berkey said policy changes in the p usually came about in response to pressuii from non-Indians. "The federal bureaucrats have alwal claimed to know what is best for India people," he said. "Obviously what was bei for Indians always happened to be what wl best for the land-hungry whites. Litlj attention was paid the protests of the Indiij community." Although President Carter and the prei ent Congress will have the benefit of tli commission's recommendations, rece changes in Congress have generated concei that the report may not receive the clo attention it deserves, Mr. Berkey said. Und a comprehensive reorganization plan, tl House Indian affairs subcommittee h; become part of the public lands subcommi tee. The change, he said, means fewer staff w work exclusively on Indian matters In addition to hearing Mr. Berke) report, U.S. Ministries members passed proposal to hold a seminar for Mennoni workers in native American communiti and agencies. The seminar is intended to hei workers understand native American cd ture, religion, and issues. A proposal to won with the Houma Indians in Dulac, Louisl ana, and a proposal to assist a study of Nort| American Indian missions were also passed In addition to discussing native America! concerns participants approved a Mennn nite Conciliation Service proposal and I proposal to hire an aging ministries consul tant to help identify needs of elderly i churches and communities. U.S. Ministrii members discussed the work of Edgar Ep| offender ministries consultant for MC (Canada) and U.S. Ministries. In the secon year of his work he will attempt to focus o regional areas where local programs can \ developed. U.S. Ministries will also develo a proposal to implement the Mennonit) Minority Employment-Economic Develort ment Program. Mil [(Silt liar 248 APRIL 12, 197 rDuth African police met with nonviolence mh Africa, in the last seven months of the ■year, went through its worst period of Jjl unrest in its history. ■ the face of mounting criticism of the ;o irnment's policy of apartheid which has both from within and from without the o«try, the Vorster government has turned o creasingly sterner measures of oppres- ;i«j This has happened, even though under ;rrorism Act it has long had the power il any of its critics without charge or )Ut trial. iat oppression of critics of apartheid has felt by church leaders and organiza- which have openly opposed the rnment's suppression of the freedoms of c people. One of those church leaders is Ivar Berglund, director of theological ation for the South African Council of xhes, who was in North America for a s of lectures in October 1975. February, Minister of Justice Jimmy ;er, in a speech in Parliament meeting in :town, attacked the South African icil of Churches for giving relief to the 1e of Soweto who had suffered loss in acial conflict. He blamed the churches nciting black residents to riot. :tually, church leaders had warned of ixplosion that came on June 16, 1976, when more than 10,000 black high school students boycotted classes and took to the streets of Soweto, the fourth largest town- ship in the Republic of South Africa. They intended to protest a government order that required some of their classes to be taught in Afrikaans, the language of the white minori- ty of Dutch descent. When the students took their protests to the streets, the police shot and killed several students, triggering full-scale rioting. The disorders spread to ten surrounding town- ships, to three black universities, and to other cities. By the end of the year, the official toll of the dead stood at 400. The South African Council of Churches sees the recent attacks on Christian leaders and organizations as "symptomatic of a regime which, become desperate because of the failure of its politics, is increasingly equating any opposition to those policies as being legally offensive." The security police invaded the Berglund home at 4:00 a.m. on November 25. They went over every inch of the house, checked every scrap of paper, and quizzed Mr. Berglund for two hours. They could find no incriminating evidence which could be used against him. After the police left, Mr. Berglund went r mv*N our Dm St\'ents wave a banner above the grave of a sixteen-year-old student who died two days after lit rrest last September. Thousands of mourners attended the youth's funeral in Soweto, a mk township near Johannesburg. Later nearly 700 of them marched on a municipal depot. Mmandeered a dozen trucks and a water tanker, and drove the vehicles through the Oj iship. directly to his office in Diakonia House in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, a six-story office building which, in addition to being the headquarters of the South African Council of Churches, houses the offices of the Christian Institute, the Christian Acade- my, two Lutheran denominations, the Anglican Church, the Ecumenical Literature Development Fund, and Zenith Press. Forty security policemen appeared at Diakonia House shortly after Mr. Berglund arrived. For the rest of the day, they searched every person and every office. Everybody coming into the building was searched and ordered to leave if they did not work in the building. Three officers spent five hours with Mr. Berglund, searching every piece of paper in every file and plying him continually with questions, relevant and irrelevant. Details of his inquisition have been supplied by Edwin Weaver, a Mennonite missionary in Botswa- na, who interviewed Mr. Berglund shortly after his ordeal. When the officers had finished their search of his off ice, M r. Berglund would not permit them to leave. "Please sit down, gentlemen," he said. "I have something to say to you." Silently he prayed for courage to make his witness. Turning the tables on his tormen- tors, he proceeded to tell them of the evil things they were doing. He had no fear, though he expected to be arrested on the spot and sent to jail, as were two women administrators who worked in other offices in Diakonia House and as were several other church leaders who were taken in early morning raids on their homes. (Among those arrested were Bernadette Mosala, an administrator for the Council of Churches, who was seized at her home, along with her husband, Leonard, who had on the previous day spoken with U.S. Senator Dick Clark, who was visiting the country.) When Mr. Berglund finished his repri- mand of the police, he told them that they could go. To his surprise, they left, though they ordered him not to leave his office. But at five o'clock, he received word that he could go. The police had left with two vans loaded with documents seized from the church offices including 5,000 copies of a Christmas poster carrying photos of the June 16 events in Soweto. The South African Council of Churches represents 15.5 million Christians, three- fourths of whom are black. On the day following the raid on its offices, the organi- zation's leaders committed themselves anew to the nonviolent power of the gospel. "We have no desire or power to oppose F \l MENNONITE 249 physically the type of action the police took yesterday," they said, "because armed with the power of the gospel, we have something which regimes from the Roman Caesars to the Russian Communists have struggled in vain to overcome." Words & deeds In reply to the government's attack on the council's aid to victims of the racial unrest, the church leaders told the minister of justice that "in helping those who would otherwise be defenseless, in helping the destitute and desperate in the wake of unrest, we have done no more than carry out the comnr of Jesus in Matthew 25:35-36. That perhaps bound to make us unpopular w the authorities, but on this score we take attitude that we must obey God rather t man." Maynard Shelly Increased coffee prices have been cause for rejoicing in church in Mombin Crochu, Haiti, according to Gordon Hunsberger and Stephen Mason, MCC volunteers in Haiti. During the past year, the price paid to peasants has increased from 20 cents to $ 1 .00 per pound for coffee they market, Mr. Mason said. "The price increase is significant considering that the national average per capita income is $70 to $100 per year, with most peasants receiving far less than this," he said. Mr. Hunsberger noted that the effect of coffee price increases on North American consumers has been mild. "Even at $3.00 per pound, the cost of a cup of coffee made at home is only 5 cents. So when your favorite restaurant or snack shop raises the price of coffee from 25 to 35 cents a cup, remember that the coffee itself may have accounted for 2'/2 cents of the 10-cent increase, while the other IVi cents is for the owner's increasing costs or additional profit." MCC (Canada)' s documents from its begin- ning in 1964 to 1970 have been transferred to the archives of the Conference of Menno- nites in Canada at 600 Shaftesbury Boule- vard in Winnipeg. The CMC archives were Help wanted Openings in Cincinnati, Ohio: One person for housing repair needed by June; one teacher for adult education program to help prepare adults for Graduate Equivalent Diploma on one-to-one basis needed in August; one teacher aide for reading center for elementary children needed in August. Two-year terms preferred Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 Mennonite Voluntary Service Associate director needed in August Duties in- clude: unit administration, personnel work, recruit- ment Prior voluntary service experience helpful. Preference will be given to female applicants. Salaried position Applications due by May 15. Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347 Newton, Kansas 67114 chosen because of their location in the same city as the MCC (Canada) offices; the fact that they already hold the records of MCC (Canada)'s predecessor, the Canadian Men- nonite Relief and Immigration Council; and the CMC facility's relation to the largest single constituency in MCC (Canada). The causes of world hunger and the Christian response will be the topic of a seminar sponsored by MCC (Manitoba) April 15-16 at the Fort Garry Mennonite Brethren Church, Winnipeg. The seminar is especially intended for Sunday school teachers, youth workers, and other Christian education personnel. Vern Ratzlaff, instruc- tor at Mennonite Brethren Bible College in Winnipeg and newly appointed MCC (Manitoba) executive director, will speak. There is no registration fee. Bible Society work in Angola is being rebuilt and the society's offices in the capital city of Luanda have reopened. The offices had been forced to close in October 1975 during the civil war. Ato Million Belete, Africa regional secretary for the United Bible Societies and president of the Mennonite World Confer- ence, reported that an interdenominational committee of laypeople is restoring Bible Society operations in the capital. "The Bible House was intact," he said. "Everything was in its place, but covered with a certain amount of dust." Some staff has been hired, and an executive secretary in Angola is being sought. The war-related portion of 1976 U.S. income taxes is 50.3 percent, according to the MCC Peace Section Washington office. For fiscal year 1978, the figure will be 49 percent of the $344.4 billion portion of the federal budget which Congress can act on. This $167.7 billion breaks down into $112.2 billion for current military costs, $18.2 billion for veterans' benefits, $35.6 billion on interest on the national debt incurred for past wars, and $1.7 billion for security supporting assistance. Thirty-five religious leaders have appealed to the U.S. Congress and President Carter calling for establishment of a U.S. food reserve program as part of an international network of reserves. Catholic, Protestant, it A |tn Me ken irl and Jewish leaders testified in March bef<* the Senate agriculture and forestry comrrli tee that the time to build food reserve: now, when surpluses are large. Bread for World, a Christian citizens' movement food and hunger issues, outlined before Senate committee its own proposal for a million-ton reserve, two-thirds of it own by farmers and held on farms. Bread for World also suggested a separate emerge reserve of 10 million tons that would insulated from the market system. A high registration of ninety-three at Projff ' Teach forced planners to add two mchf" instructors for the workshop March 21-25f ,;rl the Bethel College campus. North Newtol»l( Kansas. The Christian education trainU ^ workshop was sponsored by Bethel Collefj -H Hesston College, the Commission on Eduo " tion of the General Conference, and t Mennonite Board of Congregational Min| © tries (Mennonite Church). Participants hi ■ the chance to meet writers of the ne Foundation Series curriculum and to he presentations on Anabaptist history. Bib study, and development of the person. I nomh previous years, the Project Teach workshop isi have been in Newton and Hesston, Kansai rtt Bluffton, Ohio; and Freeman, South Dak ta. The next Project Teach is tentative ill planned for spring 1978 in Saskatchewan! * Photos sought for church architecture book Slides and black-and-white photos of Mei nonite meetinghouses are being solicited fo ■:• a book on Mennonite church architectur Although the book is to be published by tl Mennonite historical committee of tn Mennonite Church, the scope of the won aims to be inter-Mennonite and internatiot! al, historical and contemporary. Photos are needed of old and ne meetinghouses, interior and exterior view before, during, or after remodeling. Als appreciated will be detailed photos of tri \\ pulpit and the communion table, pictures < the congregation at worship, and photos 4 outside signs and bulletin boards. More information is available from Ja Gleysteen, Congregational Literature D| v, vision, Mennonite Publishing House, Scot dale, Pennsylvania 15683. 250 APRIL 12, 197 Record linisters 'air Braun has resigned as pastor of Tllj'WS Bethel Church, Winnipeg, to jriiie pastor of the Mount Royal Church, M toon, Saskatchewan. He has previous- teved pastorates at the Halbstadt and re; a Bergthaler churches in Manitoba. Minis Koehn, North Newton, Kansas, r»e serving as student pastor at Eden 'hij:h. Moundridge, Kansas, this summer, ■is been a student at Mennonite Biblical Jnary, Elkhart, Indiana, and Harvard %, itv School. Porkers / Friesen, Port Burwell, Ontario, has 1 serving with MCC (Ontario) as an ;ate for Mennonites from Mexico who re assistance in becoming established in da. He will be helping immigrants with iljnship, immigration, and work permits ■ may coordinate programs in English wage instruction and other practical rat ng. He will be responsible to the newly ;d Ontario Mennonite Immigrants sory Committee. The committee con- )f representatives from the Evangelical lonite Mission Conference, United lonites, Old Colony Mennonites, Men- e Brethren, as well as MCC (Ontario). ida Huebner, Crystal City (Manitoba) Mch, has begun a thirty-months term of er be with Mennonite Central Committee d Ja.it i . A registered nurse, Linda will be /ojing at Hospital Albert Schweitzer. She ol'j. a diploma of Christian education from Bible School. Recently she has been oyed by Winkler Bethel Hospital, ;ler, Manitoba. Her parents are Henry vlargaret Huebner of Crystal City. i\-ob and Annie Martens, Olivet Church, Hi "brook, British Columbia, have begun a wl/ear term of service with Mennonite ^ral Committee in Surrey, British Co- iitijia. They are working at One Way nture Foundation, where Jacob does tenance and teaches job skills. He was m ously self-employed as a landscape oi actor. Htw Schmidt, Tabor Church, Newton, as, has begun a two-year term of service Ml Mennonite Central Committee in dijtreal, Quebec. She will be serving as a lai bare worker for the House of Friend- hij She holds a BA in social work from ie ;1 College, North Newton, Kansas. She A. Martens has spent one summer in voluntary service with the General Conference in a camping program for youth and families. She is the daughter of Alvin and Wilma Schmidt of Walton, Kansas. Linda Tiessen, Leamington (Ontario) United Mennonite Church, has begun a two- year term of service with Mennonite Central Committee in Whitesburg, Kentucky. She will serve as a nurse at the Appalachian Regional Hospital in Whitesburg. Linda received her diploma as a registered nurse from Salvation Army Grace Hospital in Windsor, Ontario, where she has been . Martens Schmidt ' • "• 1 .:. '. Tiessen employed since graduation. Her parents are John and Mary Tiessen of Leamington. Letters Food deficit push? Dear Editor: I read with great interest "Assistance breeds dependency in Lesotho" (February 8 issue). Withjust a namechange, couldn't this article have applied to almost any developing independent country in Africa? Why? An article in the September 1976 Scientific American points out that there are very few countries in the world that produce enough food to be able to export and that, of the over forty countries on the African continent, there is now only one exporter left. The rest are all in the food deficit category, with more than twenty-four of these designated by the United Nations as "food priority countries" — "with especially low incomes, inadequate diets, and large projected cereal grain deficits." Who is feeding these people? Maybe we in North America, as two major food exporters, should be. But can we honestly say we are? Russia certainly isn't. It's in the food import category. On a recent six-weeks stay in South Africa, we found one answer. Undercover of darkness, Jan Smuts airport in Johannes- burg becomes a veritable beehive of activity as planes bound for independent developing African countries are loaded with life- sustaining supplies. This, we are told by a pilot, is a regular occurrence. But why at night? Is it because during the day these same countries are too busy in the U.N. pushing for sanctions against South Africa? South Africa's aid budget to developing African countries is large. Why? With our help and blessing these same countries are pushing very hard to force the last food-producing country on that continent to become an independent food deficit country. Have we really thought this one out? E. Epp, Route 3. Lakeshore Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario LOS I JO Looking for answers Dear Editor: So many of the arguments published in our various church papers favoring tolerance or material support for Marxist regimes still have not been answered even once. This must give some readers the impression that there aren't any adequate answers. Much as I dislike writing letters, I MENNONITE 251 wish to of fer a lew more on this subject. I had hoped that our churches would lead our governments in speaking up for human rights everywhere. Now that President Carter is leading somewhat, I still hope we will at least follow and not just ignore those who suffer under any kind of tyranny, regardless of political labels. Last August 31 The Mennonite reported (page 502) that "Transkei . . . will not be recognized by . . . the United Nations, since such recognition would imply approval of South Africa's apartheid policy. Some international religious agencies are hesitant to aid the Transkei for the same reason." Then doesn't aid given to Vietnam imply approval of their policies? I haven't seen this mentioned in our statements or reports. Some suggest that it's not easy to distinguish between peoples and their governments, but this fortunately hasn't prevented our protests against immoral acts by governments that are actually elected by their citizens. We have a double standard, but we notice it no more than a fish notices water — it's all around us and taken for granted. There are countless examples; would two suffice? (1) After my wife and 1 reported some negative observations from travel through the Soviet empire, various people said, "Oh, it can't be that bad," or even, "Why, we have a police state right here" (yes, even in Kansas!), although apparently the police never caught up with them. They heartily supported my criticisms of Nixon, but they seemed to consider criticism of Marxists to be in poor taste. (2) While in Japan I was on a religious affairs committee which planned about twelve talks on human rights in various countries. The leading members, however, refused to schedule a single talk on a Communist country, and not one of these countries was even mentioned critically in public. 1 never find the opposite prejudice in the articulate, respected circles that I am talking about here. Ronald Rich, Box 126, North Newton, Kansas 671 17 March 3 Mode of baptism Dear Editor: The Lent and Easter medita- tion by Maynard Shelly (March issue) was unique and helpful. Nevertheless, I was somewhat disappointed, if not shocked, to see you using a picture of a scene of baptism by immersion to illustrate the baptism of our Lord Jesus. 1 think here your imagination missed the mark! Why not rather choose a photo with a person kneeling for baptism by the sprinkling or pouring mode? To ask the question "Why did Jesus not come for baptism before he was about thirty years of age?" could give us the answer as to what mode of baptism John the Baptist used. Matthew 3:13-17: When Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him, John didn't want to do it. "This isn't proper," he said. "1 am the one who needs to be baptized by you." But Jesus said, "Please do it, for I must fulfill all righteousness" ( The Living Bible). In other words, 1 must fulfill the whole law. The Law required that all who would do the work in the tabernacle of the congrega- tion (later the temple), should be thirty years old and upwards, even until fifty years old (Numbers 4:3). How were they ordained for the service in the temple? Numbers 8:7 gives the answer: "Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. And thus shalt thou do unto them to cleanse them: Sprinkle water of purifying upon them." Had John tried to immerse Jesus, he would have objected, saying: "It is written: 'Sprinkle water of purifying upon them.' " The record says that "all the people and publicans justified God and were baptized with the baptism of John, except the pharisees and scribes; they rejected the counsel of God". (Luke 7:29-30). Later, when Jesus taught in the temple, the high priests and elders asked him, "By what authority are you doing these things and who gave you this authority?" Thereupon Jesus asked, "The baptism of John, whence is it? From heaven or from men?" In other words, have I been installed by John for this service in a lawful manner? For fear of being caught in their own trap, they preferred not to answer him. We can be positively certain, if John had immersed him, they would have vehemently objected saying, "Our priests and Levites are 'sprinkled' in ordination for service in the temple!" For they were constantly plotting to find a reason to arrest him. The Lord Jesus is prophet, priest, and Carmel House, a special foster-care home in Saskatoon, jointly administered by the De- partment of Social Services and the Menno- nite Central Committee (Saskatchewan), aims to be a normal family setting for five juvenile-aged boys. New houseparents are needed, effective July 15. Forfurther informa- tion, call or write: Wayne Dueck, Chairman 2705 Jarvis Drive Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Phone: (306) 373-1395 (evenings) king. In Israel all persons who were callei this service were anointed with oil. This oil anointment was poured on the heads oft] priests, the prophets, and kings. Symbolii the anointing with the Holy Spirit tl should come after Christ's ascension, I repeated reference of the coming of the H Spirit is always "poured out!" Therefo since water baptism is a symbol of the Spi baptism, it should be done by pouring Regarding the anointing of Aaron as hi priest, the psalmist recorded: "It is like I precious oil poured upon the head, runni down upon the beard, upon the beard Aaron, running down on the collar of I robes" (Psalm 133). This is a beauti picture of how the baptismal water pour upon the head of the candidate flows up the clothes and down to the floor. It is always a solemn and worship moment when the persons to be baptiz kneel in the house of God and silently pn "Let me at the throne of mercy find a sw< an w so 1 ipoi ISO III) 111 It in i (life |lt tboi leili (linn into Its ol (ttnl Mi) pi Span m kp / iMbers relief; kneeling here in deep contrition htl » my unbelief. There shall be showers blessing. Oh, that today they might fall, no) as to God we're confessing, now as on Jes * we call!" If we compare the mode by immersion the pouring mode, immersion can hardly a worshipful and solemn experience, most of the candidates are too frightened pray when they are plunged into the wati Look again at the picture; it is hardly ethic for a male baptizer to take a sparsely cli female in his arms and dip her under wat< n Permit me to point to one occasion whe i the Lord did the baptizing; that should setl the controversy of mode. When the AposlJ tpeo Paul speaks of the passing of the children Israel through the Red Sea, he says were baptized into Moses in the cloud and , the sea" (1 Corinthians 10:2). If we read t historical account of the exodus from Egypl a « we realize that they were not in the water b a on the land. According to Exodus 14:21-2 J« "The people of Israel went into the water trare the midst of the sea on dry ground." Hebre\ Ik 1 1:29 says, "By faith the people crossed tit Red Sea as if on dry ground." If we read the same report in Psalms 77:1 mi 20, we see in verse 1 7 that "the clouds pourt out water," and in 1 Corinthians 10, Pa ife refers to it as a baptism: "Baptized un- b coi Moses in the cloud and in the sea." i hist A cloud sprinkles or pours! Again th ta harmonizes with the pouring out of the Ho Spirit. The Egyptians were immersed but m \< baptized; the Israelites were baptized but n< immersed. i ii Let us pray with the songwriter: "Jesu Lord, we look to thee/ Let us in thy nanl 5 agree/ Show thyself the Prince of Peace Bi our strife forever cease" (Charles Wesley). I D. Klassen, Box 417, Carman, Manitoba 252 APRIL 12, 19 Leview dangerous books for comfortable Christians rhj^ew Community, by Elizabeth O'Con- ;o, Harper & Row, New York, New York, 121 pages, $3.95 paperback); Commu- and Commitment, by John Driver ild Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, 92 pages, $2.95 paperback) are wed by Katie Funk Wiebe, Hillsboro, as. ou poke around in your garden looking igns of new life, let me recommend to two books which will help you identify life in the church. They describe the kind w life which does more than disturb the ail. It results in a complete change of tures. ie books are The New Community, by ibeth O'Connor, and Community and mitment, by John Driver. Ms. O'Con- writes about her experiences with the rch of the Savior in Washington, D.C., anjrecent attempts to become involved with ■f-city tenement housing. Mr. Driver wp as an experienced missionary of the M| nonite church in Uruguay, Argentina, a til Spain. immunity. What is it? Some refer to it as wship, koinonia, or even body life. Yet ie mention of these words, 1 can almost the pained expression on the faces of e people. They cannot understand either hunger of some contemporary church ibers for community nor their repeated rts to get the subject on the agenda. Isn't :hurch experiencing community now? 3th writers indicate that far too many emporary Christians live with impover- i views of community or fellowship. £ are satisfied with skim milk when they d be enjoying cream. "Koinonia is more i meeting together from time to time; it is e than merely enjoying the presence of :rs; it is more than those feelings of well- g which warm our hearts when we greet friends at church functions; it is more l common ethnic, cultural, linguistic, historical ties; it is more than the oijinization of a congregation into a series oljubgroups related to interest, age, and sel" writes Mr. Driver, j'hat is it more? is a conscious sharing of something we foil in common — Jesus Christ and his 1 it. But then come the hard words: "at all I Is of existence and experience — spiritual, scjal, intellectual, economic. No area of life zi be excluded." The rich young ruler turned back at these words. Both writers state boldly that community is possible in twentieth-century Christianity. It can happen today. But at a price. A high price. Ms. O'Connor tells the difficult story of how the members of her congregation crossed the line from the world of the elite to the vast world of the poor to begin the Jubilee housing project, an effort to provide better homes for the poor in the neighbor- hood. In making that change, they found a depth of fellowship they had not known before. They had to put aside their "usual patterns of leadership, acceptable norms of achievement, divesting one's self of influence and position, and taking up the role of servant." The strong emphasis on radical servant- hood as the mark of the Christian communi- ty will probably be the most controversial part of both books. Obviously, if one accepts the teachings of Christ as valid, they will change one's life-style. Such a person will be at odds with society. Mr. Driver insists that Christ's teachings must be considered as normative for today- Community will not thrive where individual- ism and institutionalization dominate. It is experienced only where competition, undue desire for recognition, the accumulation of goods, the urge to dominate, and the tendency to discriminate are left behind. Ms. O'Connor states bluntly that she believes the first among the marks of a new community is a "clear, radical, unequivocal commitment to the poorest, the weakest, and the most abused members of the human family." Christ's ministry began with such people (Luke 4:18-19). The ministry of the church must begin there also. She writes that, unless a group of persons reaches beyond themselves to touch and be touched by the needs of others, whether these needs be physical, emotional, or spiritual, its members will not know commu- nity. Many house churches, communes, or small study groups do not survive because they think that mission can wait until they have built themselves up. But it can't. Both books set forth the case clearly for a nonconformist style of life — one that does not allow Christianity to blend comfortably into contemporary life like a rabbit into the winter landscape. "In a generally conformed society, a morally nonconformist community will be highly visible," writes Mr. Driver. A commu- nity which, contrary to everyone else, shares its goods, loves its enemies as well as its friends, keeps its word, will naturally communicate something of the reconciling love to the world beyond." It will automati- cally be a missionary church. Both books tell me that for too long the church has preached an emaciated gospel. The gospel is more than saving people from hell for heaven. It is an invitation to join the new people of God who live under the lordship of Jesus Christ in the power of the Spirit. The central task of evangelism is forming disciple communities. If you want comfortable reading, leave these books alone. If you are one of those who hunger for greater community, these books are a reassurance it can happen today. CHANGE ENVIRONMENTS THIS SUMMER Work camp openings are still available at: Mennonite Hospital Bloomington, Illinois Beatrice, Nebraska Wheat Ridge, Denver, Colorado Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba, Camps with Meaning Hamilton, Ontario Portland, Oregon Lame Deer, Montana (males only) Radio and TV, Newton, Kansas Theater, Kansas City, Kansas Sudbury, Ontario Fort Wayne, Indiana Pine Lake, Mississippi Bluffton, Ohio Koinonia Partners, Americus, Georgia August 13-24 June 5-25 June 26-July 17 June 5-July 15 June 1 1-July 8 June 16-July 9 June 26-July 27 June 26-July 17 July 1-25 July 1-17 July 2-23 July 4-24 July 11-26 July 19-August 9 July 26-August 5 Contact for further information: Work Camps 1977 Lois Bergen Box 347 Newton, Kansas 67114 1= MENNONITE 253 the child in the congregation cc CHECK YOURSELF! Which of the following are Gene Conference Mennonite communicators for the Foundat Series? the Bible in the congregation the teacher in the congregation C/) CO in CO □ Sarah Arn, Bloomfield, Mont. □ Alma Bartel, Brandon, Man. □ Henry and Mi Bartel, North Battleford, Sask. □ Mary Bauman, Berne, Ind. □ Ardys Becker, New', Kans □ Anna-Marie Buhler, Calgary, Alta. □ Ronald Camp, Hubb: Ore. □ Michelle Friesen Carper, North Newton, Kans □ Ed Cornelson, Altl, Man. □ Ric and Carol Dalke, Seiling, Okla. □ Albie Deckert, Freeman, S.D. □ Veil Diener, Hillsboro, Kans. □ Donna Driedger, Osier, Sask. □ James L. Di Champaign, III □ 'Edna Dyck, Newton, Kans. □ Mary Dyck, Martens' Sask. □ Ed Enns, Winnipeg, Man. □ Egon Enns, Carman, Man. □ Frank E Winnipeg, Man. □ Helen Epp, Saskatoon, Sask. □ Dorothy Franz, I Wash □ Stanley Fretz, Lansdale, Pa. □ "Ann Friesen, Saskatoon, Sask. □ Friesen, Drake, Sask. □ Don and Cathy Fry, Quakertown, Pa. □ *Anne Fi Abbotsford, B.C. □ Marjorie Geissinger, Zionsville, Pa. □ Eunice Gerbrandt, Dr. Sask. □ Arylis Goertzen, Beatrice, Nebr. □ "Esther Groves, Turpin, Okla. □ Don Harder, Moundridge. Kans. □ Helmut Harder, Winnipeg, Man. □ *Lydia Hai Edmonton, Alta. □ Lucille Harms, Bellevue, Wash. □ Jeannette Hess, Landisi Pa. □ Elizabeth Hostettler, Bluffton, Ohio. □ Joyce Hunsberger, Perk; Pa. □ "Lois Janzen, Elkhart, Ind. □ *Mary Ann Jost, North Newton, Kans. □ Ren' Klaassen, Saskatoon, Sask. □ Linda Klassen, Steinbach, Man. □ LaVi Klippenstein, Winnipeg, Man. □ Marlin Kim, Houston, Tex. □ Lillian Koil Chouteau, Okla. □ Nancy Koehn, Reedley, Calif. □ Evelyn Kosanke, Aberdi Id. □ Marlene Krehbiel, McPherson, Kans. □ Prisca Krehbiel, Re„ Kans □ Herman Kuhl, Rosenfeld, Man. □ Judy Martin, Ephrata, Pa. □ Wi! McKee, Hydro, Okla. □ Betty Miller, Berlin, Ohio. □ Elsie Neufeld, Boisse' Man. □ Ernest W. Neufeld, Phoenix, Ariz. □ John Neufeld, Winnipeg, Man. □ Penner, Mountain Lake, Minn. □ Melita Penner, Rosthern, Sask. □ Peter Penl, r-,i! Winkler, Man. □ Geraldine Peters, Henderson, Nebr. □ Lynette Preheim, Mar S.D. □ Betty Ratzlaff, Wichita, Kans. □ "Rosella Regier, Newton, Kans. □ D: Reichenbach, Wayland, Iowa. □ Jo Ropp, Normal, III. □ Hedy Sawadsky, Elkf! Ind. □ Gwen Schlichting. Winnipeg, Man. □ Viola Schmidt, Saskatcf Sask. □ Judy Schrag, Newton, Kans. □ Estina Schrock, Upland, Calif. D9 Shelly, Allentown, Pa. □ Cay Siebert, Pandora, Ohio D Gladys Simmons, Bi| Pa. □ Stan and Marlene Smucker, Oklahoma City, Okla. □ Alice Suderman, Moun; Lake, Minn. □ David Tickner, Souderton, Pa. □ Wilfred Ulrich, Enid, Okla. DA Warkentin, Surrey, B.C. □ Suzette Wedel, Topeka, Kans. □ Helen Wiens, Ricfimc B.C. □ Henry Zacharias, Meadow Lake, Sask. □ One representative from e! General Conference congregation in Ontario. 'Foundation Series writer Call collect Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to p.m. CST, for any information you desire | Foundation Series. Cornelia Lehn, John Gas dert, Dietrich Rempel, (316) 283-5100. Comrrif sion on Education, Box 347, Newton, Kan« 67114. CD Get out your magnifying glass and check them all! Each one is a Foundation Series communicator. f 254 APRIL 12, 19 cd Nation Nary Magdalene speaks to us I i,l never forget my early morning walk to the tomb nor the long night preceding it. I lay aivke and many thoughts passed through my mind — pictures of Jesus who had meant more tone in the past three years than any other person on earth. han't recall much of my life before I met him, only that it was utter confusion, aimless wi|dering in a dark world. "Demon possessed," they called me. But after Jesus came, the da ness left, and the aimlessness. He made my life bright and meaningful and 1 could live *n. I lived for him. Wherever he went, I followed, trying to anticipate his needs, mistering to him as much as I was able. There was so little I could do for him in comparison tofhat he had done for me. Every day I watched him give of himself to others until that last aiijterrible day when he gave himself completely. I stood by helplessly, not knowing what I d do to stop this from happening. I watched in Pilate's court as he was mocked and en and the crown of thorns pressed into his brow. Why were the people so blind? If only had seen him as I had, experienced his love and healing touch, they would know that he innocent of all they accused him. v'er and over I relived the agony of following him to the cross, only to stand in its shadow weep as they nailed him to it. Despair filled my heart as we took him from the cross and ight him to the tomb. Now that he was dead, everything was finished. Would I go back n to the darkness that possessed me before I met him? 5 the dawn slowly brightened the sky, 1, too, awakened to the fact that Jesus had healed ompletely and that I could never again go back to what I had been before. I decided to on some of the other women and go to his grave. I still had such a need to do something lim; he was still so much a part of my life. So I took some sweet-smelling spices and went I met the other women and we talked about Jesus and what he had meant to us. What Id we live for, now that he was gone? hen we got close to the tomb, I realized that our morning walk was probably in vain. We forgotten about the heavy stone that had been rolled in front of the opening. Who would e it for us? lagine our surprise when we got there and the stone had been rolled away. No doubt ;one had come and stolen his body. Angry thoughts filled my mind. It was not enough they had killed him, but they even had to take him after he was dead, an to tell Simon Peter. He looked into the tomb and saw that it was empty. Dejectedly he away. What could he do? ;tood by the tomb and wept. I was overcome by despair. The last service I wanted to do lim was denied. iddenly I heard someone asking me why I was crying. I saw two men dressed in white. I to! them that they had taken Jesus away and I didn't know where to find him. I turned ir nd and beside me stood another man who also asked me why I was crying and for whom s looking. Being blinded by my tears, I thought it was the gardener. I begged him to tell vhere they had put Jesus. ; looked at me and called me by my name. In a flash I knew it was Jesus who was standing ! before me. I wanted to reach out to him and touch him just to make sure this was real, rie asked me not to do this because he had not yet gone to the Father. He told me that he Id be going soon to his Father who was also my Father and to his God who was also my I I didn't really understand this, but it was Jesus speaking and he was telling me that we Id be together again. I believed him as I always had. I ran to the disciples and told them /thing. They didn't believe me, but I knew it was true. Jesus was with me again! aw the morning star still twinkling in the sky. Jesus was my bright and morning star who w<|id never leave me or forsake me! He had risen from the dead and was going to be with our Fjjer and our God. My heart sang for joy! Elfrieda Schroeder Contents God, source of our life 242 The future of mass evangelism 243 News 245 Record 251 Letters 251 Dangerous books for comfortable Christians 253 Mary Magdalene speaks to us 255 God called me through a newspaper ad 256 Christians agree to disagree 256 CONTRIBUTORS James Waltner is the pastor of the Mennonite Church of Normal, 918 South University, Normal, Illinois 61761. He is the author of This We Believe. Barry Moore, London, Ontario N6A 4V3, is an evangelist with Crusade Evangelism International Elfrieda Schroeder, B P. 195. Kikwit par Kinshasa, Republique du Zaire, is a mission- ary working under COM. Donald R Steelberg is the pastor of First Mennonite Church, Wadsworth, Ohio44281 . CREDITS Cover, Goettingen monument, West Ger- many, RNS; 244, Billy Graham Evangelistic Association; 246, 249, RNS; 247, Paul Quiring, MCC The Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4 Telephone: (204) 888-6781 Business and subscription office: 722 Main St., Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114 Telephone: (316)283-5100 Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4 Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kans. 67114 Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher Art director John Hiebert. Business manager Dietrich Rempel. Circu- lation secretary. Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors Central District, Lloyd L Ramseyer, 488 West Elm St., Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588 South West Maple St., Dallas, Ore. 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton. Kans 67117, En- compass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kans 671 14; and Window to Mission, Jean- nie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Ind 46805 T : MENNONITE 255 God called me through a newspaper ad Donald R. Steelburg I had chosen political science as a way of helping to change the world. In my third year of college, I became discouraged with its prospects. Interesting- ly enough, I write this the day Richard J. Daley is being buried. He was part of the burial of my hope for politics. When he defeated a superior reform candidate for mayor of Chicago in 1955, I knew that, for me, helping people had better be in another direction. So I went to a Presbyterian seminary, although my background was Baptist. There I learned to love the church and to understand that the Christian faith is not a solitary experience nor simply an inward journey. Christians need each other in order to follow Christ; they find Christ as they help those who are in need. When I came out of seminary, I found that I was not happy with most Baptist churches — nor they with me — because I believed that not only Chris- tians need one another, but also churches. They were too independent for me, too inward. The result was that I worked in secular employment for six years. But certain influences were at work. While in seminary, I had read an article by Lawrence Burkholder about discerning congregations. I thought that, if I ever got into the ministry, I'd like to try putting that into practice. My wife had a Mennonite Brethren background, another influ- ence. Then one day the Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church advertised for an associate pastor in the Mennonite Weekly Review. There among the calls for custom-combining reapers I found a call to serve. One thing I appreciated about Lorraine Avenue was that they took me in, though I knew little about nonresistance. They accepted my concern and my promise to learn. I think that subject had never even been mentioned in my seminary. I also appreciated the Western District Conference ministerial com- mittee's concern that I work on understanding Anabaptist thought. It became formative for me. My concern is still to help change the world, though not politically now. Being in touch with people, sharing with them the good and the bad in life, is fulfilling and demanding. My greatest frustration is our continuing tendency to turn the church into a way station, a comfort station on the journey, rather than the pilgrim band we are called to be. Christians agree to disagree MCC (Canada) has been actively participating in Project North, supporting the native peoples of northern Canada in their land claims and mobiliz- ing Christians in the south to be responsive to northern issues. The main issue to date concerns the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. Recently, the Northern Coordinating Commit- tee, another group also sponsored by churches, openly challenged Project North on its hard-line stand against the pipeline. The conflict of interests is not too difficult to find. To those white people used to "progress," a delay in this development looks simply like a delay of the inevitable. To those white people who are beginning to see a limit to natural resources and a debt to northern natives, there are several basic issues that need to be faced. There is no evidence as yet on the outcome. But the reporter on the meeting says, "But when it was time to leave, both sides were still friendly. . . ." That is a refreshing comment. One of the most remarkable testimonies to the Christian faith is when we can challenge one another in the spirit of Christ. Jesus confronted people and dared to expect change. But he loved even those who turned away. As Christians we still disagree on many things. Our humanness is still part of us. Too often we then simply ignore our differences and become silent. The Christian spirit must speak up for what we believe, but recognize that neither we nor our opponents may know the whole truth. Because of that, we can agree to disagree and still be friends. Then we can together continue to seek the enlightenment of God's Holy Spirit. BW The Meiiiioiiiie OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO MAN LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST 92:16 APRIL 19, 1977 Breaking fbe silence cn death Recently there has been a proliferation of literature and other exposure to the subject of death. Thousands flock to conferences, seminars, workshops, courses, and lectures given on death and dying. In spite of this, most of us continue to have difficulty in coping with feelings about our own death and about death in general. We cloak death with a variety of euphemisms. We use phrases such as "he has passed from 'llL" "she is passing away," "he has gone to his etei.^1 rewar(j/' "God has taken her home," etc. ^ieatn has become the new obscenity. We need to rid ourselves wtne grjp which death has on our lives. The Book 01 Hebrews reminds us that it is the fear of death <^at grips us and not death itself. We refer to people with particular illnesses as being "terminal." This is ironic because all of us are terminal. For some, terminality has become more real and they can now examine their feelings about death. They experience more of the abundant life in Christ because they no longer need to pretend that death is not a part of life. The great equalizer in our experience is that each of us must die. From the moment of birth, we are old enough to die. Yet most of us live as if death will not come to us orto our loved ones. One's own dying is virtually impossible to comprehend. The first questions that cross our mind in the face of death or other tragedies may likely be: Why? Why did this happen to me? What have I done to deserve this? Why is God punishing me? People who declare that they have no faith in God express such questions. But it is even more remarkable to hear Christians do so. Perhaps we have not progressed much beyond the childish acceptance of God that primarily consists of a memory of Old Testament accounts in which good is re- warded and evil is punished. Too many within the framework of the church recog- nize only an angry God whose wrath they Breaking the silence cn death Ronald J. Hunsicker experience in suffering and pain. The gospel message is not that God intervenes or interrupts his own laws to save us from suffering, but that he truly suffers with us and finally triumphs with us in the resurrection. God is always on the side of good and love, and no matter what befalls us in this sin-filled world, he is involved with us through Jesus Christ. Even death loses its power to sting when faith says to another human that God is eternally present and w not ultimately leave or forsake us. Often we pretend to protect someone el: -u from our feelings and struggles with deal* |tte when we are actually protecting ourselv more than them. I had occasions to visit 1 eighty-three-year-old man who was in tl hospital with cancer. I was faced in a we. that I had not been faced before with my ow feelings about death both for myself and fc The gospel message is not that God intervenes or interrupts his own laws to save from suffering, but that he truly suffers with us and finally triumphs with us in t resurrection. p Utd till 8 » iilL 1 at toi la Book of Hebrews reminds ; that it is the fear of death that ■ips us and not death itself. hers. He seemed to be more comfortable an the rest of us and so he could talk about iving cancer. His wife could only whisper, 1e has cancer," and then only when she ought he was asleep or wasn't listening. Several visits later, he looked at me when I itered the room and in a weak voice said, "I less you didn't think that I would last this ng, and it won't be long now." Those words ipped me like few words ever have. There ere no words within me that could be token. I simply stood there, I looked at m. and I placed my hand on his arm. 1 iderstood what he was saying to me. I learned from this man that it was OK to lk about death. I learned that it was OK to ive some fears, that it was OK to have some ncertainties, that it was OK to be angry )out dying. But I also learned that there is a resolution that comes, that doesn't say in a glib way, "Well, it must be God's will," but a resolution that says, "I'm afraid of death, but I'm ready to accept it." Being with him as he died and experiencing the feelings which he had was one of the most creative teaching episodes in which I've participated. As long as life has hope, as long as it has meaning, as long as we participate in life, then death also has meaning. Death elicits our strongest emotions. A pastor or friend willing and able to accept the feelings of dying people can be of great help to the dying. We mistakenly think that dying people do not want to talk about it. It is we who have not faced our own feelings about death who don't want to or can't talk about it. We may rob ourselves of walking with people through the most important event in their life. For in death, the person has an opportunity to experience the tears of sadness, the cries of anger, and the contented look of acceptance. Ministry to dying people can be under- stood in four needs. Support. The dying person needs support. Most people fear the loneliness of dying. Since nobody can speak with absolute certainty about what it is like to die, words are less important than presence — the willingness to share this experience and respond sensitively to their feelings about the winding down of their lives. Accepting reality. The dying person needs to confront and accept the reality of his or her situation. As we are able to relate to the dying person while communicating an a- wareness of the situation, it encourages a realistic acceptance. It is not telling the person, "You are dying." Rather, as Ms. Kuebler-Ross points out, we let them tell us their situation, putting no obstacles in the path of their awareness. Authentic feeling. The need to express authentic feelings brings another oppor- tunity for ministry. The dying person may run the gamut from despair to relief. It is not unusual to experience bitterness, fear, guilt, or anger, as well as hope or gratitude. We are always tempted to want the dying person to express noble emotions and to circumvent feelings which make us uncomfortable be- cause of their negativism. But to serve the dying person is to permit authenticity, with the full range of feelings. Remembering. Going over one's past is an integrating experience because in this proc- ess of remembering is a confirmation that death somehow fits into the pattern of living. A ministry to the dying person will support the remembering process and the accom- panying feelings of satisfaction or regret. In my ministry I have many times observed a tremendous freeing up and joy, as well as peace of mind, when people are aware that someone is willing to walk with them through their experience. Through faith in a loving God and through open acceptance of the reality of death, we can move toward a more mature and more creative approach to dying. Then death assumes more meaning and purpose. I asked students ibeut death and dying Becky Koerner We seldom talk about death, and that is true for young adults as well. I recently gave 100 Mennonite college students a questionnaire on death and dying. I asked how death was talked about in their families when they were children. Fifty-one percent remember death being talked about openly. The remainder gave responses which indicate difficulty. Twenty-four percent of the students could not recall any discussion, 14 percent remembered that it was talked about with discomfort, and 9 percent said death was talked of only when necessary and then with an attempt to exclude the chil- dren. I sense that a significant number of families and individuals have difficulty in understanding death and in helping their children understand death. The results here are better than the general public, where only 30 percent indicate that their families talked openly about death. This may indicate some positive Christian influence. Reflecting on their childhood concepts of death, 36 percent of the students thought of death in heaven-and-hell terms, and 27 percent thought in terms of an afterlife. Of the remaining 37 percent, some couldn't remember a childhood concept of death, some understood death as sleep, some saw death as cessation of all physical and mental activity, some saw death as mysterious and unknowable, and some had other concepts of death. Seventy-five percent of the college stu- dents polled now have a strong belief in life after death. However, many have some fear of what that means; 14 percent are uncertain what might happen to them if there is a life after death. Many students are unsure how they feel about their own death. Fifty percent consid- HE MENNONITE 259 1 er themselves death-accepters, 34 percent would like to postpone death, and 9 percent fear death. On the other hand, 73 percent of the students would choose to die in old age if they had a choice, and 59 percent of them believe that they will, in fact, die in old age. The aspect of death most distasteful for 27 percent of the students is the grief caused to relatives and friends; for 24 percent, the process of dying itself; for 14 percent, being uncertain what might happen if there is a life after death; and for 13 percent, an end to all their plans and projects. Related to attitudes or fears about death is the way a person prefers for death to occur. Thirty percent desire a sudden, but not violent death; 49 percent a quiet, dignified death; and 10 percent feel there is no "appropriate" kind of death. These re- sponses also show that there are concerns about the process of dying and the desire for the postponement of death until old age. Many young adults have negative feelings when confronted with the question of their own death. Thirty-five percent say they have found meaning and are preparing for death in relation to life. However, 15 percent are fearful, 2 percent are discouraged, 5 percent are depressed, 7 percent feel purposeless, and 18 percent feel pleasure in being alive. Of the remaining 29 percent, less than half say they anticipate and look forward to joy in the afterlife, and the rest respond with phrases such as: confused, uncertain, ambiguous, no concern because it's a long way off, ques- tioning, anxious. Most of these students come from Chris- tian homes and have grown up attending church. Eighty-four percent say religion has played a significant role in the development of their attitudes toward death. The church must continue to help its members in understanding death so that we can face life with purpose and meaning. W cannot expect to eliminate all of our fear concerning the process, and possible pain, o dying. But we can study, read, talk, am preach about what happens after death. 1 suggest that every year we should focu on at least two topics: death and dying, am. grief. This could be done with sermons, group discussions, and a series of evenin. meetings, bringing in speakers or specia, presentations on the various aspects of deatk and grief. There are many books available oi. these two areas. Some of these would b; Griefs Slow Work, by Harold Bauman. After Death, What? by Gerald C. Studeii On Death and Dying, by Elizabeth Kueblei; Ross; and Westberg's Good Grief. Young adults say they need to talk mor| and think more about death. I think all of need to talk more and know more aboi death and dying. The church can help usd just that. Erna J. Fast The victorious reality of the Christian faith is missing in many of the patterns and practices of present-day funerals. Death — the essence of decay and mortality — is negated by cosmetics, by the stress on durability of a coffin, and by the overall emphasis on the corpse of the deceased. Even the words used, such as "passed away" or "departed," are an effort to mask the reality of the event. Somehow the impression is one of trying desperately to hide the finality of the end of this life and the desolation that comes with death. There never can be such a thing as gracious dying, yet that appears to be the ultimate toward which these practices strive. Many funerals do not symbolize what the deceased stood for in life. Ostentation, the snobbery of an appeal to expense, and the ritualism that surrounds so much of present funeral practices clearly are an affront to the simple and sincere lives of many Christian folk whose modesty contrasts sharply with the pagan rites built into the package that covers the usual funeral arrangements. Even the use of a funeral parlor instead of the church sanctuary where the deceased wor- shiped can speak volumes to the degree to Resources for your consideration A Manual of Death Education and Simple Burial (Quaker) Celo Press Burnsville, North Carolina Handbook for Funeral and Memorial Societies ($3.50) Continental Association of Funeral and Memorial Societies, Inc. Suite 1100, 1828 L Street N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036, or Memorial Society Association of Canada 5326 Ada Boulevard Edmonton, Alberta T5W 4N7 which we have moved away from aj emphasis on Christian witnessing at the tim of death. The time has come for us to take a ne\ look at the role of the Christian fellowshi THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian tellowship within the context of Christian love and Ireedom under the guidance ol the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It is pul lished weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton. Kansas 671 14. by the General Board ot the General Conference Mennonite Church Second-clas \/ postage paid at Newton. Kansas 671 1 4, and at additional mailing ollices Subscriptions in United Stales and Canada, $8 00. one year. S1 5 50. two years. $23 00, three years, loreign, $8 50 per year Eflilc , . ' Vlnnipeg, Canada R3P0M4 Business ottice 722 Main Street. Box 347. Newton, Kansas 67114 Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Box 347. Newton, Kansas 6711* \ 260 APRIL 19, 197 I en death strikes within a congregation. ' e giving and receiving of solace and < sportive strength are forces whose re- ('"nptive power cannot be estimated. The II of the pastor and others within the ijlowship at the moment of death, with its jbuliar urgencies and its need for sudden i'd consequential decisions, cannot be ijnimized. The irony is that too often a (jmplete stranger in the form of a funeral (rector becomes the person who fills that e. To what extent are such decisions in line • th Christian theology and fitting for the 1 lowship of which the deceased was a : :mber? To what degree are the bereaved : pported in their effort to deal coherently, ; ionally, and with wisdom in their often : :xplicable grief? It would seem that, if ever ■ ;re is a need for a gathering and an holding by members of the fellowship, this the time. The Christian fellowship provides a sin- e humans feel a tug of war within us. We low better, but we have difficulty measur- g up. We don't want to do things because : have to, but then we don't feel right about when we have not lived up to the best we tow. A depressing self-judgment and guilt gular opportunity for a witness to the triumph of the faith when death comes. To have hymns of praise and ringing words of testimony offered in the familiar setting of the sanctuary becomes a high moment of worship. Whether it be a traditional funeral or a memorial service following a simple burial or cremation does not really matter. The contrast between such an offering of worship and the ritualistic, stiff, and formal procedures at a funeral "chapel" cannot be overstated. Recently the simple Quaker funeral service for a friend of mine was introduced with the words, "We come not to mourn death but to celebrate life." Death provides also an opportunity for positive expressions of the Christian faith by forcing us to consider and order our priorities. Certain religious groups, such as the Quakers and Unitarians, are providing leadership for death education as well as practical guidance to their members when death comes. In most of the United States is part of our lives. That becomes a form of slavery from which we need to be set free. Christian belief says, "It's OK. You are OK. You don't have to carry this load of guilt and failure around all the time. Forgiveness and reconciliation are real!" Jesus reconciles and helps "put us together again." What do we know about Jesus? The four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, are accounts of Jesus from the life of the early church. At the earliest, they were written fifteen to twenty years after the death of Jesus, but reflect faithful remembrance of the things Jesus did and said, as well as how the church came to understand Jesus. After childhood and early manhood in the region of Nazareth, Jesus was baptized at the and in Canada there are funeral and memorial societies whose members receive help in planning simple, dignified, and inexpensive services by which to honor and remember those who die. This assistance includes social and legal issues, basic in- formation, and guidance on all matters that must be dealt with when a death occurs. It also provides forms for special requests and donor bequests for the living. It is time to take an honest look and to determine our views about death. It is time to find the words with which to communicate candidly our convictions concerning this last witness. For many this candor within the family or the fellowship is difficult, and ways must be found to help each other. It is also time for congregations to recognize their role as the proper setting in which Paul's words of affirmation will ring out clear and con- vincingly, "Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" Jordan. In baptism, Jesus accepted God's mission for him. He began his ministry by proclaiming "the kingdom is here" (Luke 4:18-19). Once that ministry was begun, Jesus was a man of action, moving through- out Galilee, teaching in the synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing people (Matthew 4:24). He had time for the little children, he saw the blind beggar in the ditch and called him by name. He recognized a woman of faith who just touched his cloak in the crowd. Of interest is the way in which people responded to Jesus. The common people heard him gladly. Always people were amazed. Some were afraid. Some became angry. But most striking is that from baptism to the cross, Jesus took the role of a servant. In the temptations following baptism, Jesus rejected power tactics. Even when his disciples didn't understand his style of leadership, he maintained, "Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:26-28). To illustrate it, he took Reconciled by Jems James Waltner HE MENNONITE 261 Come unto me — Carl Heinrich Block a basin and towel and washed the disciples' feet at the Last Supper (John 13:1-16). Jesus was killed because he took the servant role. He was concerned with the human values. That proved too great a threat to people who lived within the world of tradition and things. But death and burial did not put an end to Jesus. So convinced were his followers that Jesus conquered death that "He is risen" became their word of greeting to one another, and "Jesus is Lord" became their confession of faith. How does Jesus reconcile? As the early believers reflected on the experiences with Jesus and the new power that came into the lives of people through trust in Jesus, the church began to see and to proclaim Jesus as the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. "Christ" [christos) is the Greek word for "the anointed one" (messiah) in Hebrew. The suffering servant of Isaiah 53 came to be seen as an amazingly accurate description of Jesus. In the Gospels and the Acts and the letters of Paul, Jesus is proclaimed as the one in whom all the promises of God find their (An! If lo fulfillment (John 14:6-7; Acts 2:36; 2 I rinthians 1:20), including the promise a restored unity. The kind of separation from God and t guilt and terror described in Genesis 3, t separation between brothers, the hatred arj violence described in Genesis 4, these, to* are seen as affected by Jesus' life and deal and resurrection. So Paul wrote out of h own experience of being given a new unit iirt "While we were yet helpless, . . . Christ di< for the ungodly .... God shows his love f( us in that while we were yet sinners Chri died for us ... . While we were enemies v were reconciled to God by his Son"(Romai I'nii 5:6-11). („a What is it that happens? Paul used feme variety of word pictures to try to describe tr >"s effect of Christ's death upon the person wh . inter trusts. Redeem is the vocabulary of ni merchant. In Bible times that word referrelfw to the practice of paying the price for a sla\| .;•;> and then setting him free. Justify is tMH' vocabulary of the courtroom. The judge ha|£'a passed the sentence. The penalty is deatllolar But then the judge steps down from trawi bench, removes his robes, and "takes thL* rap" in place of the prisoner. The guilty or \;x is declared free, "just as if" he had nevf mo sinned. Atone is the language of Israel's Yot |aer Kippur, that annual day of atonement whe y; a sacrificial lamb was driven out into tht i^t wilderness symbolically to carry away th accumulated sin and guilt of the peoplt :;i Reconcile comes from the language c \± relationships in which two persons com r;;, together in agreement after a misundei standing or estrangement. Whatever the words used to describe in (« the New Testament proclaims that throug the self-giving of Jesus, God has declared u redeemed, justified, forgiven, reconcileo . made whole once again God's purpose is unity and Jesus came t . show God's purpose (Colossians 1:20-22^ ; We are pulled in many directions. To cope a whole person, we need a center. The stor of Jesus comes as good news that for us ha been done what we do not have the powert do for ourselves. The gospel is the word Of grace, not only of God's protective power but of God's recreative power, to make u . new again. As we respond and find ou - center in Christ, forgiveness is experienced As we "accept our acceptance," in the word of Paul Tillich, gratitude and joy become ou expression It is not by chance that Menno Simon chose as motto for all his writings the word of 1 Corinthians 3:11, "For no othe foundation can anyone lay than that which i laid, which is Jesus Christ." That foundatioi still must be ours, as must the servant way o Jesus, if we will be faithful in God's ongoin) ministry of reconciliation. 262 APRIL 19, 197 •Jl ml ii k i rogram set for General Conference enty-five workshops on the family will be pf t of the forty-first triennial sessions of the Cheral Conference Mennonite Church July 2lto August 3 in Bluffton, Ohio. Up to 2,000 delegates and visitors are ejected for the convention of churches in tl United States, Canada, and South Aierica. I" heme for the conference is "Family in F :us," and the program for the conference v. intersperse reports from conference's b):rds and commissions with workshops a l speeches on such topics as marriage, idleness, divorce, and parenting. ■ dost sessions will be on the campus of E ffton College, a four-year Mennonite Ii Tal arts college located in Bluffton, Ohio, Ijwn of about 3,000. However, Sunday's iiions will be held in Ada, Ohio, at the lughorn Center, Ohio Northern Universi- tjSunday's activities will include morning It evening worship services and an after- rib n Saengerfest, or song festival. Registration will begin at noon. Thursday, Jjy 28, at Burky Gymnasium, Bluffton Cllege. The opening session at 6:30 p.m. in F rnders Hall will include reception of new aggregations, communion, and a drama on |]lily life, written by Bernie Wiebe and (raid Loewen of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Most of the other days of the conference ■ begin with singing and worship at 8:30 a i., followed by board or commission | orts for adults and separate sessions for Mh-school-age youth. Workshops and r, reation are planned for the afternoon. ivening activities include a service em- disis on Friday, celebration of the new F undation Series curriculum and a mul- t edia presentation by youth on Saturday, t| special speaker on Monday night, an ilies session on Tuesday, and a closing :bration on Wednesday. .ate night activities include a coffeehouse finned by youth and a free film festival. jipecial speaker for the conference is J. \jafield Fretz, professor of sociology at Cjnrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ontario. I will speak Sunday and Monday nights on I theme of the conference. Leading the early morning singing will be (large and Esther Wiebe of Winnipeg and tjir children. ■he conference sessions will adjourn at S 3 p.m., Wednesday, August 3. jf'outh will hold separate sessions from / 0 to 1 1:30 each morning at First Menno- nite Church in Bluffton, which is within walking distance of the campus. A nursery will be provided for preschool children, and other activities are planned for those in grades one through eight. Other meetings planned during the confer- ence include Women in Mission as well as Mennonite Men at 1:30 p.m., Monday, and possible caucuses by U.S. delegates or other special interest groups at 3:30 p.m., Monday and Tuesday. Registration forms for the conference are available from local congregations or from Conference Information, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 671 14. Completed forms should be Schedule announced Thursday, July 28 sent to Fred Amstutz, Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio 45817, by July I. ^ocus Noon Registration 6:30 p.m. Opening session: communion, reception of new congrega- tions, and drama. 9:00 p.m. Coffeehouse and film festival Friday, July 29 8:30 a.m. Singing and worship, George and Esther Wiebe 9:00 a.m. Youth option: "Why is every- body blushing? Ethics and sexuality" 9:00 a.m. Overview of reports and is- sues 9:30 a.m. General Board report 10:30 a.m. Division of Administration report 1 1:30 a.m. Lunch 1:30 p.m. Workshops 3:30 p.m. Recreation 5:00 p.m. Supper 6:30 p.m. Fraternal greetings 7:30 p.m. Service night: Mennonite Central Committee, Men- nonite Voluntary Service, Commission on Overseas Mission 9:00 p.m. Coffeehouse and film festival Saturday, July 30 8:30 a.m. Singing and worship 9:00 a.m. Youth option: "For what. 9:00 a.m. Commission on Home Minis- tries report 1 1 :30 a.m. Lunch 1:30 p.m. Workshops 3:30 p.m. Recreation 5:00 p.m. Supper 6:30 p.m. Celebration of the Founda- tion Series 7:30 p.m. Youth night 9:00 p.m. Coffeehouse and film festival Sunday, July 31 10:00 a.m. Worship Noon Lunch 2:00 p.m. Saengerfest, Earl Lehman, di- rector 5:00 p.m. Supper 7:00 p.m. Worship, J. Winfield Fret/, speaker 9:00 p.m. Coffeehouse and film festnal Monday, August I 8:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 30 a.m. 30 p.m. 30 p.m. 30 p.m. 00 p.m. 30 p.m. why, where is everybody searching? Spirituality" 7:30 p.m. 9:00 p.m. Singing and worship Youth option: "Am I a person in a world of people? Ethics and society" Commission on Overseas Mission report Lunch Women in Mission Mennonite Men Recreation or caucuses Supper Issues session: business resolutions J. Winfield Fret/, speaker Coffeehouse and film 1 est ivi nd " E MENNONITE 263 Tuesday, August 2 8:30 a.m. Singing and worship 9:00 a.m. Youth option: "Is the family out of focus? Ethics and the family" 9:00 a.m. Mennonite Biblical Seminary report 10:15 a.m. Department of Higher Educa- tion report 11:30 a.m. Lunch 1:30 p.m. Workshops 3:30 p.m. Recreation or caucuses 5:00 p.m. Supper 6:30 p.m. Issues session 9:00 p.m. Coffeehouse and film festival Wednesday, August 3 8:30 a.m. Singing and worship 9:00 a.m. Youth option: "Is the church a family? Ethics and the church" 9:00 a.m. Commission on Education report 11:00 a.m. Elections Noon Lunch 1:30 p.m. Workshops 3:30 p.m. Recreation 5:00 p.m. Supper 6:30 p.m. Runoff elections and issues session 7:30 p.m. Closing celebration 9:00 p.m. Adjournment Founders Hall at Bluff ton College will be the site of the main sessions of the Conference July 28 to August 3. IM Zaire Protestant Relief Agency requests aid The Zaire Protestant Relief Agency (ZPR A) in Kinshasa, Zaire, has requested Mennonite Central Committee to prepare a shipment of relief supplies so that it can be ready to help refugees and victims of the fighting in Shaba Province. MCC volunteer James Davis of Fresno, California, who works with ZPRA adminis- trators, hopes to have a good supply of blankets, used clothing, bedding, beef chunks, milk powder, split beans, and cooking oil on hand so that ZPRA can respond quickly as the need arises, reported country representative Phil Rich. On March 28-29, the MCC executive committee approved an initial $15,000 for relief assistance to Zaire, where fighting broke out in early March. The fighting, located in the southeastern part of the country along the border with Angola, is between government troops and opponents of the government operating out of Angola. Reports indicate that the Kantangan gen- darmes, as the rebels are called, have taken the towns of Kapanga and Sandoa. Unoffi- cial and missionary sources reported March 28 that Zairean troops fled from the headquarters town of Mutshatsha. The Katangans are thought to be heading for Kolwezi, a major copper mining center. Copper is Zaire's major export. Shaba Province, formerly called Katanga, attemp- ted to secede from Zaire, then called the Congo, in the early 1960s. Thus the fighting, symbolizing a revival of Katangan national- ism, is considered a serious threat to the present government. No MCC workers or Mennonite mission- aries are in the affected area and they are not considered to be in danger, according to Mr. Rich. However, some Methodist missionar- ies were evacuated from the troubled province. Others chose to stay and report from territory now held by the Kantangans that they are safe, Mr. Rich said. The shipment of relief supplies will be sent from North America as soon as possible. "If the affairs in Shaba do not necessitate large- scale assistance," Mr. Rich wrote, "we could divert the supplies to the Angolan refugees in Lower Zaire, west of Kinshasa." MCC has been involved for five years in helping Angolans who fled to Zaire. Three networks will use inter-Mennonite TV spots The three major U.S. TV networks (AB( CBS, and NBC) have decided to release tl two "Invitation to Live" TV spots produce jointly by the Mennonite Brethren, Genen Conference Mennonite, Mennonite, an Brethren churches. This is the first time all three of the majc TV networks have decided to use the sarr set of spots. The two 30-second spot entitled "Discover Early" and "A Friend encourage viewers to reach out and be friend: "That's God's way of giving." Fifty-six TV stations in Canada reporte they will use the ITLC TV spots, as will tl Global TV Network and twenty-five cab systems. Other campaign materials on the "Read out: Be a friend" theme include newspapi ads for congregational sponsorship, iron-ol patches, postcards, paperback books ft bookracks, stickers, buttons, and a 2V minute documentary film entitled Back Sea The film is designed for local televisio) release and is useful in congregation, settings as well. it:: leys KM y t am Mil 264 APRIL 19, 19 Emigration problems concern Mennonites . Ministries s to help Spanish-speaking Mexican grants to the United States have been lined by Mennonite Central Com- e U.S. Ministries, and the MCC exec- committee has said it is ready to )ve more money later, eir action is in response to recommen- iains from a recent seminar studying the )rq:em of undocumented immigrants. Of he 90,000 immigrants in the United States yjnut proper documentation who were ieirted in 1976, most were Mexicans, and of these were Mennonites. There are t 1,000 Hispanic members of the nonite Church and 500 Spanish-speak- Mennonite Brethren in the United m S. Ministries has earmarked $7,500 for ng Hispanic Mennonites deal with gration offices and other similar activ- r capita income in Mexico is $500 per compared to $5,000 in the United :s, pointed out Lynn Roth, director of Ministries. With the worsening finan- .ituation in Mexico, peasants see mov- o the United States as an increasingly ctive alternative. addition to the Hispanic Mennonites, nan-speaking Mennonites of Canadian n (and some of Canadian citizenship) moving from Mexico to the United ;s. lton Franz of the MCC Peace Section hington office reported that a Texas ney specializing in immigration law had acted him about these Mennonites. had been investigating buying land in is and suddenly appeared on the land planned to buy before getting proper (mentation, .andless peasants in Mexico are begin- to protest and some of them had tted on land owned by the Canadian nonites," Mr. Franz said. "Because the monites were Canadian citizens, they no legal recourse in Mexico, so moved to is.' owever, rather than being deported as ^atinos have been, the German-speaking Mjinonites were given temporary legal ■S and are being considered for prefer- ;t il status because they have ample money tojuy land and are considered an economic It, Mr. Franz said. Kill of this epitomizes the differences bfj/een those who have the right financial aij racial background and those who dij't," Mr. Franz commented. "Persons wj have money are allowed by the im- migrations office to stay. Persons who are poor are deported. Mennonites have mem- bers in both groups. We need to work for compassion and justice." The issue of undocumented immigrants was first brought to MCC by U.S. Min- istries board member Jose Ortiz in the October meeting and by Lupe de Leon of the Mennonite Board of Mission's home mis- sions division at the November 1976 meeting of the Peace Section (U.S.). The Peace Section Washington office then organized a seminar to get concerned Mennonites together and in conversation with officials from the U.S. Immigration Office. MCC (Canada) Arthur Driedger, outgoing director for Mennonite Central Committee (Manitoba), has been appointed MCC (Canada) asso- ciate director for overseas services. Mr. Driedger will be responsible for administrative matters relating to the service programs for Mennonites from Mexico settling in Canada; for initiating efforts to clarify the citizenship status and documen- tation of Kanadier Mennonites now living in Mexico; and for Die Mennonitsche Post, a German-language newspaper MCC (Can- ada) is sponsoring until it becomes self- supporting or other groups provide fund- ing. In addition, Mr. Driedger will be respon- sible for specific duties in the overseas department of MCC (Canada) such as ma- terial aid, Self-Help Crafts Inc., exchange visitors, and immigration, to be designated later. Mr. Driedger will fill the position part-time until he assumes the position full-time on September 1. The Driedger appointment partially ful- fills a resolution at the MCC (Canada) annual meeting in January providing for a two- to three-year staff position to be created for giving attention to Kanadier Mennonite concerns. The term "Kanadier Mennonite" refers to the descendants of those Mennonites who came to Canada from Russia in the 1870s; many have subsequently moved to other parts of the Western Hemisphere, such as Belize, Mexico, Paraguay, and Bolivia. These Mennonites are also referred to as "Colony Mennonites." In Mexico the status of some Mennonites is not clear, and the political and economic uncertainties render the situation critical. For these reasons, Kanadier Mennonite groups as well as observers and officials in the Canadian immigration department felt more work should be done to clarify the Mennonites' legal status and provide aid in obtaining documentation. Mr. Driedger's appointment is in response to the need. Mr. Driedger has served with MCC a total of fourteen years and is a member of the Bethel Church, Winnipeg. Tax fund advocates meet in Washington "People who are opposed to war should have the right to say, 'I don't want my money used to perpetuate violence and death and de- struction,' " California Congressman Ron- ald Dellums told over seventy representa- tives of church groups and other supporters of rights of conscience. They met March 23- 25 in Washington, D.C., under the auspices of the National Council for a World Peace Tax Fund. Mr. Dellums spoke in support of the World Peace Tax Fund bill which would permit taxpayers who cannot conscien- tiously finance military programs to have the war part of their taxes used instead for peace projects. The bill (HR 4897) was recently intro- duced in the House of Representatives by Mr. Dellums and twenty-three other repre- sentatives and in the Senate (S 880) by Senators Mark Hatfield of Oregon and Mike Gravel of Alaska. Dan Glickman, freshman congressman from Kansas, told the group that he sponsored the bill because he saw the need for a legal alternative to paying war taxes. Civil liberties, he said, is the "key issue." Other speakers included Delton Franz, Washington representative of the Menno- nite Central Committee and chairman of the council; David Bassett, Michigan physician who founded the council; and Elizabeth Leone from Pax Christi, the international Catholic peace organization, vice-chair- woman of the council. Activists who attended the meeting re- ported on visits to the offices of sixty-nine senators and representatives and discussed plans for follow-up letters. Citing statements of famous people, dat- ing from 1560 to the present, who have protested payment of war taxes, Mr. Franz declared that the issue has become more urgent because the manpower needs have declined while the money needs have in- creased. He said that in 1940 only 10 percent of the people paid income taxes and that military costs were the major reason why the government shifted from a "class tax to a mass tax" policy. T E MENNONITE 265 Words & deeds Nick Kassebaum, pastor of the Menno Church, Ritzville, Washington, found a way to put his weight to use. He is challenging his congregation to send his weight in used aluminum to Mennonite Central Com- mittee for medical relief. The aluminum would be sold and the proceeds sent to MCC. Mr. Kassebaum wrote, "I had planned it to be a project of awareness: of our limited resources, of our littered high- ways, of energy conservation, of our throw- away society, of MCC's needs (as well as their pastor's weight problem)." Vigils, marches, leafleting, and rallies were planned in more than 100 cities across the United States on April 15 to give a Tax Day message to President Carter to stop pro- duction of the B-l bomber. Mr. Carter is expected to make a decision in late May on the bomber. One B-l costs up to $94 million to produce. "I'd rather have my tax money spent for services I need than a fleet of bombers I don't need." said Terry Provance, national coordinator of the American Friends Service Committee's anti-B-1 pro- gram. The April 15 programs are co- ordinated by AFSC and Clergy and Laity Concerned, in cooperation with local and area groups. The Topeka I- W unit will hold its twenty- five-year reunion at noon, May 15, at the Southern Hills Church, Topeka, Kansas. A meal will be served. More information is available from Jack Unruh, Box 323-A, Tecumseh, Kansas 66542. "We cannot preach a limited gospel. The church must attempt to meet the needs of the whole person in its missions outreach," Hector Valencia, Latin America secretary for the General Conference's Commission on Overseas Mission, told a recent missions conference at Columbia Bible Institute, Clearbrook, British Columbia. On the final day of the three-day conference, classes were canceled so students could attend workshops and hear missionaries representing ten mis- sionary societies. Twelve students from the school will spend six to eight weeks this summer at a mission location in Europe, Japan, Taiwan, northern Canada, and the West Indies. The Campbell- Reese Evangelistic Associa- tion of Milton, Ontario, conducted the Berne Union Crusade in March at the First Mennonite Church in Berne, Indiana. Ground broken at Bluffton About 200 people attended ground-breaking services March 3 1 for a new science laborah center at Bluffton (Ohio) College. The $660,000 building, to be located near the exish science building, shown above, has been designed to save energy, since 90 percent of building's walls and roof will be insulated with earth underground. The roof will serve a plaza and gathering place for students. The old science building will be used exclusively j lectures and will be renovated. The new all-concrete structure has been designed to fit into side of an existing hill. N 0 fori son ■sii i Si' tot ark lissio ■dei W01 M ties lemina S«il a Many Indonesian Mennonites experienced serious flooding in the areas near Pati and Kudus in early March. The headquarters of the Javanese Mennonite Church is in Pati as are the Mennonite seminary and the service and development agency of both the Java- nese and Muria (or Chinese) Mennonite churches. Over 20,000 acres of rice paddy were flooded, most of it in the ripening stages when excessive flooding can cause it to rot. MCC provided about $1,000 to the relief commissions of both the Mennonite con- ferences. The funds are currently being used to buy rice and corn, but may also be used for emergency repair to flood-damaged homes. Goshen College students in early childhood education have produced taped messages for parents and stories for children for a TEL- ED system which began April 4. By tele- phoning a number at the college, parents can hear suggestions for activities to do with young children. During different hours of the day, stories for children will be read. Mennonite Aid Societies meet Harvey Harder, president of the Associatili of Mennonite Aid Societies, opened t|i annual meeting on March 3 at Chicago wi i the challenge that each person needs to finij place with Christ's compassionate coll munity — as an individual, as part off' congregation, and also through the mutu aid society. A new rates and categories book \w! introduced for use by all member societi Seminars were held on loss preventii consignment of policies to lenders, ma agement functions, and homeowner's surance. Bernie Wiebe, editor of The Mennonn gave three talks on the theme "Biblii Mutual Aid in the 1980s." The new executive committee for AM/ is Harvey Harder, president; Dale Corrc vice-president; and Harold Schmidt, sec tary-treasurer. Attendance reached its highest point to one hundred for the Thursday eveni banquet. to 266 APRIL 19, 19 fil leeord i nisi or* t Portzelius, pastor of First Church, lerson, Kansas, will become assistant listrator of Mennonite Memorial % Bluffton, Ohio, on July I. His duties elude chaplaincy and development. He a BS in business administration and mics from Bluffton College and a BD Mennonite Biblical Seminary. irkers and Donna Entz, currently students sociated Mennonite Biblical Seminar- khart, Indiana, have been appointed as maries by the General Conference's J nission on Overseas Mission. They will under Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission v work in Upper Volta in cooperation the Mennonite Community of Zaire, intzes, who are completing one year at ;minary's Overseas Mission Training r, will leave in late summer for one year ench language study in France. They )end two years in Upper Volta. Loren is r]mber of the Zion Church, Elbing, is, and Donna is a member of the Fiske atchewan) Church. ry Fransen, Newton, Kansas, has been nted General Conference representa- 0 the board of Prairie View Mental h Center. She is a coordinator of ;ss and nursing at Doctor's Park, jn. m De Gruchy has been named visiting >sor of religion and peace studies for all term at Bethel College, North an, Kansas. Mr. De Gruchy earned a from Chicago Theological Seminary in ind a DD from the University of South 1 in 1972. He has been a minister in the d Congregational Church of South land has served as director of studies at ^outh African Council of Churches 72. He is currently associated with the tment of religious studies at the nijrsity of Cape Town. Mrle and Dorothy Schwartz, Normal, lil;s, returned March 14 after spending ne,.'aras medical missionaries in Kalonda, aid under Africa Inter-Mennonite Mis- oj|rhe Schwartzes, who served in 1941-74 i i{ ire, filled in for Dennis and Shirley M newly appointed missionaries who er studying French and tropical medicine i Ijjssels, Belgium, during the past year. Ie; is a physician, and Dorothy is a nurse. Peter and Lois Voran, First Church, Pretty Prairie, Kansas, have been reappoint- ed as General Conference Mennonite mis- sionaries to Japan, beginning in 1978. They will be students at the Overseas Mission Training Center, Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana, dur- ing the next school year. Peter is now serving as pastor of First Church in Pretty Prairie. The Vorans spent 1951-71 as missionaries in Japan under the conference's Commission on Overseas Mission. Their new four-year term will be in Hyuga, where an established congregation is located. Calendar April 28-May 1 — Eastern District Confer- ence annual sessions. Camp Men-O-Lan, Quakertown, Pennsylvania. Carmel House, a special foster-care home in Saskatoon, jointly administered by the De- partment of Social Services and the Menno- nite Central Committee (Saskatchewan), aims to be a normal family setting for five juvenile-aged boys. New houseparents are needed, effective July 15. Forfurther informa- tion, call or write: Wayne Dueck, Chairman 2705 Jarvis Drive Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Phone: (306) 373-1395 (evenings) Fellowship Bookcenter (Christian bookstore) requires manager Responsible for: Book purchases Promotions Staffing Public relations Budget and payroll Salary range: $12,000-$1 5,000 Send resume to: George Dyck (chairman of the board) 33-500 Burnell Street Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 2B4 Canadian May 7 — Saskatchewan Women in Mis- sion annual conference, North Battleford; speaker, Anna Schroeder, Brandon, Mani- toba Eastern May 21 — Crossroads annual banquet, East Swamp Church, Quakertown, Pennsyl- vania Journalism position open this summer with General Conference central offices Duties: half-time assistant editor of The Mennonite and half-time editor and writer for General Conference News Service Qualifications: A warm, open commit- ment to Christ, a familiarity and appreciation for the General Confer- ence Mennonite Church, competent skills in editing and writing, a crea- tive and aggressive attitude toward news, and preferably some skills in photography Salary: Commensurate with education and experience Apply in writing, enclosing resume, samples of work, and references, to: Heinz Janzen, General Secretary General Conference Mennonite Church 722 Main St., Newton, Kansas 67114 Telephone: (316) 283-5100 An equal opportunity employer M/F H MENNONITE 267 Letters I ■ Caesar's money in first place Dear Editor: Thank you for The Mennonite, we appreciate it very much. It is interesting to read the varying thoughts and viewpoints. At the moment I am particularly fascinated by the views on tax payment. It is interesting that the topic is so hotly discussed today, when Jesus made a fairly clear statement on that subject almost 2,000 years ago. To be sure, he left room for individual interpre- tation, and I should think we must support each other as fellow believers, even with differing interpretations. Also we forget that it is the action of our governments at home and abroad that allows us our high personal incomes, and therefore also income taxes. If our govern- ments were fair, our earnings in comparison to the rest of the world would also be more fair, and we wouldn't have the money to pay the taxes. So in a way our earnings are Caesar's to start with. We certainly don't have a right to our huge earnings in comparison with the few hours of work we give in return. In most of the world many hours of work earn only a small payment. So do we have a right to withhold a tax that supports our life-style? Better we share a CONFERENCE BOOKSTORES Your key to good reading Faith and Life Bookstore 159 West Main Street, Berne, Indiana 46711 Phone: (219) 589-2135 Faith and Life Bookstore Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Phone: (316) 283-2210 Fellowship Bookcenter 302 Kennedy, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2M6 Phone: (204) 943-1521 bigger portion of the earnings we use on ourselves, with a needy world. Isn't it rather hypocritical to be so willing to share the government's part of our earnings with the hungry and then turn around and spend our own part of our earnings only on our own desires? Chris Dueck, 3429 Lougheed High- way, Agassiz, British Columbia VOM 1A0 March 2 Liked editorial review Dear Editor: About a week ago I picked up some back issues of The Mennonite to catch up on what is happening, and I discovered your editorial review of my book. Thanks so much for your review. You summarized and critiqued in remarkable fashion the major themes I attempted to address in the book. Those themes really do need urgent atten- tion. Your review not only suggests the basic themes, but encourages the readership to deal with them. I am touched. One paragraph you wrote particularly summed up the major thrust of the book, "An authentic new fellowship for God is possible, but only as we learn to recognize our distinct and conspicuous differences and relate to each other as equals. It will come when both black and white communicate and appreciate their differences as a source for mutual learning and enrichment." This indeed is my concern and what remains a priority issue for me. We have to develop authentic relationships as a community of faith. Hubert L. Brown, Box 370, Elkhart, Indiana 46514 March 17 Missed "preaching" Dear Editor: Your "Say yes to the pastoral ministry" ad (March 22) caught and held my attention. It has been a mystery to me in recent years why more young people are not doing so. The display effectively caught the diversity of the pastoral task. As pastors we are indeed called upon to be responsive to a great variety of needs. Sometimes the demands for versatility are a source of discouragement, yet trying to be flexible in today's changing world is certainly one of the most needed as well as among the most exciting tasks to be found. I was puzzled by the lack of reference to "proclamation" in your ad. I could detect no pulpit or equivalent in the display, unless it is to be found in the shape of the picture itself which suggests such an image. Every phase of the ministry is graphically depicted here except that of preaching. I wonder how terras realistic such a portrayal is in churches' expectations. I agree that prea ing is the most scary as well as the m pretentious of tasks, and for that reason easy to avoid reference to it when describ the pastoral ministry. For better or worse I would guess t most of our churches expect strong prea ing, and (also for better or worse) a g( sermon doth cover a multitude of ina quacies. Melvin D. Schmidt, 116 So Belmont, Wichita, Kansas 67218 March Sound anti-anti-Communis •He avert inwii is fa Dear Editor: Shouldn't Mennonite sol policy and our many words encour outcasts from extreme "leftist" regimes well as those from more democratic extreme "rightist" ones? Often now we soi so anti-anti-Communist. This is partly cusable, since there are many disreput. anti-Communist movements, but it can sinfully one-sided. Someone said, "Well, we understand \ the refugees in Paraguay are anti-O munists." Isn't this condescending? Ma they have reasons for not "understandi why we are anti-anti-Communist. Some people question the disconteni refugees, saying that they need to justify tl m actions (unlike us??). All the more then, should doubt the reports of contentmeni people at home whose comments have please their strict rulers. But how can ignore the claims of nonrefugees who h been brave enough to send statem( abroad or of those who visit us long enoi to become intimately acquainted bef returning to their families behind the 1 Curtain? We have heard that the Vietnarr refugees at first criticize Communism cause they think we expect that, but 1; they change somewhat. Doesn't it occurti R then that any such changes equally ref *" their discovery of our anti-anti-Comt nism? Max Ediger is right (August 3, 1976, iss on the need for "reconciliation and frie ship between peoples." When governmt get in the way, as they constantly nowadays (e.g., in Vietnam's refusal to! MCC handle relief there), it is preciselytl peoples who deserve some intercession fr us. If we are easily intimidated into silenci the name of reconciliation with cerl countries (i.e., their governments and g- erally not right-wing ones), we may beco V S 01 lay be lent, iecor rcorr. Chris' laboi di of f ega ■ i: v ?; » pge van jli HIT of mil tl pa RK min is iPro Ran ire cc M ii iimi leal breh 268 APRIL 19, 1 7- ' rt I the problem. The Bible leads us to pei disapproval from the powers that i re need is concern Ediger stated that we are "demon- I that our Christian love goes far 1 political boundaries and seeks to uman needs wherever they are in the | He and others have done this. But ave the rest of us done or even said for ny victims of the rulers in some of the ,nd larger parts of the world? Ronald Box 126, North Newton, Kansas March 16 Editor: Recent editorials in The mite (March 1, 8, and 15 issues) and articles suggest meaningful thought is for overcoming evil. Though it is overlooked, any reference to Chris- must bring to mind that its goal is the g kingdom, which, in turn, must be ed by the overcoming of the evil s. The ethical teachings of Jesus edly point to a better way in all aspects Hence, Christians need an increasing re of optimism, discipleship in the \ opposition, and courage in the face of rous opportunity. lay be well to suggest another essential ient, namely an adequate measure of le concern for the welfare of mankind, rcome the inertia in the battle against Christians must be sufficiently con- 1 about present-day affairs even before an display those attributes mentioned These are precarious times. The of evil are forging arrogantly ahead egaining ground which Christendom ild. We must be concerned enough to enough to become more able to n "the signs of the times" and to learn pe with them by means of a better edge of Scripture. various reasons, Christendom (in- lg Mennonitism) is presently failing on counts: to correctly evaluate current of life and also sufficiently to stand the Bible as to its guidance for me. The answers for the problems of mes are sufficiently available. Our first ement is that we generate enough rn to search for and to apply those rs. || Prophet Ezekiel (chapter 9) depicts a ai example of singling out those people hi ire concerned about the evils of their tji or of their day). In Revelation 7, we n|i similar occasion, obviously based on I manifestation, though not in its Old esiment severity, in the sealing "upon lejforeheads" of the 144,000, or 12,000 of iCj tribe of Israel. Removed from its ri; ml Judaic setting (or connotation) and Notes on church growth The time is ripe for growth Two out of three North Americans are either unaffiliated with any church or in- active members. They are functionally un- churched. But the time is ripe. John Wimber, a Quaker and a church growth consultant, says, "In this post-Vietnam-Watergate era, there are many people ready as never before to hear the gospel." The pollster George Gallup says there is a new hunger for the transcendent. Some of the old idolatries have been shaken, and many (younger people in particular) are searching for a faith that's real. Our sixteenth-century Anabaptist roots reflect a lay evangelism movement un- paralleled in their day. The Anabaptists quoted the Great Commission more than any other Scripture passage. Jesus directs us to an aggressive sharing of the word. At the beginning of his ministry, he says, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." He trained (Luke 10) his followers for witness. At the end of his earthly ministry, he parted with the words "make disciples" and "be my witnesses." A basic key for any church to grow is the desire to do so. Any church can grow if it has the will. The will to grow is expressed in the prayers of the people, the depth of their commitment to Jesus, and in the priorities they pursue in their life together. The things we want the most will command our energy, our time, and our money. Many churches have not been growing. Some are convinced it cannot happen for them. Others have accepted a "remnant theology" by which they tell themselves that few people would want to become Menno- nites. The energy of some churches is entirely directed toward self-nurture and mainte- nance. Church boards sometimes see their agenda as dealing with immediate problems rather than goal setting or strategy plan- ning for mission. Churches will grow only through a com- mitment motivated by the love of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4-5). When did we last take the time and initiative to relate to people not already in our circle of Christian friends? When did we last reach out to a new neighbor? To help our churches grow is often spelled t-i-m-e rather than m-o-n-e-y — time to lis- ten, time to share ourselves openly, time to offer friendship, and time to share our faith. Non-Mennonite families came to visit one of our churches but never stayed. The congregation wanted to relate to them and began to examine the problem. They dis- covered that these new people felt "frozen out," even though they had been invited. Today this church has volunteers ready each Sunday to invite visitors for a meal. Trained visitors pay a call to such persons. Families accept new people as "adoptees" while they become familiar with the church. Things are happening. A new feeling of life and opportunity is coming into the con- gregation. It could also happen in your church. The time is ripe. Floyd Bartel, secretary for congregational mission, General Conference Commission on Home Ministries applied to Christendom at large, as gathered from any and all peoples, that presentation of the selective sealing would suggest a situation where (or when) a predominant number of every segment of Christendom are marked for their concern about carrying out the will of God for the welfare and salvation of mankind. Before that materializes, the admonitions of those editorials will need to be heeded and applied in great measure, especially also the last one, "Danger is our opportunity" (or weiji). Unfortunately the enemy of the Christian church is most plainly recognized as such when it has reached its full manifesta- tion with "the mystery of lawlessness ... at work." However, when revealed or exposed (2 Thessalonians 2: 1-12), "the man of sin" as named there becomes vulnerable for destruc- tion. Verse 8 reads, "And then shall that wicked one be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming." God's salvation even in the collective sense is conditional upon our response. We cannot await it as long as our response is tacitly negative, as when our temporal aspirations annul the effects of our support of the church. Then even divine judgments might come over the earth, but not salvation. That happened to Jerusalem after the rejection of Christ and could happen again. However, when Christendom as a body, not neces- sarily every person, is prepared to give a glad response to God's promises, as foretold throughout the ages, then we can await an initiation of that sequence of events per- taining to eschatology, culminating in the consummation of the kingdom of God. Isaac I. Klassen, Box 36, Laird, Saskatchewan March 25 H MENNONITE 269 You are invited to participate in the forty-first sessions of the General Conference Mennonite Church. Sessions for both youth and adults will meet at Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio, July 28 to August 3, 1977. The conference will open on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and close on Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. Detailed information will be sent to each congre- gation in early May. General Conference Mennonite Church Box 347 Newton, Kansas 67114 cJhcus liate Program: speaker, J. Winfield Fretz, professor sociology at Conrad Grebel Col Le Waterloo, Ontario mm opening drama written by Berrfiai Wiebe and Gerald Loewen twenty-five workshops on fam themes worship, celebration, commum singing reports of conference work elections f Lodging: college dormitories local homes motels, hotels, campgrounds for youth— area churches and a loc gymnasium 270 APRIL 19, 19 Meditation ■ e celebration of death — and life >i|ropped by the office one morning recently to say that he would have to miss lunch with Jit day. His nephew, Jim, seventeen years old, had been killed in a traffic accident the ■ before and he had to go there right away. "A senseless waste!" he said, and with a ■ ring wave of a hand he left, setting out on the hundred-mile trek tojoin his grief-racked |ir and sister-in-law. as ten days before I saw Ron again. There had been a head-on collision, he told me. teenagers had died. A fourth was hurt critically. didn't talk much about the accident, however. It was the funeral that concerned him, id the two awful days that led up to it. Awful, but yet triumphant. This is his story. Jthe night before the funeral the family and some of Jim's friends met at his parents' The pastor of the family who would preside at the service was there, too. Right then he 1 indispensable friend, a tower of strength. erstandably, the people tried to make sense out of the tragedy — and failed miserably. ; to answer questions they hardly knew how to ask, their despair deepened. It was then le pastor said, "Let's talk about Jim, the ways in which we remember him." Slowly, sjitly, even fearfully, the young people, the brothers and sisters, even the parents, began, one, to tell how they had known Jim, how they remembered him. vent that way for better than an hour," said Ron. "I never knew my nephew very well, ame then to feel that I had known him intimately all my life. We cried. But our despair i silently to go away. Soon we were laughing. I mean, we laughed until our sides ached. : started to recall some of his crazy stunts. We couldn't help it. We laughed as hard as d. Ilbught that was the story, but Ron held up a hand, signaling not to interrupt. There was 3; ere was a knock at the door," Ron said. "A young man had arrived, a teenager with air, a beard, and dressed in motorcycle garb. He wouldn't come in, but he wanted a )Jjwith Jim's mom and dad. He had heard of the accident, he said, had read it in the v apers about 500 miles away. So he got on his bike and rode home, to this town where he own up but then had left because he couldn't fit in. Yes, he had been in trouble with the ivli several counts, but Jim had been his friend, seemed to be the only person who cared c what happened to him. And, well, he just had to come back so that Jim's parents would ic that." I t day at the funeral the pastor said he found a letter in his box that morning and he u d to read it as part of the service. The letter told in beautiful prose what Jim had done to e n touch "when I was the loneliest and probably the bitterest person in the whole world." wi signed by the youth who had come to the door the night before. ;r, at the cemetery, when it was time to lower the casket into the grave, the immediate hurried away, lacking the strength to witness this final act. There was no one else there to one, that is, except this bearded youth wearing a leather jacket. He had been there all at the back of the crowd. Ron was there, too, standing nearby to represent the initiate family. "1 youth moved slowly forward toward the casket and watched in his solitary way as it is wered into the ground, inch by inch. Ron joined him then and together they stood fora o||:nt in silent salute, hat will you do now?" Ron asked. they will have me," he said, "I would like to be a son to Jim's folks." Dennis E. Shoemaker T Contents Breaking the silence on death 258 I asked students about death and dying 259 Funerals that represent life 260 Reconciled by Jesus 261 News 263 Record 267 Letters 268 The time is ripe for growth 269 Celebration of death— and life 271 Death takes the measure of our faith. . .272 CONTRIBUTORS Ronald J. Hunsicker, Oaklawn Psychiatric Center, Elkhart, Indiana 46514, is the di- rector for the department of pastoral ser- vices and church relations. He was assisted by a student, Ron Flaming, in preparing his article. Becky Koerner is a clinical pastoral educa- tion student at the Oaklawn Center. Her clinical assignment is with the campus ministry team at Goshen College. Erna J. Fast, 321 North Maple, Hutchinson, Kansas 67501, is a free-lance writer. James Waltner, Normal, Illinois 61761, continues the series on Christian beliefs. Floyd Bartel is secretary for congrega- tional mission, Commission on Home Min- istries, Newton, Kansas 67114. Dennis E. Shoemaker is part-time exec- utive secretary for the Associated Church Press, Media, Pennsylvania 19063. CREDITS Cover, 258, John Hiebert; 258, RNS; 262, Three Lions Inc., New York; 266, Bluffton College. The Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Win- nipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4 Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schu- macher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circulation sec- retary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L. Ramseyer; 488 West Elm Street, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117; Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indi- ana 46805; and Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P0M4. -IvIENNONITE 271 Death takes the measure of our faith Television and the movies flirt recklessly with death. On any given night, TV may expose us to a dozen different types of homicides, several fatal accidents, and probably a few natural deaths. Bodies are bloodied, blasted., and battered. There is no attempt at interpretation or compassion. The image of death is cold and casual. Several writers in this issue tell us that the church, too, has not dealt adequately with dying, death, and grief. Somehow the reality of the Christian confession that we believe in life everlasting is difficult to appropriate. The fact of death makes us awkward. We try to treat it cold and casually (like TV and the movies), or we deny it in devious ways with flowers, cosmetics, and phrases like "respiration has ceased" or "this person passed away." Many people refuse to attend funerals. The reason for our reticence about death is related to our faith. We do not have a clear "word" in the Bible about death. It is described as "immortality," "resurrection," and "eternal life." Immortality suggests a death of the body and the continuance of soul or spirit. Resurrection speaks of being completely dead and coming to life again. In its crudest form, it is a resurrection of the physical body. As interpreted by Paul, it emphasizes the fact that God gives everlasting life to those who die in faith. Paul explicitly states that this is not a resurrection of flesh and blood. Eternal life, a phrase used primarily in the Gospel of John, indicates a quality of life that is timeless. It can be entered into at any time by faith. Christians have eternal life now because of our belief in Jesus Christ as Lord. The Bible teaches that death is swallowed up in victory (1 Corinthians 15:35-58). But this victory becomes ours only as we appropriate it by faith. From the ways that we try to avoid and deny death's reality, it appears that our faith is inadequate. Paul is able to give a ringing statement of confidence, "For I am sure that neither death, nor life, . . . nor things present, nor things to come, . . . nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). Such faith has profound implications for our attitudes. Socrates once said, "It matters not if this Ideal City of which we speak has ever been or in fact will be, for he who has seen it will live in the manner of that city." The person who has truly tasted the victory over death in Jesus Christ can anticipate death as another step in our developing relationship with God. Northern Ireland continues beset by cynicism, hatred, and bloodshed. In the midst of this, small groups of Christians, both Roman Catholic and Protestant, meet together to work and pray. They call their groups " Apostolics Anonymous." Defying what would seem impossible, they appropriate for themselves God's future of reconciliation and peace. We Christians have been great at talking about the future belonging to God. If we truly believe that, then we can live in the present as though the future is already here. We can regard death as another doorway to the more abundant life. That is not to minimize or negate the pain of death and grief. To deal seriously and empathetical- ly with the human response to dying is essential and can have unlimited therapeutic value. It is rather to put our faith into action. Death takes the measure of our faith. If we know the victory, then we can start to do away with pretense and evasion. BW WD c i MH > a) Glenn Stanford /f touching climate is what we need. ntver j (ill (fits i in) ist nek Touching is believing. Thomas was a ciple; he loved and served our Lord, bu could not believe that Jesus died and ai j from death . . . until he actually saw and touched him with his finger and t with his whole hand. Disbelief fell from and he knew for certain. Seeing important, but touching did the trick. ' Lord and my God," cried Thomas, believed. Often in the Scriptures, touch confi; belief. The touch of the Master's ha according to the familiar poem, makes all difference in the world. Jesus touched people were healed — the blind, the deaf, crippled. And people wanted to touch Je; even just the hem of his robe.or his fingert In Luke 18:15 infants were brought to 1, just so he could touch them. In Luke 6:19.1 see that whole multitudes of people tij their best just to touch Jesus. There is po'i in touch; there is strength, deep afj tion, and love that is transmitted throi, touch. In Luke 8:43-48 a woman who bled all time slipped up and touched Jesus. Herft in him stopped her hemorrhaging. In same chapter, Jesus told the dead daugl of the Jewish synagogue leader to arise, he took her by the hand, and she lived touched her. In John 13, perhaps the mi tremendous object lesson we have ej received, Jesus washed his disciples' feet, touched every one of them and said sori thing in the process that they might not hi heard any other way. We all ought to have a warm feeling for father of the prodigal son in Christ's paralt L The runaway youth finally came home,! j,; the father ran and fell on his neck and kis him. At times like that, there's no tii handshake or standoffish "Welcome hoi boy." No, sir, we want to touch the prodi, in our joy and thanksgiving. It could have been embarrassing for | woman of the streets in Luke 7. Jesus was, the Pharisee's house eating when she caj in, washed his feet with her tears, wiped th«j with her hair, and then kissed his feet. Sj touched him. The Pharisee was mad, Ij Jesus forgave her all her sins right on i, spot. While Jesus didn't touch every time order to heal, there is an abundance "touchingness" in the life of Christ and in I; Bible — too much to be overlooked. Went to acknowledge the value of touch then a to have faith in touching now. In a real sen touchingness is uplifted by the truth of Jes being alive today and touching us with Spirit. We must know that Christ \ 274 APRIL 26, 19 tc ;hed us to be led of his Spirit. | eople need to be touched. A lack of touch di roys. Newborn babies will die just as si rly from not being held, fondled, cradled, aii touched as they will from a lack of food, ail just as quickly. Infants must be touched a jit. One juvenile court judge wrote that h dreds of youthful offenders and their p ;nts had been brought before him, and he hi never once seen a parent enter that drtroom with a protective arm around the el d's shoulder — never once. Parents are oil of touch with their children. Ls a pastor, I've heard men say, "My boy rr ht become effeminate if I kiss him and hi him." How agonizingly pitiful! There's rare value in hugs and kisses than all the t« presents, and candy that a parent could e' r buy for a child. Unless the parent t< ches that child with affection, there will b no closeness between them, no tender- nis, no growing mutual love. What a n take to think we'll harm our children by Ming or holding or kissing them too n ch. 4 here are clinical cases on record where n' only infants, but walking children have g;ie into convulsions for the sole reason of h ing been deprived of holding. A feeling of isation in children may produce isolated, n ellious, cynical adults — adults who find it dj icult, if not impossible, to touch the hem allesus their Savior. esus knew what he was doing in picking u the children that came to him. He knew tl value of closeness, tenderness, and touch. h knew the tremendous power of touch. Ibk at all the sacraments of the church, a ained and instituted by Jesus. Baptism ii olves touch. We dedicate infants, as Jesus V; dedicated, and we touch the child, s lbolizing the touch of Jesus. We use a s pie ceremony of laying on of hands from l:s 6:6 and 8:17 and 1 Timothy 4:14, s lbolizing the touch of God. From James 5 al Mark 6:13, we anoint persons in the li ne of the Lord. In so doing, we touch t;m, praying for restoration of health and ij;rease of faith and forgiveness of sin. At di" Lord's last supper on earth, he not only \ shed the disciples' feet, but he also picked i and touched the bread and also the cup. It a s an act of blessing. He did this also as he tl the five thousand with five loaves and t ) fishes. How beautiful — to touch and ss. All the ordinances point to the value of :ch and God's healing and forgiveness ough his touch. The lesson for us is to be touch with people. Keep in touch. A psychiatrist writes, any human problems are caused by the iple failure of people to make contact with dj er people. The great paradox of our time ii that we can bounce messages off the I nets and send men to the moon, but find it harder and harder to communicate with the minds and hearts of those we love." Every pastor, marriage counselor, and doctor hears all too frequently, "I just can't reach him," or "I talk my head off but that child won't listen," or "I can't get through to her." Parents out of touch with kids. A common problem. There's no easy answer, but there is one certainty: it didn't suddenly happen. It developed over a period of time. One counselor has a standard set of questions to ask couples with marital or child problems, and the questions are the same no matter what the problem in the home. These questions puzzle the adults a bit: How long has it been since you've walked with your arm around your spouse? Do you ever get down on the "loving" room floor and roughhouse or tussle with your children? Mother and Dad, does your family ever hold hands around the table when you offer thanks to God before your meal? Mother and Dad, do you teach your children to kiss and make up before they go to sleep at night? Do you enfold their little hands in yours as you pray? How often do you kiss your spouse on the cheek as you go and come? What place does touch have in your home? The language of touch is becoming more topical all the time. It's as though it is a newly discovered art. Touch can help provide a climate of love. No wonder sex is such a meager substitute for some. If people look for sexual thrills, it may well be because human touch was missed earlier in life. Sex then becomes the fulfillment of the need to be touched. A touching climate is what we need. He's troubled, and she simply rests her hand upon his for a moment. He helps her put on her coat and just for a second rests his hands on her shoulders. He ruffles his son's hair lightly and casually. She chucks her daughter under the chin after buttoning her blouse. All are ways of saying "I love you." Communication just as certain as if written with lightning in the sky. We proper North Americans are the foolish ones when we laugh at the papoose on the mother's back, or the baby in a sling around the mother's side as she works, or the Frenchman kissing the cheek of his male relative or friend, or the Latin who gives the abrazo, the embrace of greeting. The Christian salutation of New Tes- tament times, the holy kiss, is about gone. The holy kiss of the King James Version has been replaced by the handshake in the popular Living Bible paraphrase— and not just once, but in Romans 16:16, 1 Cor- inthians 16:20, 1 Thessalonians 5:26, and 1 Peter 5:14. It's as though we feel the handshake is more sanitary, or we fear that someone might think that we're homosexual or that we might be too emotional by embracing and kissing. In our homes, the handshake ought not replace the hug and kiss. Our fear of outward affection, for what- ever reason, creates problems in our homes and in our society. We've become so sanitation-minded, for instance, that new- born babies are placed in cribs by masked nurses rather than nestled in their mothers' germ-ridden arms where they belong. Life should begin with lots of touch. Touch is worth nearly any risk. We are finally coming around to see the value of touch after nearly losing it. In some school districts now, teachers are encour- aged to use a high degree of touching, even to have the young child read the daily lessons while sitting on the teacher's lap. Special educators for disturbed children have dis- covered that one of the most helpful things they can do is to have sympathetic adults hold and touch these kids, to put an arm around them, as if to say, "Don't worry. I'm here, I'm concerned about you." We parents need to say that same thing often to ourchildren. We need to express our love emphatically by touching. The magic of touch says so much. It can heal wounds. It can provide strength. It can soften hard hearts. It can bring light to darkness. It can express so much, but perhaps never as much as the greatest touchingness of all time: when Jesus allowed himself to be crucified for our sin, that through the cross and resurrection he might be in touch with us for always. All we must do is reach out and accept his touch. The World War II story is told of the city that was besieged by bombs during an air raid. A concert pianist found herself in an underground bomb shelter that was being used to care for the wounded and dying. She didn't know a thing about nursing, but volunteered to help in this makeshift hos- pital. What could she do? She approached a young man who was writhing in agony, his body shredded from an explosion. She couldn't stop his bleeding. All the nurses were busy, as the place was a mass of humanity in confusion. The pianist took the dying man's face in her strong hands. He grabbed her hands and held on tightly until minutes later he died. That's what she did all night held the faces of the moaning, screaming, injured, and dying. Her touch was a comfort. Our loving touch is a comfort. There's no shame in it. It can ease pain or express our love. It's a ministry like unto that of our cru- cified and resurrected, living Lord Jesus. IE MENNONITE 275 Powered by the Spirit James Waltner It comes as a surprise to some that Christian faith can become so exciting, so fiery, that it sends people right out of the patterned course of life. Many of us are — as Norman Wingert has described — the kind of people who "like life smooth and in a groove, and all we do be flesh approved." We find ourselves most comfortable when things go according to plan. The spirit is not necessarily antiplan. But the Spirit of God will not be confined to our plans, either. What do we understand by the Spirit? Pentecost: first century. Pentecost is that event described in Acts 2 when the disciples and other believers were gathered in Jeru- salem. They were waiting. Then it happened, a movement of the Spirit in their midst. An excitement filled the meeting. Some became moved so deeply with repentance and with expressions of praise that people looking on wondered whether they had had too much new wine. Peter, the rugged fisherman, explained: "These men are not drunk! Their enthusiasm comes from the pouring out of the Spirit! It is the Spirit of Christ's living presence that has excited these believers." Then Peter's message is followed by the incredible story of how the Spirit bound these followers of Jesus into a fellowship and a community. They became a community that proclaimed with boldness and mighty power that the kingdom of Jesus and the tasks of servanting in Jesus' name had begun. Pentecost: twentieth century. The miracle of Pentecost continues whenever a word comes alive, reaches me, and becomes a creative, transforming power in my life. It may be an affirming word or a confronting word. It may come through words spoken by another or through an event. When weighed down by guilt or anxiety, I may hear, "Your sins are forgiven." The word gets through. The heaviness that oppresses is whisked away. I feel like breathing and living again! Or I think of a personal moment on a June Sunday morning in 1952 when I was sitting in the balcony of the Salem Church at Freeman, South Dakota. All week I had been wrestling with a vocational decision. Should I prepare for the pastoral ministry? Was that what God wanted of me? That Sunday morning, in the preaching of a guest minister, a seminary student, the word seemed addressed directly to me. There was no shaking it off! And it came also as a great relief, a joyous affirmation that gave me courage to share with my family and friends what I felt happening. The Pentecostal miracle, which the an- cient witnesses experienced as the "blowing of the Spirit," is precisely that joyful-fearful event when the word suddenly "reaches" me, when it "clicks." We need to note, however, that when the Spirit arouses in people an enthusiasm and sense of power, it does not rob them of their sanity. Sheer enthusiasm is no proof of the Spirit. People can get enthusiastic over all kinds of things, styles of hair and clothing, the latest rock group, the Super Bowl or World Series, the stock market or a flag. The old law of "the morning after" applies to emotional intoxication as it does to spirits that come from a bottle. And the New Testament rightly calls us to be sober. John warns, "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are of God" ( I John 4:1). Not all spirits are holy; some demonic. Gifts of the Spirit. God at work amon is described in the New Testament as giving the gifts of his Spirit to us. From three lists of "spiritual gifts" in Romans 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4, we ten think of gifts as talents. These lists of g (the Greek word is charisma) refer to servj abilities which are given to members of (> body of Christ for ministry in building up church. Every Christian has some gifts. But the basic gift is the gift of God thai; the new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17), I "free gift of God" that is "eternal life Christ Jesus" (Romans 6:23). From that j. are born the fruits of the Spirit, "love, j* peace, patience, kindness, goodness, fail fulness, gentleness, and self-control" (Ga1 tians 5:22-23). Yet the choice is still oursi accept the gift of God's grace, to walk in t Spirit, and to allow the fruits of the Spi expression. If there is jealousy or controversy in t] church over gifts, as described in 1 Cor thians 12-14 or as experienced in congreji tions today, we need to be reminded of tl prior gift. To deny the validity of any gift to fail to reckon with the wide range of Goi varied gifts. Or to insist that others el perience the gifts we do is to deny tl diversity of God's gifts to the church. Pat) word to the church at Corinth is si pertinent: "desire the higher gifts"; "t greatest of these is love" (1 Corinthia 12:31; 13:13). The Spirit and the church. The purpose the Spirit gifts is to build the church. But ill also in the congregation of kingdom peo that the Spirit is best heard and seen. Integi to our understanding of the church is that, people of faith gather to read the Bible a pray, as they worship and try to understai the will of God for their lives, the Spirit already at work. "If two of you agree earth about anything they ask, it will be do for them by my Father in heaven. Where t or three are gathered in my name, there a in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:2 Will we recognize it and use it? The N Testament church was born of that promi: "But you shall receive power when the Ho! Spirit has come upon you; and you shall my witnesses . . ." (Acts 1:8). Our world dying for lack of demonstrations of th power. A dynamic (Spirit-powered) faith ours for the receiving. Will you be such witness, born of "God's love poured into o hearts through the Holy Spirit," (Roma 5:5) and in whom the fruit of the Spirit expressed in daily living? THE MENNONITE seeks lo witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context ol Christian love and freedom under the guidance ot the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It is pu': lished weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton. Kansas 671 14. by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonite Church Second-cla: postage paid at Newton, Kansas 671 14. and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions: in United States and Canada. $8 00. one year, $15 50. two years, $23 00. three years, loreign, $8 50 per year Edit, nalotfice 600 Shallesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4 Business office: 722 Main Street, Box 347. Newton, Kansas 67114 Postmaster: Send Form 3579 lo Box 347. Newton, Kansas 6711! 276 APRIL 26, 197 Christian brother \o. 3 to India he following interpretive report was writ- It? | m by Harry Martens of Elkhart, Indiana, i(s ho spent January and February in India aching about stewardship to the congre- ations of the Bharatiya General Conference fennonite Church. His assignment was nder the Commission on Overseas Mis- on of the General Conference in North 9 America. al j.eventy-seven years ago the first General Co; Conference Mennonite missionaries, P. A. s: jnd Elizabeth Penner, came to India. As y«ears passed, others followed, including Ja) Evangelists, medical doctors, nurses, busi- ; tiess managers, and teachers. This group we •wlassify as "missionary No. 1." This type has It Continued until now. I Then came "missionary No. 2." This Sl {ategory includes those with mechanical and I, engineering skills and those trained in :c Agriculture. The mechanically skilled mis- ;,- | ionaries not only helped the mission operate lj inore efficiently, but trained nationals, de- i ;'eloping improved farming practices. This i; included the introduction of improved seeds t ind of soil and water conservation practices. : The Mennonite Central Committee was and lij Is an active partner in the development of li many of these areas. i| j The time is ripe for introducing "Christian ! prother No. 3." Missionaries Nos. 1 and 2 I jvere Christian brothers and sisters, too. But | Jvhile it was important and possible then to | Emphasize the "missionary" aspect, now the |! imes call for the "Christian brother" aspect, li .00. I| In India, as in numerous other countries, national policies and restrictions require jtiission boards to change direction. This can j pe done without changing the purpose. Numerous faithful Indian Christians reluc- antly, but clearly, volunteer the informa- tion, saying, "The day for the long-term missionaries or evangelists, as we knew them ifty years ago, is past. They are not likely to (return in our lifetime." This is not all bad news. Many faithful torches have been lit and are continuing to provide light in many parts of India to their non-Christian neighbors. They urgently need our moral support and encouragement. This is not the time to leave them. This is no time for North American Christians to withdraw to their own borders. Mission boards, former and present mis- sionaries, and other interested persons are searching for new answers. My contacts have convinced me that numerous opportunities lie ahead. The believers here want more personal. Christian fellowship with North American Mennonites across national borders and on the other side of the earth. Students coming to the Associated Mennonite Biblical Sem- inaries at Elkhart, Indiana, and others to the Mennonite World Conference once in five years are not enough, even though that is good. 1 accepted this assignment in response to a personal call coming from Bharatiya Gen- eral Conference Mennonite Church. The larger topic assigned to me was "Jesus Christ as Lord" and how Christian commitment should guide stewardship practices. As a Christian brother No. 3, I did not come as an evangelist, medical doctor, or administrator, but as an ordinary North American Christian. I came as a man with a simple and practical faith to testify to the importance of taking Jesus Christ as Lord in all of life. I came to fellowship, worship, and study together with our Indian brothers and sisters in search for a fuller life in Christ and a deepening of the faith. Virtually all those participating in my services have accepted Jesus as their Savior, but many still find it difficult to accept him as Lord. It became clear that nearly all of us found a blessing in this encounter. There was a renewal and a natural growth in our faith. Short-term workers, teachers, and Chris- tian witnesses of various types should continue to flow back and forth between the two countries. The stream should begin in both countries, and both will experience growth. Preferably, some foreign service experience should be required of Canadians and Americans selected for this type of short-term service. If I had ever doubted whether our General Conference Mennonite mission program was worthwhile, that doubt was erased as I continued my assignment in India. I shared forty-eight messages in one month in con- gregational meetings, in communion ser- vices, in a Christian pastors' retreat, a Christian lay leaders' retreat, love feasts, school faculties, student bodies, and hos- pital staff meetings. Besides, we called at numerous homes and visited on the streets, in backyards, and over fences. How many know or remember the names of villages or towns in India where today there are established Mennonite churches or Mennonite fellowships worshiping Jesus Christ? These include Korba, Balco, NCDC Fellowship, Champa, Janjgir, Jagdeeshpur, Sirko, Kangania, Saraipali, Narainpur, Khursipahar, and Palabhari. Bishop V. S. Azariah, an Indian, served as a leader in southern India for many years. He is the author of several books, including the one entitled in English, Christian Giving. At the World Missionary Conference in 1910, he said: "Through all ages to come, the Indian Christian church will rise up in gratitude to attest to the heroism and self- denying labors of the missionary body. You have given your goods to feed the poor. You have given your bodies to be burned. We ask also for love. Give us friends." I traveled halfway around the world to India to give evidence of our Christian love and friendship, as Bishop Azariah requested. My heart is full of gratitude for being called as a partner in this important mission. THE MENNONITE 277 News Worker assigned to Japanese peace center i4F When the United States dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, in August 1945, some 200,000 people were killed and 150,000 were injured. Today an estimated 298,000 people are still suffering from A-bomb- related conditions. Since that time many "No more Hiroshi- ma" campaigns have been launched and many anti-nuclear armament associations have been formed. One of these associations for world peace is the World Friendship Center in Hiroshima, to which the General Conference Mennonite Church is sending its first long-term worker later this year. The center was founded in 1964 by Barbara Reynolds, an American Quaker who has been involved with hibakusha ("A- bomb victims") for over two decades since World War II. The World Friendship Center provides information about Hiroshima and Nagasa- ki, gives lodging to foreign visitors to Hiroshima, promotes understanding be- tween East and West, provides opportunities for hibakusha to sell handicrafts for a living, provides other help to the hibakusha, and acts as a center for lectures and discussions on peace and international relations. The WFC is not supported by any one organization. Members belong to many countries and religions: many are Buddhists and some are Christians. All are working for the same goal: to make certain there will never again be another atomic war. Ameri- can Quakers and Brethren have been involved in the past, and the General Conference Mennonite Church sponsored Eva Harshbarger of North Newton, Kansas, at the center from April 1976 until about March of this year. The Commission on Overseas Mission of the General Conference Mennonite Church is now assigning Stan Butler of Spokane, Washington, to work at the World Friend- ship Center. He will leave in August for one year of language study in Tokyo, after which he will serve as associate director of the World Friendship Center for three years. Formerly a member of the Disciples of Christ, Mr. Butler is now a member of the Hively Avenue Mennonite Church in Elk- hart, Indiana. He will graduate from the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries in May with a master's degree in peace studies. Verney Unruh, Asia secretary for COM, said he supported the assignment of a Christian mission worker to an organization which included people of other religions. "As Christians involved in peace in the world, we Staff of the World Friendship Center in Hiroshima, Japan, stand in front of the center's building. At far right, is COM short-term worker Eva Harshbarger. feel God works through many people i:| many ways to bring the message of peace We are not compromising our faith to wori in order to stop war and bring aboi* understanding. But when people are recon ciled to God, it is easier to be reconciled t each other. This is the peculiar message o Christianity." The center could become a focus for cooperation among the historic peao churches. "If it can become a 'stopping-of place' for Friends, Mennonites, anft Brethren who find their way to Japan an< are involved in the ongoing search for peace; we may be able to irradiate one another and* in turn, be irradiated by the dedication of thi hibakusha," said the founder, Ms. Reynolds Unity and world peace are the aims of thit World Friendship Center. The survivori have decided to become a living witnesf against war and have continued to appeal fo peace. No one, they say, should have ty experience their fate. Churches, nursing homes challenged on aging needs More church attention to aging has beer; asked by the health and welfare committee o Mennonite Board of Missions, Elkharti Indiana. Among the recommendations of its task? force on aging which were adopted were the following: — an educational process in the church which would include using the church td counter the fragmentation of society and the family. — the urging of each congregation to forrr a council on aging which would help people prepare for retirement and investigate loca; options. — hiring of a full-time Mennonite geron tologist in a teaching, advisor, and consuli tant role. — consideration of alternative models to institutions for the aged. These models should permit the aged to live in a freer and( more satisfying manner, meeting the needs) individuals cannot supply alone, without taking away their self-respect. — urging existing institutions, such as nursing homes, to find ways to help the; needy of the community in nondomiciliary ways. Tilman R. Smith is director of studiesand programs for the aging for MBM. 278 APRIL 26, 1977 B le workshops gi on wheels [Clrch people have a great reservoir of go'lwill toward the Bible, but they don't kn v what to do with it, said Perry Yoder. "B1 when they get started studying the Bible thi. get excited." i:rry and his wife, Elizabeth, together wij their two preschool sons, have spent the mi'ths since the summer of 1975 traveling ac ss the United States and Canada as Pe >le's Teachers of the Word, a project of M nonite Voluntary Service. Their task in th'l congregations, camps, colleges, and vo ntary service units they have visited has bej primarily to help people learn to study Bible. 4ost people are past prooftexting," said y. "But where do you go from there?" t Project Teach, a workshop for Sunday ol teachers in March in North Newton, sas, Perry taught Deuteronomy. "It is people's minds to say something esting from Deuteronomy," he com- ted. "Most adults think they have heard I before." Ve ask people to approach the Scrip- i with a questioning mind," said Eliza- , "rather than thinking that somebody — author of the study book or another ch member — has the ultimate answer, 'be nobody's asked their question be- the almost two years of the project, the ers have traveled to about ninety negations and another thirty to forty ;ats and schools giving workshops on to study the Bible and theological talcs. hope it was a message to people — that a ly could live for two years from the ccjents of a car," said Elizabeth. graveling with children gave us a certain criibility," she said. "People thought we t care about what we say to bring a fa ily into voluntary service and live on a ■istence level." ne thing that bothered the Yoders in : contacts with churches was the afflu- 3eople are in it, but they don't realize 've got there," said Perry. "Some inonites have made a lot of money and dij't know how to spend it. That troubles th n. These people are asking questions: 'li t it true that everybody's like we are? Wpt are the alternatives?' " nother thing the Yoders noticed in their tr els was an increase in Bible study, at least ai.mg women. "Women's groups spend a Id of time sharing and praying together," S£ Elizabeth. I There weren't any men's Bible study gi ips," Perry noted. General Conference registration deadline set Registration forms are due July 1 for the triennial sessions of the General Confer- ence Mennonite Church, to be held July 28 to August 3 at Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio. Delegates, youth, and visitors are being asked to complete advance registration forms so that the local hosting committee can plan better for meals and lodging. Hosts for the General Conference sessions are the Central District Confer- ence and especially the five congregations in the Bluffton area: Ebenezer and First of Bluffton, St. John and Grace of Pandora, and First of Lima. All meetings except on Sunday will be on the college campus in the town of Bluffton, population 3,000, located in the heart of an agricultural area. Bluffton and Pandora, seven miles away, were the site of the Swiss Mennonite settlement begun in 1833. Meals for a variety of prices will be available at four places on the college campus: at Marbeck Center cafeteria, Marbeck Center snack shop, Founders Hall "deli" (cold sandwiches, fruit, drinks, etc.), and outdoors on the Marbeck Green, where box lunches and dinners will be sold. Between Sunday's sessions at Ohio Northern University in Ada, meals will be sold both there and at Bluffton College. Lodging is available in college dormi- tories, local homes, motels, hotels, and campgrounds. Senior high youth who have completed grade nine will be lodged in public school gymnasiums in Bluffton for $1.00 per person per night. Youth who have completed the seventh or eighth grades will be lodged at the Grace Church, Pandora. They will spend Friday to Saturday and Monday to Wednesday on a retreat which will include Bible study, swimming, creative activities, camp fires, and field trips. Cost will be $30, including lodging, most cpbcus meals, bus transportation, and an activity fee. Arrangements are also being made for care of younger children. A nursery will be provided during the conference ses- sions for preschool children. Registration fee of $5.00 or $1.00 per day includes lunch. Children who have completed grades one through six will meet each morning for a mission school and in the afternoons for recreation and short trips. The registration fee of $10 or $2.00 per day includes lunches and transportation. These children's programs will meet in First Church in Bluffton, except on Sunday. Transportation is available to Bluffton College from airports in Dayton, Toledo, and Bluffton; from bus stations in Bluffton, Findlay, and Lima; and from the train station in Lima. Registration fee for full-time delegates and visitors is $ 1 2. The youth registration fee is $15.50, which includes a conference T-shirt. Additional family members pay $7.00 each. Registration forms should be sent to Fred Amstutz, Bluffton College, Bluff- ton, Ohio 45817. More information on the conference is available from Conference Planning, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. The Yoders will continue as People's Teachers of the Word until July, when they set up a home base — not on wheels — in Newton, Kansas. Although the People's Teachers of the Word project will end then. Perry will continue giving similar workshops in congregations as half-time peace and social concerns secretary for the Commis- sion on Home Ministries, General Confer- ence Mennonite Church. He will be em- ployed the other half time as professor at Bethel College in North Newton. The Yoders see their two years of travel among congregations as a way of providing resources through people instead of through books. "Things can be tailored to the situation," said Perry. "That's the advantage of the apostolic pattern." T E MENNONITE 279 Words & deeds STOP =3 SUPPORT OF Jam 1 Iff I III m Christians campaign against torture A demonstrator parades in a Christians Against Torture campa, J in Washington, D.C., during Holy Week. The week long pro'} featured carefully researched tableaux of nine methods of torn reportedly used in countries receiving aid from the United Sta Government. more sk. ' ildgi mown : al vk Information on the Mackenzie Valley gas line hearings is included in a special newsletter produced by the Committee for Justice and Liberty, Toronto. The newsletter is being distributed across Canada by the Alberta Energy Coalition, several trade unions, and several church groups, including Mennonite Central Committee. The Com- mittee for Justice and Liberty is asking the National Energy Board to recommend a ten- year moratorium on pipe line transportation of any resources from north to south. "A church without walls" in Edmonton, Alberta, has voted to extend its ministry into the new community of Duggan nearby. When Southminster United Church began in 1967, it decided not to build and to use school and community facilities instead. The church is now establishing another commu- nity of faith that meets in a school in the new area. The congregation's minister, Mary Thomas, preaches on alternate Sundays to each group, with other ministers in the congregation and lay people taking the other services. The two communities of faith will be considered one congregation with one official board and one budget. Tariff restrictions and trade barriers im- posed by the U.S. and Canadian govern- ments are affecting the MCC Self-Help program in India. Neil Janzen, MCC worker in India, said that in mid-1976 the U.S. Government imposed textile importation restrictions which left the India Self-Help program with substantial stocks of embroi- dered blouses that it was unable to ship. Hopes that the blouses could still be marketed in Canada were dampened in January when the Canadian Government imposed a restriction on imported garments. "We will need to realize the implications of 'open markets' and educate ourselves and our constituency to accept the inevitable results — a lowering of our standard of living while that of the third world increases," Mr. Janzen said. The St. Davids Christian Writers' Confer- ence will be conducted for its twentieth year June 19-24 on the campus of Eastern College, St. Davids, Pennsylvania. Partici- pants may register through Mrs. Alvin I. Mast, Route 2, Daleville Road, Cochran- ville, Pennsylvania 19330. An All-India Mennonite Women's Confer- ence is being planned November 8-13 in India on the theme of the role of women in the church today. Sessions will be in English and Hindi. Subthemes will be missions, relief and Christian service, the home, local church and conference. Christian education, and Christian stewardship. North American women are being invited. Kauffman Museum at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, will close May 1 at its present location on campus and will reopen in July in a new building at West 27th Street and Rosewood. Alumni Hall, where the museum has been, will be torn down and a new student center will be built there, to be completed in August 1978. An international Mennonite- Your- Way Travel Directory may be a possibility following the Mennonite World Conference in 1978, said Leon Stauffer, an organizer of the Mennonite-Your-Way project. Copies of the original directory, published in the spring of 1976, are still available for $2.00 each from Mennonite Your Way, Box 1525, Salunga, Pennsylvania 17538. The directo- ry lists over 1,700 households across United States and Canada which are willi} to host travelers. The Welcome Inn in Hamilton, Ontario, v| celebrate its tenth anniversary May 274 with a reunion of past and present volunta service workers in Hamilton. "All Welcoij Inn friends and members of the wki Mennonite constituency are invited tojci with community people, volunteers, and t| Hamilton Mennonite Church in an opk house from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m., Saturday, a| a picnic at Bronte Creek Provincial Parkj 3:30 p.m., Sunday," said Hugo Neufe} Welcome Inn director. The Welcome I began as a storefront ministry. Because | urban renewal, it relocated in 1972 in a lan house at 132 Wood Street East, with, consequent diminishing of the drop! flavor. Current programs include the Coi munity Cupboard, a recently opened usti clothing outlet. 280 APRIL 26, 19i ^ hit-and-run I id a reconciliation eral years ago when Harry Huebner, ructor of theology and philosophy at ladian Mennonite Bible College in nnipeg, was in Toronto, his car door was ished. The driver of the vehicle that did damage did not stop. Mr. Huebner's way settling the case was an experience in Dnciliation. "he damage happened while his wife was i store, shopping, leaving the car parked side. A witness left a note saying that they uld give him a call if they were interested cnowing who had hit the car. Vishing to have the damage repaired but ing it done with the least hurt to the itionship between them and the offender, y sifted the alternative ways of dealing h the situation. I remember wanting to know precisely at had happened to determine whether we e at fault or not," he explains. "I tember thinking that such matters are mally taken to the police right away and ndered how much time we had to report the police. I also recall wondering what e of person might have done something that and thinking that if it had been me I uld be sorry for having left the scene by v." They did not want to go the police route. If tily went to the police and told them what h'l happened, whatever the police did Vuld be on their behalf. I began to feel quite uncomfortable with tit because I knew that once I told them the sjry, I would not have control over what tfy did. I wondered whether they might t it this person in a way that 1 would not be c nfortable with." At. Huebner phoned the witness to obtain a account of the accident and the license n nber of the person who had hit his car. lis attempts to get in touch with the o;:nder did not result in an immediate cl tact, however. The Department of I.nsport would not release the name of the pjson owning the car on the grounds that oiy the police could do so. So Mr. Huebner v it to the police. 4f| Their immediate response was: 'Let us tile a report on the accident.' 1 said I was not ii Tested because I wished to talk to that pjson myself first. Such a response they c Id not understand. They told me such tl igs as, 'You're going to get hurt if you do itjiat way,' and 'You're going to run out of tije to report the accident,' and 'That'sjust ni the normal way to do things around hi;.' But finally they gave me his name." le immediately went home and phoned tl| offender, who told Mr. Huebner that he vi expecting the call because the police had just talked to him. They had asked him why he had hit Mr. Huebner's car and why he had not remained on the scene. "I told him I was somewhat interested in those questions, too, but made it very plain to him that I had not reported the matter to the police and was not really interested in having the police involved in the situation." Mr. Huebner then asked the offender whether he had anything in mind as to how to settle the matter. The offender came over in twenty minutes. They decided they would go to three independent appraisers and the offender would pay Mr. Huebner the average of their estimates. It came out to approximately $200 which the offender paid. The reaction of the offender to Mr. Huebner's approach was one of amazement. "He couldn't understand why I was doing what I was doing. He repeatedly wondered why I had not called the police or why I was not getting the police involved. He pointed out that I could have really taken revenge and wondered why I had not done so." Mr. Huebner says he was not surprised by the reactions of the police and the offender. "The police have a job to do. They are asked and trained to do their job. As for the offender, I was more amused than surprised, I guess. He was very grateful to me and consequently somewhat overbearing in his apologies. For example, he offered me $100 more than I was asking, saying that because I had been so kind to him, it was worth that much to him. I, of course, refused to take it. But I wasn't surprised at his reaction because after all he had every right to expect to be prosecuted by the police for what he had done." Mr. Huebner felt justice was achieved in the course he took. Since he had not contributed to the damage to his car, there was some fairness in seeking payment for the loss. "One of the reasons he cooperated with me was because it would be made much worse for him if he did not. Hence, it is a bit ironic that this action was satisfactory in this case because we have a strong police system in our country." Pastor required The Springstein Mennonite Church will re- quire a leading minister as of July 1. The position would appeal to someone with a working knowledge of German who is inter- ested in working with a diverse congregation to build and communicate its faith in a rural- urban setting. Please write: Vic Epp Box 11 Elm Creek, Manitoba ROG 0N0 Bechterdissen Church dedicated in West Germany Located in a village in the rolling plains of north central Germany, the Mennoniten- gemeinde Bechterdissen e.V., the largest Mennonite church in West Germany, was dedicated March 20. Begun after World War II, the church is made up of diverse groups of immigrants from Russia and West Prussia or Poland. The new building, now nearly triple its original size, is functional and attractive but not lavish in style. It now seats 1,000 people with a basement under the new structure allowing for group meetings and Sunday school. The growth of the Bechterdissen church can be explained largely by immigration. Mennonites from South America and large numbers of immigrants from the Soviet Union have swelled the congregation until the church could no longer contain them. By the time planning for a new building began two years ago, a daughter group was already meeting in the nearby city of Bielefeld. Aside from several long-term loans, the church itself contributed more than $100,000, the city of Bielefeld contributed more than $40,000, and MCC assisted with $50,000. But the largest single contribution came from the church members themselves, who had contributed 1 6,900 person-hours in the form of voluntary labor. The membership has already purchased a building plot in the city of Bielefeld and actual building for the daughter church is to start this spring. The two groups are building both buildings together. One might describe the Bechterdissen- Bielefeld church as a model of unity under severe stress. People from diverse back- grounds coming from both East and West are trying to work together. The Bielefeld group helped build and finance the Bechter- dissen church. The Bechterdissen group showed they cared for Bielefeld by designat- ing that the offering taken at the dedication service go for the Bielefeld building. The Rosthern Junior College, a Mennonite residential high school, is inviting applica- tions for the following positions for the 1977- 78 school year: 1. A teacher in religion, ethics, and pos- sibly psychology. 2. A dean of girls for the students' resi- dence. This could be a married couple, with the man also having part-timeemploymentas dean of boys. All applications should be mailed to: R. J. Suderman, Principal Rosthern Junior College Rosthern, Saskatchewan 1 E MENNONITE 281 Voluntary service gets equal time Concern about military influence in the public schools has resulted in a voluntary service and Career Day presentation by Mennonites in Pandora, Ohio. Roger Siebert, pastor of the Grace Mennonite Church in Pandora, became concerned when his ninth-grade daughter came home with information about the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Bat- tery, which she would soon be taking at school. The written information stated, "The ASVAB is used by the armed forces for recruiting purposes and by school counse- lors for vocational guidance counseling. The ASVAB's ability for determining job skills has not yet been proven. Test scores are provided to the student, the school counse- lor, the Armed Forces Recruiting Service, and the Coast Guard." Roger said this material "brought further questions for which I wanted answers." An appointment with the school guidance counselor by Mr. Siebert and Wendell Badertscher, church youth worker, soon followed. The men approached the counse- lor hoping to convey understanding, not anger. "Our attitude in speaking with the guidance counselor was not one of protest, but first of all to listen to how this test is being used and how the young people of our school are being influenced by the public relations departments of the armed serv- ices," Roger said. "We were fortunate in having a guidance counselor who took our concerns seriously." The counselor explained that he used the ASVAB simply as a tool to help in vocational counseling. "He assured us that if the church would provide a vocational testing instrument free of charge as the armed services does, he would consider using it." Still concerned about subtle military influence on young people, Mr. Siebert and Mr. Badertscher were not yet satisfied. Their basic question. Is not this just another step in leaving the impression that a military solution is the only way? remained unan- swered. The church needs to speak out against militarization, Roger said. "A part of the blessings of our freedom is that of not participating in the armed forces when we are conscientiously opposed to doing so. In our opinion, this gives us the privilege and responsiblity to inform young people that there are alternatives to a military approach to life." A further concern of Mr. Siebert's was that possibly young people are not made aware of alternatives to the armed services when the military recruiter visits high schools with "free" vocational tests. Mr. Siebert and Mr. Badertscher were pleased to be told that a Career Day was scheduled and that this would be the time to propose alternatives. They were invited to make a forty-five-minute presentation about Mennonite Voluntary Service at that time. A panel consisting of Stan Bohn, Mr. Ba- dertscher, and Sue Kauffman, a former volunteer, discussed the philosophy of voluntary service, types of jobs and open- ings, way of life, and expectations of volunteers. Questions from students were then answered. Wendell Badertscher commented, "Al- though this [presentation] began with the ASVAB, I saw our invitation to the Career Day opportunity as a job opportunity situation more than as an antimilitary concern. Whether we have a military or not, I believe we should be making high school students aware of job opportunities linked with our faith-stance." Mr. Siebert listed these points as some which may be valuable to other churches, parents, pastors, or youth leaders: (1) If we really believe in the "Way of Peace," we have a responsibility to inform others that this alternative is available. If the church does not do this, who will? (2) Voluntary service is a valid option for students to consider when making plans for what they do after school. (3) Before you speak to your guidance counselor, examine your motives for doing so. If your motives are to protest or express your anger, you will not accomplish as much as if you have a genuine interest for youth and the school and you first go to listen to what he has to say. (4) We are in agreement with the ASVAB on one point: the title of the booklet given to students is "Time for Decision." Our Christian responsibility is to help mold attitudes and inform youth of alternatives so that their decisions about life will be mature and will reflect Christian values. (5) Why be involved in a matter like this? Because "Jesus is Lord!" Women and men to discuss ministry A conference on "Persons in Ministry: Women and Men" has been scheduled for June 16-18 at Camp Colorado southwest of Denver. The conference for men and women in ministering roles is a follow-up to the Women in Ministry conference in May 1976 in Lombard, Illinois. To be hosted by Mennonite churches in the Denver-Arvada area, this year's confer- ence will seek to: — support women and men in various forms of ministry and encourage more women to take leadership roles in ministry. — encourage men in leadership in the church to use more women in ministry. — better understand Christian feminism from a biblical perspective. — become aware of the forms of ministry where the gifts of the Spirit can be used. — stimulate thinking and action on male- female team ministries. — develop strategies to help participants support each other in the future. Resource people for the conference will include Perry and Elizabeth Yoder, People's Teachers of the Word under Mennonite Voluntary Service; four district conference ministers from the Mennonite Church and the General Conference Mennonite Church; and other women and men in ministering roles. Registrations should be sent by June I to the Arvada Mennonite Church, 5927 Miller Street, Arvada, Colorado 80004. Registra-| tion fee will be $10, with food cost at $25 andj lodging at $2.00 per night. The conference will begin with the evening meal on Thurs-! day, June 16, and close Saturday afternoon,j June 18. Following the conference, the Denve Urban Institute, an inter-Mennonite educa tional venture, is sponsoring a one- to two week seminar in Denver on urban ministries Participants can design their own pro grams in core city ministries, women injf ministry, suburban neighborhood ministry congregational ministry, developmenta disabilities ministries, housing services] community organizations, mental health1 ministries, or other options. Tuition is $20 per week plus room and board. Seminar coordinators — Aggie Polak anc Peter Ediger — may be contacted for mon information through Denver Urban Insti tute, 5927 Miller, Arvada, Colorado 80004 The Rosthern Junior College, a Mennonin residential high school, is inviting applica tions for grades 10-12. Early application I! encouraged. For more information concerning applica tions and bursaries write to: Rosthern Junior College Business Office Rosthern, Saskatchewan 282 APRIL 26, 1971 c Reaching consensus in the Muria Church in interpretive article teaching a consensus under the guidance of he Holy Spirit is a guarded tenet of the /lennonite churches. It is an ideal which is /orthy of our sincerest efforts to maintain nd develop because we believe it suits the attern of the New Testament church (Acts 5). However, our adopted western individual- ;m and the cost in time have incapacitated is. Do we still have that keen sense of feeling how our brother feels" and do we i ave the patience that it takes to make onsensus operate? Can we afford the time? ust how far we have become incapacitated an be seen when we observe the church in ction in a society which has a natural sense f community such as the Muria Synod hurches in Indonesia. As a guest participant-observer, I have ttended two biennial synod conferences and umerous local church council meetings of lie Muria churches. The opening session of the synod confer- :nce is attended by the full delegation. rormal dress is worn in honor of the ccasion and in deference to the many local overnment officials present. Included are olice and the military, f For the second and succeeding sessions, elegates come to the conference room in lore casual dress. Tables and chairs are rranged in a large rectangle with the center ourt open, helping face-to-face communi- ation. Nondelegate attenders are seated irectly behind their own church delega- ons. The outgoing executive committee starts le business session by conducting an lection of seven delegates who will comprise le council of chairpersons, then hands over le charge to them. These seven decide mong themselves who will record the linutes and who will chair the sessions. t. Louis, Missouri, openings: RN with public health xperience to work in family-care center; persons ith BA in social service for positions in life skills : aining center for retarded adults; buildings and '. rounds maintenance supervisor, special education ?acher, and combination child-care and nnain- mance worker for positions at children's center. ' wo-year terms preferred. Available August and eptember 1977. Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 Usually they pick agenda items with which they are most conversant. This frees the executive to participate as invited delegates or, as is often the case, serve on the steering committee, if elected. Agenda items are introduced carefully, giving ample background information. As discussion proceeds it appears that thinking is allowed to flow like water on a plastic tablecloth. Holy Spirit presence does not necessarily make it go arrow-straight. Would-be dissenters stand their ground only as long as they have support, then bow out in favor of the forming consensus. The question is, How long should discus- sion go on before an acceptable consensus is achieved? Several times I have felt the chairman should call for the question. Instead, he allowed the discussion to continue for another hour. Why? Obviously he was not satisfied with the quality level of the consensus at that point. This is one of those places where West and East don't meet. In the West we squeeze the consensus into its final shape with a vote, whereas in the East the vote is reserved merely to ratify the existing consensus. The essential ingredient for good consen- sus is timelessness. One particular agenda point was discussed for four hours. About midnight the chairman felt he should bring the matter to a conclusion even though the consensus was not yet fully ripe. So he called for a vote. The next day, after a sleepless night, he begged the delegation's permission to reopen the matter, stating that he felt guilty for having bowed to pressures to "bring down the gavel." The delegation agreed and the decision was reversed on an extremely important issue. Can any work get done with such a strict consensus principle? What happens to the agenda? Cut? Tabled? Perhaps sometimes, but not necessarily. At the last Muria Synod Conference in February, the agenda included the usual committee reports and resultant resolutions plus the ratification of a completely rewrit- ten constitution which entailed eleven liturgies and the catechism. Not a bad piece of work by any conference standards, I would say. Intensive consensus is so foreign to the westerner it is unsettling, to put it mildly. Several times I have gone home from a local church council meeting without knowing what had been decided — or if anything had been decided at all. Not a single vote had been called for; no minutes had been read back. At the next meeting the minutes were adopted as read with the usual correction of spelling mistakes, and that's all. So effective is their sense of consensus. As I continue to adapt myself to a new culture for the sake of the gospel ministry, I pray for greater readiness to "let the church be the church," especially when it resembles the New Testament church in its consensus consciousness to such an admirable degree. Dan Nickel, Mennonite Brethren mission- ary, Jakarta, Indonesia FAMILY PEACE RETREAT July 3-9, 1977 • Camp Colorado, Sedalia A time for study, reflection, recreation, and relaxation. Sponsored by the Mennonite Urban Institute, Denver. Resource people: Don Goertzen, coordinator; Bev and Charlie Lord, MCC Peace Section; Peter Ediger, copastor, Arvada Mennonite Church; Dick Williams, Colorado University, Boulder; and others. Mornings: seminars. Afternoons: recreation, crafts, free time. Evenings: camp fires, fellowship, films. Discussion topics include: Anabaptist responses to militarism, the biblical basis of pacifism, family peace education, life-style, peace and economic conversion, conflict resolution. Costs: $45 per adult, $30 per child under fifteen, $20 preregistration per family. Clip and send this preregistration to: Family Peace Retreat, 5927 Miller, Arvada, Colorado 80004. Make $20 check payable to Urban Institute (to be deducted from your total retreat bill). Adults' names First names of children Address Additional information and directions will be sent. 97? HE MENNONITE 283 HERALD PRESS: Vital Family Issues 1 s^sss LOVE AND SEX ARE NOT ENOUGH Charles P. De Santo selects and shares many of the enduring qualities and guidelines for dating, courtship, and marriage that have stood the test of time. The author blends a strong biblical stand with sound sociological and psychological understandings. For use by youth leaders, Sunday School teachers, pastors, and parents. Paper/$3.95. OVERCOMING MATERIALISM Gordon G. Talbot urges us to maintain a proper perspective on life. He does not ask us to despise material things and become ascetics, but he warns us against letting them assume a place of primary importance. Paper/$1.95. CHERISHABLE: LOVE AND MARRIAGE David W. Augsburger has written a book that is wise, delightful, sensible, funny, sober, cherishable. It is neither sentimental slush nor cynical gibe but a fearless, yet utterly sane exploration of the rights and wrongs of liv- ing together. Hardcover/$4.95; Paper/$1.50. SEVEN THINGS CHILDREN NEED Well-known author, John M. Drescher's latest book, goes beyond the material needs of children to significance, security, acceptance, love, praise, discipline, and God. "... a testimony to both the influences and the needs for stronger and sturdier Christian families. . . . Drescher offers numerous suggestions whereby children may have those needs fulfilled. ... A fine book."— Charles L. Tooman. Paperback/$1 .95. DIVORCE, A CHRISTIAN DILEMMA Zola Levitt and Norma Martin have provided positive help in an area of desperate need. They combine life stories of those caught in marriage fail- ure along with solid teachings by serious biblical scholars. Paperback/$1 .95. MY WALK THROUGH GRIEF Janette Klopfenstein's young husband died suddenly on a hot August day. Left with two small children and shattered dreams, she shares her insights into the grief experience. Her practical suggestions will help those going through their own grief as well as those who try to understand and comfort the bereaved. Paperback/$1 .75. MORE-WITH-LESS COOKBOOK Doris Janzen Longacre provides North American Christian families with a concrete way to respond to world hunger. Over 500 tested recipes that help con- serve vital food resources. Ring-bound paperback/ $5.95. More-with-Less Cookbook Herald Press Dept. TM, Scottdale, PA 15683 Kitchener, ON N2G 4M5 At your local bookstore 284 APRIL 26, 1 7 jRecord Workers Carl and Sandra Liechty of Archbold, Ohio, have been reappointed as General Conference Mennonite missionaries to Japan for a four-year term, beginning in 1978. They will spend the 1977-78 school year at the Overseas Mission Training Center at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana. Following that, they will begin work with the United Mennonite Conference in Tokyo. They previously served in Japan in 1963-66 and 1969-74. Carl and Sandra are members of First Church, Berne, Indiana. Tom and Judy Marshall of Ambler, Pennsylvania, have been appointed as C. Liechty S. Liechty mission workers in Taiwan under the Commission on Overseas Mission of the General Conference. Tom will serve as an internist medical doctor at Mennonite Christian Hospital in Hwalien, Taiwan. He will replace Carl Epp, who is taking a two- year leave of absence for further medical training at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. The Marshalls are members of the United Presbyterian Church in the USA. Calendar June 6-10 — Mennonite Voluntary Service orientation, Camp Mennoscah, Murdock, Kansas June 9-12 — Pacific District Conference annual sessions, Aurora, Oregon June 16-19 — Northern District Confer- ence annual sessions, Huron, South Dakota July 23-27 — Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Toronto Letters Correction from author Dear Editor: You laid my article (United Church of Canada, February 15) out very nicely, and I have consulted the original to see what you did cutting and editing. Certainly your people did a good job. There is one little slip which may be called to your attention, and for which I suspect I was responsible. It's in the top two lines of the first column on page 109 where I say "nearly 40 percent of the Canadian people adhere." The United Church comprises about 20 percent of Canadians, but approxi- mately half of our people are Roman Catholic. I just thought I should tell you in case someone picks it up and complains. Tell any critics to blame it on the editor and you can tell them what the facts are. A. C. Forrest, 85 St. Clair Avenue East, Toronto, Ontario M4T1M8 March 24 Is a matter of conscience Dear Editor: Erik Coursey (March 29 issue) is right in saying that we should obey the authorities for governments are instituted by God to reward good and to punish evil (Romans 13:4-5). But we are also to love God above all masters (Matthew 6:24) and pray for those who hate us (Luke 6:27-31). 1 I am quite willing to believe the man in ^ authority who says, "The Russians, Chinese, and Cubans are your enemy." Their govern- ments and political literature are antagonis- tic to our government. How then must I deal with these "ene- mies"? Is it showing God's love to pay someone to discover new and more efficient ways to kill Russian, Chinese, and Cuban families and despoil their land and kill their children and aged? Whom shall I obey? Shall I obey what Jesus tells me and love my enemies, e.g., send a portion of my income to MCC so that those in Zaire might learn to love and serve Jesus, too? Or, do 1 obey the authorities and pay for death research? Yes, I give to Caesar that which belongs to him. But what truly belongs to Caesar? Do human lives and the earth we live on belong to the authorities? The more I read the Word and the more I see things around me every day, the less I see that belongs to Caesar, and the more I see that belongs to God (Psalm 24:1-2). What I'm saying, I think, is that it is a matter of conscience. Since the authorities are God's servants, they carry God's wrath, but being his servants they also must come under his judgment for misusing his power. "For this reason," Paul goes on, "you must obey the authorities — not just because of God's wrath, but also as a matter of conscience" (TEV, italics mine). I think the best that I can do is to disagree with you on the limits of obedience to the state and hope that you won't condemn me or others who share like views. Both of our points of view I suppose are valid. We must not condemn nor be dogmatic, but admit that we are human and liable to err. James R. Krause, 3202 East 16th Street, Wichita, Kansas 67208 March 28 More personal sharing Dear Editor: I just have to write right away to say thanks for the "And the Lord took me . . ." series (March 29 issue). Sharing our personal pilgrimages in faith with each other is one of the most helpful things we can be doing. Perhaps in the future we could have some more; for example, and the Lord took me as a hog farmer, as a furnace repairman, as a school lunchroom cook, etc. Keep the good work going. Erlene Unruh, Route 2, Box 564, Newton, Kansas 67114 March 28 Double standards Dear Editor: Some people have pointed out the cruelty and repression under many right- wing governments in Latin America and have concluded that Marxism, in compari- son, is not much of a threat to Christian values in the world. Even if the conclusion was correct, wouldn't we have some witness to most of the major governments, regard- less of ideology, for human rights and against militarism? In Africa, Asia, eastern Europe, and the world as a whole, however. 19 THE MENNONITE 285 it is Marxism that now shows the least inhibited militarism and is on the march or in control. This is the movement, even though not monolithic, that has made and still makes a policy of severe repression of by far the largest number of people. It has been pointed out that not all Marxist countries are alike and that we should make distinctions. Then why aren't we challenging even those that most clearly violate their own claims to humanity? These countries seem nearly monolithic, up to this writing, in their immunity from our criti- cism. Perhaps we could begin by making occasional appeals or protests to the USSR and Vietnam — the USSR partly because it is now the greatest national power for con- quest and repression, and partly because of Mennonite connections, and Vietnam be- cause, as has been amply pointed out, our contacts should give us a hearing there and this hear-ng ought to be tested and used. A Christian direct-action group called Review The Relational Revolution, by Bruce Larson (Word Books, Waco, Texas, 1976, 143 pages, $5.95) is reviewed by Jurgen Schon- wetter, instructor at Columbia Bible Insti- tute, Clearbrook, British Columbia. This book invites the reader to weigh present societal circumstances which have served as a cradle for the new birth of a "relational revolution." The style of writing is fresh. Bruce Larson is gifted in phrasing word-symbols that evoke interest and suspense. Statistics are current and convincing. Personal experi- ences shed light on the subject at discussion. Seeming over- or understatements create involvement of the reader. Idealism and optimism are expressed in the range of possibilities. And Bruce Larson uses transi- tional tools to relate chapters with each other. The book opens with the thesis: the time has come in which people break through barriers which have been erected by an impersonal society which has for nearly two millennia treated human beings as objects and things, rather than recognizing and treating them with the dignity which every human being deserves, a dignity which the New Testament heralds in its message of salvation. Liberty to the Captives is quoted in The Mennonite (March 22 issue), as saying, "We are appalled by torture and repression in Communist nations like the USSR. But we feel a particular responsibility to speak and act against such practices in countries that receive American military and economic aid. Such aid serves to strengthen these regimes I have heard this argument countless times. It deserves to be answered at least once, even though the space in a letter is not adequate. In practice the argument has usually meant no witness whatever against Communist abuses. Let me just point out some of the tremendous economic and police aid we have given the Soviets. Have we forgotten the huge wheat "sales" with the large subsidies both in price and in very easy financing? What about the computers and special surveillance equipment that we have sometimes allowed to be sold for evident use by their police? How can we still seriously The industrial age and the agricultural age have slipped into the past. Our computerized society has created impersonality and a value system that gives priority to things not people. The age ahead of us will be service- oriented, and "we must move into the relational era to survive" (page 22). There is a challenge to examine "old values and attitudes." Structures of conven- tional churches are crumbling fast. Bruce Larson feels that those are the structures which for "the most part have done so little with so much" (page 57). What could be resources to further this relational revolution? Mr. Larson suggests Christian people — not professional healers and therapists, but concerned, willing Chris- tians. Christians who are committed to be riskers, healers, and relaters will be the tools with which God will bring about — and has already started -healing communities. These are the real "churches" that he intended in the first place. Over one-third of the book deals with relational theology. In the past decade a theological awakening has taken place that emphasizes "the kingdom of God as being the kingdom of right relationships" (page 84). The "abundant life" which Jesus came to bring means being reconciled by the cross of Christ in four major relationships of life: "to disclaim any practical responsibility for e Soviet people? Let's give up our excuses jr the double standard! Any humanization of the Kremlin II believe, would now most greatly les p militarism elsewhere. This could rele e tremendous resources for the needy evq<- where. Our avoidance of military confronjt- tion is no reason to avoid moral confronil- tion. If the rulers of Vietnam refuse our ix even with a purely verbal rebuke, we sll cannot deny our Christian obligationib speak up for their powerless subjeij, regardless of any arrangements made by t[r governments. Note Fellowship, Octobr 1976, pages 20-21, "Vietnam: Unificatn Without Reconciliation" (from the Fellcr- ship of Reconciliation). May my tactlessness and any mistakesJe charged only to me and not delay f coffee or a game of checkers the men M women talk, laugh, listen — and sometirsps argue. "Just being family," Ms. Laws said, is 2 Resource — a quarterly sharing of thoughts, sug- gestions, and latest resources for those who are involved in Christian education for children in the church. Cornelia Lehn, editor. Project: Teach — a five-day, experience-based, live- in learning program for church school teachers and superintendents, held once or twice yearly on a Mennonite college campus. Other Workshops — shorter sessions planned for teachers with churches and clusters. On the Line — a take-home paper for grades 5 and 6. Helen Alderfer, editor. Story Friends — a Sunday school take-home paper for children six to ten years of age. Audiovisuals Available — Teaching helps for teacher enrichment Cipher in the Snow — film Effective Classroom Displays — film What Do You Think?— film Using Media — filmstrip Tape of the Month — cassette — Helps for use in the classroom Swim my — film The Happy Prince — film Secret Place — filmstrips and cassettes Bleacher Feature — film Photos — top and bottom: Jim Stucky Photographies; p*'^"^ middle: Muriel Stackley Cornelia Lehn THE MENNONITE A-3 YOUTH EDUCATION Resource Contact with Youth Workshops, retreats, apprenticeships, meeting with local or area youth leaders and groups are all part of Lois's schedule. Resources Uncovered — Program helps are mailed to youth leaders, introducing them to curricula, films, books, dramas, liturgy, and other resources. With Magazine — A monthly magazine for middle teens is published jointly with the Mennonite Church. Dick Kauffman, editor. Workcamps — Locations in Canada and the United States give sixteen-P' to eighteen-year-olds an opportunity to be part of a three-weekl summer work, Bible study, growth experience. Youth Bible Study Guide — These lessons follow the Uniform Seriesl and are written with a youthful audience in mind. Loris HabeggerJ executive editor. Youth Program for World Conference '78 — Lois is part of the program committee planning the youth dimension for the World Conference of 1978 in Wichita, Kansas. Songbook 77 — This collection of contemporary and older hymns oPi1 the church has been prepared for the Bluffton conference as well a^- for other congregational uses. Worship and Arts Committee — They are putting together a Worshif, Manual (loose-leaf)- Two topics are in process: The Biblical and Theological Bases for Worship in the Believer's Church by WalteJ Klaassen, and Planning Congregational Worship by Fred Unruhj Other topics will include weddings, funerals, communion, baptisml prayer, music, and others. A fine arts exhibit is planned for the 7] Bluffton conference. Conference T-shirt — See you at the Bluffton conference! Photos top: Paul M. Schrock; middle: Religious News Service; bottom: DeAnna Goering Staff personi Lois Bergen A-4 MAY 10, 197 Jn limited STUDENT SERVICES HIGHER EDUCATION I »,C7 _ undergoing for VffiH&T «'C8ar0 .Z1 I Community as £e"n°eay0f prime ^ecnUtraIS the Houston church concern for _a» " hthe various members. Through tQ exp|0re seminars, we were a for meaning and 6 ^ impor' WeVereawak^ Bluffton, Ohio 45817 injunctions to buUo r e.,evers within the ^^ns tor the The resource perb BrQwn conference were onite executive secretary u« Eleanor Loewen6 riSS.onon services for the >w> Con{erence Education, Genera tonKans., Mennonite Church Ne > Mennonte Marling Pff^ntz, ministenaijntern, Church. andKoru^^^^^^ 2026 NORTH BI"DEWT «A,rER Henry ct. m 0 9 ^^^cone9e 0 freeman (605) 9. ;/"e6e/ On/, Co//, ar/o e9e N2L 3Ga eSnstoUrba«ia '76 ■The General Conterw -Marc/a Kroeker^ Canadian Mennonite Bihlp r 600 Shaftesbury Bouleva^0"698 Tuxedo, Winnipeg, Manitoba We, erected fnirfy a°quain Wifh each SeJf0trrWith ^ bef^r ''son 'ive ^1 —""'On sfofr " , f"e CO tended t0 Ee fromfifte People, °ar£duca« venty. was fhp Mt 7^ c 31 ^Tco^e9e Kansas the asis ^AA7 41 La* ^/C Staff persons: Eleanor Loewen David H. Suderman 7/ THE MENNONITE A-5 ADULT EDUCATION ^Learning T Women's and Men's Concerns Workshops: dealing with changing roles of men and women in Christian perspective Study Guide on Women, Herta Funk, editor Study Guide on Men's Roles, Perry and Elizabeth Yoder, writers Library on women's and men's roles (books available on loan) Audiovisuals: Men's Lives A Day in the Life of Bonnie Consolo Eve 'n Us — and others Play: House of the Lord, Urie Bender, writer Biography Collection on Anabaptist Women Single Adults An annual retreat for never-married, widowed, divorced, and separated adults Book collection on different aspects of singleness (books available on loan) Heritage Concerns Brochure "Who Are the Mennonites," La Vernae Dick, writer Basic bibliography on Mennonite history materials Mennonite history contest for high schoolers Series of articles on current problems dealt with in historical perspective Mennonite history tour to Pennsylvania Mennonite heritage film in progress Adult Bible Study Guide A quarterly study based on the International Sunday school lessons published jointly with the Mennonite Church. Laurence Martin, editor. Adult Teacher A digest of latest information on adult education, giving suggestions for electives in Sunday school, notices of workshops, retreats, teacher-training events, and other practical information on teaching. Herta Funk, editor. CERI (Christian Education Resources Index) A sharing of resources sent to pastors which covers topics such as Bible, Christian thought, church history, the Mennonite church, the congregation's life and work, personal life, the world and our mission. Loris Habegger, editor. Workshops Project: Teach is a week-long intensive teacher-training session on a Mennonite college campus. Five years completed. Sunday school workshops for teachers of adults. Staff person Herta Funki A-6 MAY 10. 197 IN 1976-77 FAMILY LIFE EDUCATION MEANS: 3ughout Life Research: This past year a significant study of family life needs, counseling resource utilization, and family life education programming needs for the church were examined. The feedback of 674 systematically selected "voices" from the General Conference has given us a wealth of information that will be available to education committees, church planning counsels, and other interested persons. The Mennonite will carry a six-part report on this study prior to the Bluffton conference. . • ■ ■ Never Married Family Life Committee Members at Work: Marian Franz, Washington, D.C.; Herta Funk, Newton, Kansas; Karen Gilchrist, Wichita, Kansas; Jake F. Pauls, Winnipeg, Manitoba; Ronald Ropp, Bloomington, Illinois; Bernie Wiebe, Winnipeg, Manitoba Programs: Pacific District Pastor and Mate Marriage Renewal Seminar Camps Friedenswald and Swan Lake — Father and Son retreats Beatrice, Nebraska — Family Life Conference and Marriage Renewal Weekend The Seminary — Pastors' Conference — A focus on the adult life cycle and its effect on marriage and family life. Divorced and Separated Widowed The Christian Community— The Global Family Single Parents Special Focuses: (1) Wichita Consultation on the Family, November 5-7, 1976. Letha Scanzoni lec- tures highlighted the theme of "Men, Women, and Change." (2) Bluffton in July- August 1977 will raise the level of awareness of family life issues and concerns in the church and the world. Famtfyiti Facta, Bf/i^bn 77 (3) Post-Bluffton will mean "keeping the awareness" of family life needs and concerns ever present in the minds of pastor and people. Staff person: R. Bruce Woods I THE MENNONITE A-7 LITERATURE DEVELOPMENT ^Publications Somewhat Limited Finished/Ready to Use Open Doors by S. F. Pannabecker -history of the General Conference Mennonite Church If ... A Big Word with the Poor by Donald C. Bakely -a book of poetry about the poor People of Two Kingdoms by James C. Juhnke -story of a pilgrim people in a new land The Good News About Jesus Christ According to Mark by Helmut Harder -a study guide on the Gospel of Mark Rejoice! — a quarterly devotional published jointly with Mennonite Brethren and the Mennonite Church. Wally Kroeker and Orlando Harms, editors Church Bulletin Service — bulletins for every Sunday of the year. Loris Habegger, editor Moral Issues in the Control of Birth, by Duane K. Friesen A New Vision, A Study in White Racism, by Lois Bartel Twelve Becoming, Biographies of Mennonite Disciples, by C. J. Dyck Things to Come Life of Jesus — a forty-lesson study for youth and adults who want a serious lesson curriculum. Don Friesen, writer. Anabaptist Women — biographies of seventeen women in our tradition. Mary Lou Cummings, editor. Intergenerational Learning — for study groups in the congregation who want to include all ages in a class. Frank Ward, writer. Cheyenne Peace Curriculum — out of the peace tradition of the peace chiefs will emerge a workshop curriculum. Steve Linscheid, researcher; Lawrence Hart, director. Adult and Youth Curricula — several Anabaptist denominations are in the early stages of the development of both adult and youth study curricula. Camping Manual — contents will include a series of five-day program outlines and resources for various ages and special groups. Paul Paetkau, writer. Amos and Jonah — a thirteen-lesson study prepared especially for grades 9 and 10. La Vernae Dick, writer. Understanding the Bible — this material has come out of Perry's visits with congregations and groups in the past several years. Perry Yoder, writer. Open<©oors • NEW VISION r.t Photos by Loris Habegger Staff persons: Dietrich Rempel Loris Habegger LaDeen Frey Ilene Franz A-8 MAY 10, 197 The church's response to native land claims "he following interpretive article was writ- en by Menno Wiebe, director of native oncerns for MCC (Canada), and Neil Jnrau, a voluntary service worker with "roject North in Toronto. The government of Canada will soon decide vhether or not the Mackenzie Valley )ipeline will be built. The situation is critical, or the project will have serious consequen- ts for the people of Canada, particularly for he native people of the Northwest Territo- ies. The Canadian Government is also acing considerable pressure to come to an :arly decision. The federal cabinet is awaiting major nput on the pipeline issue from the report of Justice Thomas Berger, who conducted ;xtensive hearings on the social and environ- nental impacts of proposed pipeline routes. The Berger report is to be tabled in the House of Commons about May 15. Another major source of information will be the report of the National Energy Board, which advises the cabinet on energy applica- tions. The Federal Power Commission, the U.S. ;oumerpart to Canada's National Energy Board, is preparing its recommendation to President Carter. Indications are it will probably endorse a Mackenzie Valley route for transporting Alaska gas to U.S. markets. According to an American law, the presi- dent must advise Congress by September 1. While the U.S. preference has importance, the ultimate decision rests with the Canadian Government. The proposed pipeline is a commercial undertaking of gigantic proportions. Mil- lions of dollars have already been spent in feasibility exploration; billions more will be required to carry out the project. The applicants, Arctic Gas Pipeline Ltd. and Foothills Pipeline Ltd., are facing substantial hurdles. Citations of gas reserves in Canada are not reliable. There is evidence that Canada has sufficient gas for sixty years of domestic use (if exports to the United States are curtailed). Native land rights remain unsettled in the Northwest Territo- ries. Environmental damage is probable. The oil companies, most of which are based in the United States, are waging a major campaign to gain public support for their policies. One of the arguments for a pipeline used in advertisements and litera- ture is that a growing energy demand in North America requires exploration and delivery of reserves. On the other hand, some researchers deny that the need is as critical as the oil companies lead one to believe. It can hardly be disputed that a growing population requires proportionately more oil, gas, and electricity, even if energy consumption is reduced on a per capita basis. There are two issues, however, that require serious debate. First, the nonrenewable fossil fuel resour- ces are limited and should therefore be guarded. Second, the harvesting and trans- porting of the fuel cuts into Indian territory — land for which the Canadian Government has no binding agreement. How has the church responded to these questions? Some of the churches in Canada have stated their position on northern develop- ment in favor of the native people's priorities in several arenas through briefs, books, speeches, and letters. In the Northwest Territories it was the Catholic priest Rene Fumoleau who re- corded that Treaties No. 8 and 11, which cover the Mackenzie Valley, are highly dubious documents and may not be valid settlements of land claims. One group speaking for six denomina- tions in Canada is Project North. An interchurch project, it is organized specifi- cally to address itself to northern develop- ment issues. Along with other public interest groups, Project North has called for a moratorium on major resource development projects in the Yukon, Northwest Territo- ries, and northern British Columbia. The moratorium supporters argue that time is needed — time to settle land claims, time for the native people to develop alternative economic programs to ease their transition to a different way of life, time to develop ways for protecting the environ- ment, time for Canadians to assess a life- style based on waste and overconsumption and to develop a rational plan for the future. Another group of spokesmen for the churches has developed a viewpoint in direct conflict with that of Project North. The organization, Confederation of Church and Business People (CCBP), is actively solicit- ing membership from church people across the country. Chairman R. M. P. Hamilton and treasurer J. R. Bradfield have invited denominational leaders for personal meet- ings in their suites in Toronto's exquisite Commerce Court Building. Mr. Hamilton and Mr. Bradfield, like several officers and directors of the CCBP, are retired executives but still associated with their former northern industrial corpo- rations. The CCBP would like to see the churches aid rather than obstruct Canadian business ventures. It advocates reconciliation rather than confrontation, calling for a "provision of practical assistance in eliminating con- flicts connected with private enterprise and its relationship with native people, govern- ment, environmental issues, or labor prob- lems or various councils of churches." In other words, it asks the churches to pacify the threatening and disturbing voice of the Indian people so that progress can go on. In an informal meeting with a Mennonite delegation on January 16, the CCBP spokesmen took issue with those church groups who side with the native minorities. Such reactionary participation, Mr. Brad- field said, was certain to lead to further delay of industrial development, from which unemployment and deterioration of Cana- da's economy would result. There is a third alternative: to crawl into a shell of apathy and pretend that all of this is not the church's business. Those who take this approach realize that in the end the oil corporations will win; the Indian as always will lose. Such inaction will force the Indian people ultimately to surrender what they are and have. They will likely end up in the central streets of Canada's cities where they will be the butt of comments of abomination from clean-living, progress-oriented Canadians, who may also be Christians. What choice are the Mennonite churches making? From the options available to respond to the Mackenzie Valley pipeline, Mennonite Central Committee (Canada) has chosen to put its energies behind Project North. Both the Project North group and the propipeline Confederation of Church and Business People made strong appeals to us, and we made the decision to side with the native people in the contest for the North. MCC rejects the nonaction approach as irresponsi- ble. We believe that the Christian's responsi- bility for creation extends to the health of the Canadian economy. Yet to allow the ruthless overruling of the Dene people in the Northwest Territories is to commit a corporate sin. Reconciliation does not mean adapting the native land claims to the wishes of the oil and pipeline companies; rather, it means treating their claims with justice. Reconcilia- tion also does not mean that we silence the oppressor by denouncing violence without understanding the ugly reality of oppression. The significance of the Project North position favoring a moratorium is that it is taken before the Berger report has been released. We are taking this position because we find precedence for such needed actions THE MENNONITE 313 in the Prophets, the Psalms, the message of Jesus, and the acts of the sixteenth-century Anabaptists. We are told to love our neighbors, and, according to Project North team member Clifton Monk, "Love takes the form of justice when there is more than one neighbor to love." We can never take an impartial stand; we must stand on the side of justice. If we are to stand with the native people, we must know what they confront. The Mackenzie Valley pipeline has be- come an environmental problem to some and a native issue to others. As a result, Arctic Gas can publicize the "economic benefits to northerners" without having to justify the environmental damage. The unity between native and land must be noted because anything adversely affecting the environment can never benefit the native people. The worst assumption to make is that the problem is solely a northern one and all we need to worry about is whether we can use Delta gas in five or ten years. We must also ask ourselves if we want the kind of society that makes such large-scale development schemes possible. Do we want to oppress the poor to serve the rich? When we know the situation we have a duty to act on our knowledge. We can educate and mobilize our constitu- ency; we can go on record with public expressions of support; we can try to influence certain individuals in government and industry. Whatever we do, we cannot spend a little time on this issue and then forget about it and go on to the next, as many major denominations have done with other issues. The Project North team realizes this is not just another temporary concern. As Clarke MacDonald stated February 21 to the Waterloo Presbyterial of the United Church of Canada: "If the Christian churches of this country should chicken out on their commit- ment to Canada's native people, then I would not expect an oppressed group anywhere in the world ever to trust us again for at least two generations." This statement is doubly important in light of MCC's worldwide ministries. The Mennonites began historically as an oppressed people with radical ideas. We reacted to oppression by retreating into isolation and becoming the "Stille im Lande." Times have changed. Our ideas have led not to persecution, but to unheard of affluence and popularity. There is both a blessing and a curse in this. Our views are heard and honored. But will our "new- found" acceptability make us reluctant to state the unacceptable? We Mennonites can stand beside natives as concerned individuals, as a people who know what it is to suffer. Because MCC represents centuries of suffering and because this suffering led to a unique culture, it has a unique message for native sufferers. Now is our best, and possibly our last, chance to present it. ail"1 part t Record Calendar May 16-18 — Ministers' get-acquainted seminar, General Conference central offices, Newton, Kansas June 6-10 — Mennonite Voluntary Service orientation, Camp Colorado near Sedalia, Colorado June 9-12 — Pacific District Conference annual sessions, Aurora, Oregon Conference budget Budget for 1977 includes: June 16- 19 — Northern District Confer- ence annual sessions, Huron, South Dakota July 28-August 3 — General Conference triennial sessions, Bluffton, Ohio Northern September 10-11 — District women's re- treat, Swan Lake Christian Camp, Viborg, South Dakota; speaker, Joyce Wood, Aberdeen, South Dakota November 18-19 — Farm and food semi- nar. Mountain, Lake, Minnesota Workers 1977 BUDGET: $3,179,883 Commission on Education $234,048 Commission on Overseas Mission $2,084,949 Commission on Home Ministries $579,918 Mennonite Biblical Seminary $280,968 Total $3,179,883 $3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 Helen Kornelsen, General Conference Mennonite missionary in India, will be transferred later this year from literature and women's work at Jagdeeshpur to teaching Christian education at Union Biblical Seminary in Yavatmal. She will take a short furlough in North America this summer and return to India for the school term beginning in October. Helen, a member of the Bethany Church, Watrous, Saskatchewan, has served in India since 1948. She has spent most of] that time working with the Bharatiya General Conference Mennonite Church in Madhya Pradesh, but has taught short courses at the seminary previously. ACTUAL INCOME J FMAMJ JASOND Budget receipts for March were $143,445, which are about $10,000 less than March 1976 receipts of $153,131. First quarter total for 1977 is $474,029 compared to the 1976 total of $542,215. On a percentage basis 14.9 percent has been received by March 31, compared to 18.1 percent last year. Ted Stuckey, conference treasurer Kornelsen Nagao Yuko Nagao was commissioned Marcr 27 by the Oita (Japan) Mennonite Chris- tian Church to work full-time with Kirisu- 314 MAY 10, 1977 J i jokyo Gakusei Kai, the Japan's counter- part to Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship. She graduated from Oita University in vlarch and will be working with university >i students in the Osaka area. Mr. Kataoka of l i:he Osaka KGK staff said this was the first - jiime in the history of the organization in lapan that a staff had been commissioned land sent out by the home church. Shozo Sato began serving as the first pastor of the Oita Mennonite Christian Church in Japan on April 3. He graduated in March from Japan Christian Theologi- : (^al Seminary. His home church is the : iMiyazaki Oyodo Mennonite Church. Peter Derksen, General Conference Mennonite iii [missionary, has been working in Oita for it jten years. The Satos and the Derksens will Q jwork as a team in church planting and ji ^evangelism in Oita Prefecture, is; Amrit Sonwani, nursing superintendent i at Sewa Bhawan, a Mennonite hospital in : Jagdeeshpur, India, has arrived in Atlanta, Georgia, for a ten-week course in commu- ' nity health at Emory University. The course is designed for overseas health (programs. Sewa Bhawan is intending to 'start a community health program. Mr. ■ iSonwani, nursing superintendent at the j 'hospital since 1965, received a full scholar- ship for the course from the university, and |lhis travel was paid by the Commission on j \ Overseas Mission of the General Confer- hence Mennonite Church. Also taking the I course is Helen Willms, General Confer- i hence Mennonite missionary on furlough, j | She works in public health with Mennonite 'Christian Hospital in Hwalien, Taiwan. M Ed and Irene Weaver, Hesston, Kansas, , returned there in March after a two-year il term as missionaries in Botswana under ' 'Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission. They had ijbeen working with African independent j churches, primarily in leadership training and Bible study. The Weavers had previous- I ly served under Mennonite Board of Mis- I sions for twenty-one years in India, eight j years in Nigeria, and two years in Ghana. Joan Wiebe of Newton, Kansas, has been named coordinator for Women in Mission beginning in September. Her job will involve maintaining relations with the General Conference commissions and women's groups in the United States and Canada. Women in Mission is the organization for women's work in the General Conference Mennonite Church. Joan grew up in the Newton area and graduated from Bethel College. She and her husband, Leonard, \ started the Maplewood Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Joan directed the church nursery school. In 1974 the Wiebes moved to Newton, where Leonard is pastor of the Faith Church. Joan has served on the board of the MCC Et Cetera Shop, s on the regional food and world hunger committee, and works as a play school teacher helper in Newton. Ms. Wiebe will replace Gladys Goering, who has resigned, effective in August. Sato Wiebe Ministers Brice Balmer was ordained to the ministry March 27 at the First Mennonite Church, Denver, Colorado. Participants in the service of celebration included choirs from the First Mennonite Church and St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Denver, and representa- tives of the Headstart program and the community action and justice information centers. Brice will be continuing his work with urban ministries in the Westside community of Denver. Balmer Klassen H. T. Klassen is retiring as hospital chaplain for the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba in mid-June after thirteen years of service. His ministry concentrated on Mennonite patients in Winnipeg hospitals and nursing homes as well as the Selkirk Mental Health Centre. Ben Rahn has resigned as pastor of the Salem Church, Kidron, Ohio, to accept the pastorate of First Church, Aberdeen, Idaho. He has previously served pastorates at First Church, Pretty Prairie, Kansas; Grace Church, Enid, Oklahoma; First Church, Paso Robles, California; and Inman (Kan- sas) Church. David Wiebe has resigned as pastor of the Home Street Church, Winnipeg, effective this summer. His future plans are indefinite. Letters Strengthened my faith Dear Editor: I wanted to tell you how much I appreciated the Easter issue. The articles helped strengthen my faith as they explained the Scriptures, and I especially liked the articles showing Christian symbolism in the Easter egg. Before, I had enjoyed Easter eggs, but thought them some of the disrepu- table pagan trappings that seem to have crept into many of our holy days. Now, regardless of their possible history as fertility symbols, they will remind me of Christ's blood shed for us and the empty tomb with its promise of a glorious, changed life. Connie Buller. 1458 Butler, Blair, Nebras- ka 68008 April 5 Liked seminary issue Dear Editor: I wish to express my gratitude for the three experiences, "And the Lord took me as a . . ." (March 29 issue). I wish we had more of this. I am sure that there would be readers that could identify with these accounts and be encouraged and helped. The continual growth from commitment to more commitment is heartwarming. Mrs. Menno P. Eicher, Route 2, Box 199, Berne, Indi- ana 4671 1 April 6 Help wanted Opening at Open Living School, Denver, Colorado, for community apprenticeship coordinator. Avail- able mid-August, Work with elementary-age chil- dren. Immediate opening in Seattle, Washington, for person to promote and interpret school desegrega- tion plan in church and community settings. Two- year terms required. Contact Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 The Rosthern Junior College, a Mennonite residential high school, is inviting applica- tions for the following positions forthe 1977- 78 school year: 1. A teacher in religion, ethics, and pos- sibly psychology. 2. A dean of girls for the students' resi- dence. This could be a married couple, with the man also having part-time employment as dean of boys. All applications should be mailed to: R. J. Suderman, Principal Rosthern Junior College Rosthern, Saskatchewan THE MENNONITE 315 j Reviews Alone: A Widow's Search for Joy Alone: A Widow's Search for Joy by Katie F. Wiebe (Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois, 1976. 303 pages, $4.95) is reviewed by La Verna Klippenstein. Winni- peg, Manitoba, a member of the committee on The Mennonite. Alone is a compilation of narrative autobi- ography, historical research in the area of widowhood, and a nine-chapter discussion of the frustrations, problems, fears, and feelings of the widowed, with suggestions on learning to cope by being creative, imagina- tive, courageous, and disciplined. The author, recognizing that the United States has ten million widows and many more women who live alone and realizing that a married woman can expect to live about nine years as a widow, has written perceptively of her own experiences. In doing so, she provides contemporary Chris- tian women with a helpful handbook of one pilgrim's progress. Katie Wiebe develops her ideas and insights thoroughly in chapters titled "Pushed Out of Noah's Ark," "Lord, I'm So Lonely," "Parent Without Partner," "When God Does Not Heal," and thirteen others. One chapter is written by her daughter Christine. Part 3 is a well-researched account of widowhood in church and society from Old Testament times to the present. (Is this perhaps a revision of the author's MA thesis?) One chapter includes inspirational encouragement for anyone experiencing depression, loss, or insecurity. The author is well read and writes from a broad base of familiarity with situations of other widows. Her style is frank and refreshing. She shares profound insight clearly and simply. Katie Wiebe avoids immersing her readers in pity for poor widows or playing on their emotions with lengthy descriptions of her own dark valleys. But she does not minimize the problems faced by women alone in society. Some statements about the stigma given widowhood or singleness do not apply to every community and readers may question the following generalizations. "Society doesn't recognize the mother role as it does that of the wife." "Too often to be a widow means that you are nothing." "I was being Different Drums Different Drums by Charles M. and Ter- rence L. Smith (Dutton, New York 10003, 1976, $7.95) is reviewed by Janice Pauls, 532 North Eby, McPherson, Kansas 67460. "Different people hear different drums: listen to someone else's drum sometime; even if you don't like it, you may learn why he does." This pertinent advice concludes the book Pastor required The Springstein Mennonite Church will re- quire a leading minister as of July 1. The position would appeal to someone with a working knowledge of German who is inter- ested in working with a diverse congregation to build and communicate its faith in a rural- urban setting. Please write: Vic Epp Box 11 Elm Creek, Manitoba ROG 0N0 Different Drums, written by a father and son. Although the book deals with the traumatic generation-gap period of the sixties, its fundamental truths are equally valid today. Charles Smith, a retired Methodist minis- ter, and his son, Terrence, candidly relate their frustrations and feelings of guilt throughout the years when Terrence was struggling to establish an identity for himself. The father tells how he stubbornly refused to surrender the deeply ingrained concepts and values which he had absorbed from his midwestern Protestant cultural background. The son shares a bit of his own soul-searching as he gradually concluded that many of his father's values were irrelevant to his life. Charles and Terrence Smith were listening to different drums. The book does not tell a unique story. What makes it most meaningful, however, is the fact that the story is a personal one. It is not an outside observer's analysis of some- one else's struggle. In addition, the issues dealt with in the book, such as education. forced to make my reentry into a society that didn't care whether I was coming back or not." On occasion she is defensive, "If people i referred to me as a widow . . . that was their problem." Contradictory feelings about widowhood: surface. For example, the author does not wish to be identified as Mrs. Walter Wiebe ("How could I be the wife of a dead man?") At the same time she deplores the fact that friends of her husband did not visit her anymore. Katie Wiebe has also suffered from the common delusion that life is an achievement, that one's role gives significance to one's person. The book reflects influence of the women's movement in our generation. One wishes the author could have recog- nized that life is not an achievement but a gift. However, among an increasing number of books by and for women alone in today's world, Katie Wiebe's contribution is valua- ble in its research and readability. Readers who find it difficult to accept some state ments or assumptions will nonetheless appreciate and respect her honesty and insight. style of dress, and the work ethic, are common issues; the type of problems with which many middle-class families struggle Neither of the authors pretend to have found a solution to the generation-gap problem. They simply relate what has worked for them. Their foremost message to both parents and children is to always keep the lines of communication open and never be afraid to show love for each other. Different Drums is a book which would be most helpful for both parents and young people who wish to bridge their generation gap with a minimum of anxiety. The Rosthern Junior College, a Mennonite It residential high school, is inviting applica-j tions for grades 10-12. Early application is encouraged. For more information concerning applica- tions and bursaries write to: Rosthern Junior College Business Office Rosthern, Saskatchewan 316 MAY 10, 197- the child the Bible the teacher in the congregation in the congregation in the congregation The Foundation Series No other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:1 1 CHECK LIST FOR THE CHURCH LIBRARIAN Help your teachers teach your children by having ( resources available. Choose one from each of the following groups. I COMMENTARIES. Broadman Bible Commentary, i twelve volumes, $8.75, $94.50 a set; or Layman's Bible 1 Commentary, twenty-five volumes, $3.50, $77.50 a set; 1 or Jamieson, Fausset & Brown's Commentary of the I Whole Bible, one volume, $15.95. 1 DICTIONARIES. The Interpreter's Dictionary of the | Bible, five volumes, $74.50 a set, supplemental Vol. I 5, $17.95; or Harper's Bible Dictionary, $12.50. J DICTIONARIES FOR CHILDREN. A Bible Dictionary J for Young Readers, Broadman, $4.75; or Young i People's Bible Dictionary, Westminster, $5.00. I MAPS. Abingdon Map of the Bible World (wall map), 1 $19.95; or Broadman Bible Study Maps (twelve), $2.95. J ATLASES. Atlas of the Bible Lands or Atlas of the Bible World, Hammond, $3.95; or The Westminster Historical I Atlas of the Bible, $10.95; or Zondervan Pictorial Bible Atlas, $12.95. ATLAS FOR CHILDREN. The Golden Bible Atlas, Western, $5.95. HARMONY OF OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY. Har- mony of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles (by William D. Crockett), Baker, $6.95. HARMONY OF GOSPELS. Harmony of the Gospels (by J. T. Robertson), Harper, $6.00. CLASS BIBLE. Collins RSV (No. RS 4), $5.95. BIBLE HANDBOOK. Eerdman's Handbook to the Bible, $14.95. CONCORDANCES. RSV Handy Concordance, Zon- dervan, $1.95; or Young's Analytical Concordance to the Bible, Eerdmans, $15.95; or Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, Abingdon, $16.95. NOTE: Prices (March 1977) subject to change. ORDER FROM: Fellowship Bookcenter 302 Kennedy, Winnipeg, Manito- ba R3B 2M6 Faith and Life Bookstores 724 Main, Newton, Kansas 67114 159 West Main, Berne, Indi- ana 46711 Call collect Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT, for any information you desire on Foundation Series. Cornelia Lehn, John Gaeddert, Dietrich Rempel, 316-283-5100. Commission on Education, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. THE MENNONITE 317 Does your church have record player? Foundation Series includes several records. ■ A man had two sons. He said to the firstborn, "Son, go and work for me." But he answered, "I will not." And he came to the second and said likewise, "Son, go and work for me." And the son replied, "I go, sir." The job description was simple. The father said, "Do my will. Love me completely and love your neighbor even as you love yourself." The son said to himself, "Now in order to do this job right I will have to prepare myself." He went to school to learn more about his father and his neighbors so that he might learn to love them properly. He got along quite well in school and soon graduated with high marks in both theology and psychology. "Now," he said to himself, "1 will show my love to my father and my neighbors by teaching people all about my father." And so he taught. He became enthusiastic about his work and waxed eloquent in his discourses and lecturer about his father. He was certain that he was doing his job the way his father wanted it done. One day some foreigners were discovered trespassing on his father's property in another country, so he organized and directed an army which drove them off and killed many of those undesirable characters. Later he came across some people who would not listen to him when he told them how to address his father. They were a quiet, peaceful lot, but they were stubborn. So he had many of them killed. But now the people around him began to go to his schools. They became knowledgea- ble and began to mistrust him. He decided to go back to school and learn how to make weapons so that he could defend himself and his father as well. A PARABLE OF TWO SONS- He excelled in this new school and soon he was able to build weapons that were capable of killing thousands of people in a moment. Now he felt confident that he could destroy everyone on earth if necessary. He became quite wealthy because he sold his weapons to other countries and he also got to be rather fat. His friends didn't quite trust him anymore and hardly anyone listened when he spoke and taught about his father. This business of doing his father's will was getting to be a real drag. It cost a lot of money to build those weapons and keep that army going. His factories and mills were polluting the water and the air, and the people were always complaining about pollution and a shortage of fresh water and energy. Meanwhile his older brother had gone to live in the woods after refusing to work for his father. He never did come back to the city. He cut his own wood, built a little house to live in, and ate berries and fish and the meat from the animals and game that he caught. He never did put on much weight; it was a lot of work just to keep himself and his family fed. His skin turned quite dark from the sun and wind. Soon he became quite friendly with the trees and birds and animals and the other woods people. They all belonged to his father and seemed to know him quite well. The saddest experience he had was when he found it necessary to kill an animal friend for meat to eat and to feed his family and friends. He would always apologize and say something like this, "I am sorry I have to do this to you and I thank you for giving me your body for food and your skin to keep me warm. Even as you have given yourself to me and my friends, so I dedicate my life to my brothers K W( led ,«lifi irpo1 itc it neat 1 rdfi pie lite & iiJ ulsli the The and will lay it down so they can live. I promise to protect them and share my food with them and I will never waste life unnecessarily." And so he lived with the woods people. They were all like one big family. Even the birds and animals belonged to the family and were treated like people. All the woods people knew the father, and they all loved him. They spoke to the father every day and 'JJ thanked him for the sun and moon, for the rain and snow and storm, and for their animal brothers. They thanked him for everything. One day the city brother came into the deep woods with some of his friends. They were so pale and fat that the woods brother hardly recognized them. Nevertheless he called his friends from the woods and they brought some furs from the animals and some food to eat and gave the city people many gifts. They even helped them build tents so they could stay for awhile. When the city people returned to the city, they took the furs and gifts and also some gold they had found in the woods and showed it to their friends. They also kidnapped some of the people and took them to the city. The woods brother and his friends cried and cried for days when they found their friends had been kidnapped. The city brother promised to bring them back, but they got sick in the city and died there. When the city people saw the gold and furs that the people brought back from the deep woods, they decided that they wanted some, too. Many of them headed for the woods. They took their guns with them and shot and killed many of the animals and birds just for fun and sometimes they killed some of the woods people just for fun. — V M ah Ion Bast v.. i • \ W ff T wuH I U >\* 7'. -~\^ ..I, 318 MAY 10, 19771 More and more city people came to live in fie woods. They cut down the trees and illed the animals with their big guns and built factories and dams to make electricity pr power. The poison from the factories got into the rivers and the fish died and pretty pon the woods people did not have enough hj eat in the winter. Many starved to death or jied from the sickness that the city people ad brought with them. 1 The woods people were unhappy, and jome decided to fight the city people and Irive them out of the woods, but it was too jite. The city people came with their big guns jnd slaughtered the woods people and many If the women and children. | The woods brother was sad. Nearly all his animal friends were dead. Over half of his friends from the woods people were killed or dead from starvation and disease. There was a bad smell in the air from the factories, and the rivers were full of poison. It was not even safe to drink the water or eat a fish from streams anymore. His friends, the woods people, were unhappy, and many began to drink and refused to work. As he was considering this mess, his city brother walked up to him and said, "If you had gone to work for father as I did, all this wouldn't have happened to you." The woods brother had nothing to say. He wasn't feeling well. So now I ask you, "Which one of these sons did what his father asked him?" c hristian Education full curriculum extra curricular activities chapels daily quality music program outreach groups F at r reeman Academy four years of high school For more information write: ADMISSIONS FREEMAN ACADEMY FREEMAN, S.D. 57029 or call: 605-925-4237 street address Contents The faceless generation 306 Hello, Mrs. Sanders 307 Bound by love 309 News 310 Record 314 Letters 315 Alone: A Widow's Search for Joy 316 Different Drums 316 A parable of two sons 318 The other side of television 320 Uncle Asa has gone home 320 CONTRIBUTORS Anne Neufeld Rupp, Middlebury, Indi- ana 46540, serves together with her hus- band, Ken, as pastor of the Pleasant Oaks Church. Elvera Goering, 1760 Parkwood, Wichita, Kansas 67218, is a free-lance writer James Waltner, Normal, Illinois 61761, continues his series for membership instruc- tion. Mahlon Bast, Box 2, Site 10, Lively, Ontario POM 2E0, has been a second- semester student at Canadian Mennonite Bible College. His meditation was written as part of a response to a course on native peoples taken at the University of Sudbury last spring. Hattie Smith, Box 91, Clothier, West Virginia 25047, writes a regular column called "Pungent Prayer." CREDITS Cover, Strix Pix, Newville, Pennsylva- nia 17241,306, Bob Taylor, Cordell, Oklaho- ma 73632; 308, Elvera Goering; 310, Chris- tine Wiebe, MCC; 312, RNS; 318. John Hiebert. The Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office; 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Win- nipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schu- macher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circulation sec- retary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L. Ramseyer; 488 West Elm Street, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117; Encompass. Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indi- ana 46805; and Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P0M4, HE MENNONITE 319 The other side of television Television has been severely criticized of late, and The Mennonite has contributed its share. Today I must speak about its other side. The ABC and NBC networks have both put out unusual releases in the past few months. Alex Haley's Roots, in its TV version, was an unprece- dented gamble. To present the saga of a minority family on prime time was a major breakthrough. To do it for a whole week seemed incredible. The images of Kunta Kinte and Fiddler can never again be removed from our thinking about life and freedom. This television classic struck a blow for meaningful programming, a blow that we must also strike. Our family bought the book Roots and we are reading it as a family. Before we had gone many chapters, we heard that NBC was doing a six-hour prime-time special on Jesus of Nazareth. Two substantial shows so close together — it seemed too good to be true. After the fascination which had gripped our family with Roots, no coaxing was needed to watch the TV version of Jesus, both segments. In fact, the children urged consideration for it in our Easter plans. The movie surprised me. Jesus was not portrayed as masculine as I would have hoped for, but the message was emotionally powerful and positive. And the major teachings of the Bible were allowed to shine through. Our familv became misty-eyed at several points. Both of these television productions merit our endorsement. We have been ready to criticize; now we should write letters of encouragement for this kind of programming. The networks have shown us their other side. They are willing to take some risks to do significant broadcasting. It would be great for us to flood the networks with an avalanche of appreciation. These examples of responsible television have portrayed the potential of this medium. The tube of itself is not bad; it has the capacity to carry helpful communication to the whole globe at the speed of light. As Christians, we dare not sit idly by when it is used to promote trash. We must protest. Equally, we cannot be passive when it takes its role seriously. Write a letter to ABC and to NBC and tell them how you feel about Roots and Jesus of Nazareth. The addresses can be found in The Mennonite (January 25 issue). Write to CBS and urge them to do the next one, maybe a new presentation of Martin Luther King, Jr. Canadians, let's tell the CBC and CTV that there are programs of this nature which we'd like to see in Canada. We criticize readily. Let's show that we are equally ready to support what is good. BW Uncle Asa has gone home Hattie Smith Lord, you've taken Uncle Asa home. You knew his mind was no longer capable of taking care of his body's needs. He was eager to be with Rose again. We miss him. Our house is strangely silent day and night. His shuffling feet no longer wander aimlessly. We still smile at the memory of his trying to slip away (just going to the post office) or forgetting what day it was and asking every few minutes if Sue Ann was late (she worked late on Fridays). We shed a tear when we remember how insecure he felt. Like the time Rob and Grace came home. This was a threat to him. Though we assured him there was plenty of room, he put on his pajamas and sat on his bed all day. Forgive me for not taking more time to try clearing up his confusion. Lord, we're thankful that you love each of us as if we were your only child. You know us as if we are. You know all our thoughts, everything we do, but you love us anyhow. Thank you for seeing us through difficult times. Thank you for the times we laughed — Like when he put his shoes on the wrong feet. Thanks for your love that took us through rough places — like when he decided we should move out of his house (really ours). Thank you for making his going easy. ^era\CTu?ustC3e SeumS,OWonS july 28 to Augusi o, The Mciiiioiiilc OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO MAN LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST 92:20 MAY 17, 1977 Jig ;•. Who is Jesus? Peter J. Ediger More books have been written about Jesus than about any other person in history, yet not all has been written that can or will be written. More paintings have been painted about Jesus than about any other person in history, yet not all has been pictured that can or will be pictured. More songs have been sung about Jesus than about any other person in human history, yet not all has been sung that can or will be sung. He is the son of God — truly divine, yet nowhere does human life find such full and complete expression as in Jesus. He is the son of Man — truly human, yet nowhere does divine life find such full and complete expression as in Jesus. He is king of kings and lord of lords, yet he lords it over no one and expresses his kingship with no coercion. He is the stranger of Galilee, yet he is at home in every place where people are. He is the sinless one, yet he welcomes sinners into his love and life. He is the world's great lover, yet he knows the agony of loneliness and rejection. He is a condemned criminal, yet he knows the joyous ecstasy of oneness with his Creator and with his sisters and his brothers. He is conservative always conserving — saving life, yet he is radical calling for a rooting out, a turning around, a beginning anew. He is radical, blowing minds, exploding mythologies, re-creating the world, yet he is conservative, gently picking up the bruised and broken pieces of our lives and of our world. He is the savior of the world, yet he does not save himself or the people of his body from suffering and from death. He is kind and gentle, yet his truth pierces the toughest defenses and brings into judgment the sins of the world. He is the judge, yet there is no condemnation in him and nothing can separate from his love. He lived twenty centuries ago, yet he is alive today and will be tomorrow. He is the one who comes — the one for whom we wait with expectant hope — yet he is here and says, Lo, I am with you always. He is my friend, a special friend, yet he belongs to everyone. He belongs to everyone, yet he is my friend, my special friend. Amen. Who is Jesus? 322 MAY 17, 197 faking disciples Palmer Becker Facilitators of discipleship help people to surrender as much of themselves as they can to as much of Jesus Christ as they understand. Automobiles? Drugs? Computers? In our technological age we know how to make them all. But do we know how to make disciples? Making disciples is the central imperative in the Great Commission. Disciple means "disciplined one." We make disciples by making it possible for people to be disciplined by Jesus. Three elements — caring, proclaiming, and inviting — make that possible. These ele- ments have been instrumental in my life, and we are seeking to make them functional for others through the Commission on Home Ministries. Christian caring in the home where I grew up made it possible for me to be disciplined by Jesus. When I was five years old, I suddenly had an overwhelming feeling of being loved. I felt Jesus was my friend. He cared about me! I reported my feelings to my mother, and because my mother cared and I knew Jesus and his friends cared, I voluntari- ly surrendered as much of myself as I could to as much of Christ as I could understand at that time. Through caring, my family was making it possible for me to become Jesus' joyful disciple — a disciplined one. Fishermen Peter and John must have felt cared-for and loved. Why else would they have voluntarily decided to come under the ^discipline of Jesus? But Jesus did more for them than show loving care. He taught and proclaimed truth-filled good news. I vividly recall the stories of Don Zimmer- | man. Don came to my home church proclaiming the justice of God in story form. I A side of Jesus I had not previously understood became clear. It made me aware j of my self-centered and quiet rebellion ' against Jesus. Also my unconscious mind had addressed my conscious in a dream which depicted me as a follower of Jesus. But in the dream I was following far behind Jesus as his community of followers traveled to a new location! The proclamation of Don Zimmerman and my vivid dream enlarged my concept of Jesus and deepened my understanding of self. That input encour- aged me voluntarily to kneel in the soil of an eighty-acre field of grain where I was working and further surrender as much of myself as I then understood to as much of Christ and his movement as I was currently comprehending. Invitations, in addition to caring and proclaiming, have played an important part on my road to becoming a fuller disciple of Jesus. One such invitation came to me while attending Freeman Junior College. Several students had shown a deep concern for me. Harold Gross had taught (proclaimed) clearly concerning a just God who loves. Then missionary Herbert Peters invited me to Jackson, Mississippi, to share my life for several weeks in an interracial ministry. I responded and subsequently through my caring, teaching, and inviting, several new persons made an initial response. Hopefully a new cycle of disciple making was started! Later, Hugh Sprunger invited me to a caring group in Taiwan. J. J. Enz invited me to study the Bible at Mennonite Biblical Seminary. John Jones invited me and others to tutor children who had poor reading skills in Clinton, Oklahoma. And Judith Roarkat the Church of the Savior in Washington, D.C., invited me to begin a daily time of disciplined, meditative silence. Each of these invitations, plus others, have been instru- mental in making it possible for me to be disciplined by Jesus and to be involved in his movement as expressed through the church. There will be more caring, proclaiming, and inviting! Not too long ago I received a further persuasive invitation through my daughter JoLynn. It was income tax time and I reported to the family that we would be paying $340 for war. "But Dad," she exclaimed, "after all you have said about killing being wrong, are you going to pay for it?" I had attended a Bible study seminar on war taxes, reread the Gospel of Mark, and now had received a persuasive word from my daughter. Together with my family I once more sought to surrender as much of myself as 1 could to as much of Christ as I could understand. For me, becoming a disciple has been a succession of responses to the care which I have experienced and to the truth which I have heard proclaimed. Perhaps that is why Samuel Shoemaker's definition of becoming a Christian speaks so forcefully to me. He says that to become a Christian we must "surrender as much of ourselves as we can to as much of Christ as we understand" {How to Become a Christian, p. 71). Caring, proclaiming, and inviting also summarize what the Commission on Home Ministries is doing to make it possible for people to become disciples of Jesus Christ. Reports and illustrations of involvement appear in this issue of TJie Mennonite. Through Mennonite Voluntary Service workers, CHM is introducing over three hundred fifty children in day-care centers and at Hopi Mission School to a Jesus who cares. Feeling cared for comes considerably harder when persons become poor. But THE MENNONITE 323 Tfte 'a.sA; /or us as a church is to care deeply, to proclaim clearly, and to invite persuasively. through thirty poverty projects the Commis- sion on Home Ministries is tackling the job. Nadine Teichert of the People's Alternative Home Health Care Project in Wichita recently wrote, "I am working with a woman who is emotionally paralyzed due to fear and the lack of trust. Her greatest need is to be able to trust God, herself, and me. Surely her heart can be softened and love can prevail!" Christian caring is not all there is to making disciples. Jesus did more than heal the sick and give nonverbal caring messages. Christian caring is an essential first step in disciple making. But I have noted in my life, and we have observed in Commission on Home Ministries work, that nonverbal deeds without clear proclamation can keep people guessing. Caring without proclamation often leaves potential disciples encouraged but still in their predicament. Rosalind Rinker has written, "The living deed is ultimately inadequate without the spoken word. The reason for this is obvious. No life is good enough to speak by itself. Any person who says, 'I don't need to witness; I just let my life speak' is unbearably self- righteous" ( You Can Witness with Confi- dence, p. 43). Proclamation is needed to make disciples. Jesus knew that. They heard him proclaim in both synagogue and countryside! While Christian caring can bring persons to a trust in Jesus, proclamation brings them to a more precise knowledge of him and to a clearer understanding of his movement. Several students at Hopi Mission Schoo and a number of persons related to MennO' nite Voluntary Service have this year placed their faith in Jesus. About 1,700 persons ir General Conference churches have this yeai also become disciples of Jesus and have beer baptized after hearing clearly spoken word; about him. Evangelist Myron Augsburger has stated "We often ask people to accept Jesus Chrisi before they know what they are accepting Young people by the thousands have beer rejecting Jesus because of the soft anc twisted misconceptions they have of him. I they would know the real Jesus more clearly they would respond with joy to their new found teacher-leader" (Bethel College Bibl< Lectures, 1972). Caring and proclaiming may offer nev feelings and new information to people. Bu a disciple of Jesus is more than an emotional educated person. A disciple is a disciplinec one — one who is following Jesus in daily life doing Jesus' kind of things in his movement To move from feelings and information to a response of faith and obedient living generally takes an invitation. Sometimes i takes an invitation with persuasive qualities! Larry Sloan and twenty other General Conference workers have been helped m attend clinics on evangelism where they anj taught the Christian arts of caring, proclaim; ing, and inviting. After attending a clini Larry took four months to train two of hi members in these arts. They each trained tw others. Later they helped train still more Each week these persons specifically visi with people in the Sweet Home, Oregoni community where they live. They care. The;: carefully proclaim. And then they seek t .ec n year \ md I: irl; ^Being a disciple in Washington, D.C. Delton Franz Franz During the turbulent sixties, Delton Franz served as an inner-city pastor in Chicago. Within his parish were the victims of the dehumanizing federal welfare system and of overcrowded apartments run by slum landlords in collusion with city hall. He made the pastoral rounds down glass-strewn streets, knocking on endless doors in dimly lit apartment hallways. Now Delton is the director for the MCC Peace Section (U.S.) office in Washington, D.C. Today his parish often means to walk the marble corridors of Capitol Hill. We asked him what it means to be a disciple in his task. "Faithfulness in my Washington assign- ment, more than anything else, means not to forget the disinherited of the earth while finding ways to sensitize the powerful to the impact of their actions on the world's powerless. To seek out witnesses to accom- plish this is a crucial part of my ministry. "The roster of Congress is heavily repre- sented by lawyers, bankers, and corporation executives. Few in federal government have been inner-city school teachers, probation officers, or overseas refugee workers — and fewer still have lived in slum housing, stood in unemployment lines, or been the homeless victims of war. "When a Pennsylvania farmer — commissioned by his home congregation to serve as an agriculturalist among the malnourished peasant families of Bolivia — returns to alert senators of the linkage of the Bolivian's poverty to U.S. economic policies in Latin America, a prophetic witness has been facilitated. "The circuit becomes complete — from Christian nurture to Christian service and culminates in a summons to justice. Paul said it well: 'Now, through the church the wisdom of God in all its varied forms might be made known to the rulers and authorities' (Ephesians 3:10, NEB). "Our quietistic Mennonite tradition would seem to be an unlikely source for Christian witness to the principalities and powers. But God has clearly called us to new responsibilities with our expanding expo- sure to the world. In 1900 there were twelve Mennonites in overseas ministries. In 1977 there are over two thousand. Ours has become a rich reservoir of identification with the world's suffering people. It is this experience that so urgently needs to be shared in the corridors of power. "But our voice for justice and mercy is repeatedly countered by the voices of self- interest — for corporation profits, arms industry sales, etc.; consequently, in observ- ing government leaders close up, one comes to appreciate the ethical ambiguities and dilemmas confronting them as they must weigh the complex issues and finally reach a decision by casting their yea or nay. And these are often far-reaching decisions affect- ing humankind's survival in terms of nuclear destruction, environmental disasters, and on and on. I have learned that the statesman is neither to be reverenced nor reviled. He needs, like any person, to be understood and deemed worthy of personal concern. And because so many officials in government are Christians, our duty toward them, as fallible brothers, is clear. Paul says it for us, 'You who are endowed with the spirit must set him right again very gently. Look to yourself, each one of you: you may be tempted too. Help one another to carry these heavy loads.' (Galatians 6:1-2, NEB)." Disciple making through church planting Donald E. Yoder Thirteen years ago Donald E. Yoder began to plant a church in Glendale, Arizona. That church, Trinity Mennonite Church, has grown to 168 members. They are deeply involved in services to the people of their community and use the church facility through the week as a school for retarded citizens. Last summer the conjoint missions committee of the Southwest Mennonite and Pacific District Mennonite conferences invited Don to draw together a new congregation in Tempe, Arizona. A charter celebration was held on September 19, 1976, with nineteen members signing a charter membership scroll for the Koinonia Menno- nite Church. We asked Don how they are working at disciple making in a newly planted church. "One of the important ministries of Koinonia Fellowship is the weekly Bible studies in homes of the members. At the present time we have three Bible studies meeting each week on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. The leaders of the Bible studies meet each Tuesday afternoon with the pastor to discuss the study for that week, to plan, and to pray together. This meeting is a very important ministry to one another as study leaders. "In the groups we are studying the book by John Driver, Community and Commitment (Herald Press, 1976). The author maintains Ji THE MENNONITE J 325 Yoder cA congregation reaches out Richard Ratzlaff Ric and Carol Dalke Tarmers can also be disciples Raymond Regier that the church is by nature a community whose essential marks are that of sharing, of forgiveness, of gifts, of peace, always with an overarching missionary dynamic. These studies are enabling us to more clearly identify with one another as disciples and to more clearly identify our mission in our community. "Another important ministry for making In a harvest and mission festival two years ago, Lawrence Hart challenged the First Mennonite Church of Hutchinson, Kansas, to respond to the Jubilee living emphasis by sending some of its members to work with them in Oklahoma. The congregation brought the suggestion to the annual meeting and by vote estab- lished that they wanted to send and support someone from their church in a ministry with the Cheyenne people. Ric and Carol Dalke, who were at the time employed in social services, were recruited, and one year ago sent to Seiling, Oklahoma. We asked Richard Ratzlaff, pastor of the First Mennonite Church, "What has been your congregation's experience in sending Ric and Carol into voluntary service in Oklahoma?" " 'It's just $600 out of our monthly budget.' That's what some would say about our church's support of Ric and Carol Dalke as MVS workers to the Indian churches and communities in Oklahoma. But this action says that the church is able to call its Raymond Regier is a farmer at Moundridge, Kansas. He is on a number of church and conference committees. We asked Ray how a farmer can assist in making disciples. "Farmers can understand the hope for new life. We are always busy trying to promote life and life-giving forces. Death- dealing forces and ideas must be resisted. "In the church, the battle between the forces of life and death are very strong. Jesus' efforts to build a new kingdom met with fatal opposition from the Roman and Jewish authorities. disciples is prayer. We have experienced a number of exciting answers to prayer through the 'prayer chain' telephone calls, praying together at the weekly Bible studies, and the 'sharing and prayer time' during the Sunday morning worship hour. We aref attempting to make prayer a reality in the life of the congregation rather than just a subject that we occasionally talk about." members to special service. "We sent two. A few more have gone. The seventh and eighth grade Sunday school class went to Oklahoma to visit and to work. The encounter certainly did have its effects on them as individuals and as a group. They worked with some of the kids there and so learned to know them at a personal level Others from our church have also gone to Oklahoma to visit and to work. One culture met another. "Our church has an arts and crafts festival with the Church of the Brethren. We invited the people from Seiling to come and show and sell their Indian jewelry along with our* arts and crafts. The bigger joy was to havej some of them in our homes and at worshipj on Sunday morning. "A guilt feeling has also developed. W had high hopes of building relations betweeri two communities. Much less than hoped foil has happened. Thus, in our accomplishment.1 there is also failure. God has led us thus far tomorrow he will lead us farther. Dare w follow?" I 2: "Jesus' model, through teaching anc example, is an inspiration for me to work foi alleviation of hunger, stewardship of natura resources, and trying to help others expe- rience the quality of personal caring which he demonstrated. "Ours is a world of violence. Sometimes ii seems that it is the only way to effect change Jesus demonstrated the effective alternative When I see how outstanding leaders like Gandhi and Martin Luther King did show the power of nonviolence, 1 am encouragec in my faith to follow the way of Jesus." 326 MAY 17, 197 I News Asuncion school to open in July The new, yet unnamed, Asuncion theologi- cal school planned by the General Confer- ence Mennonites of Uruguay, Brazil, and Paraguay is scheduled to open its doors July Waldemar Janzen, professor of Old Testament and German at Canadian Men- lonite Bible College in Winnipeg, will teach our-weeks ministers' courses on biblical nterpretation, homiletics, and pastoral psy- chology. One week later the regular program of tudies is to begin. John Koppenhaver, on abbatical from Hesston College, will be one 3f the instructors for the 1977-78 school /ear. Gerhard Goerzen, secretary for the Men- nonite Missions Committee of Paraguay, ind serving part-time as administrator for the new institution, recently visited Canadi- an Mennonite Bible College, Mennonite Biblical Seminary, and the Commission on Overseas Mission offices at Newton, Kansas. Mr. Goerzen's immediate goal was to make the necessary arrangements for visiting professors. He also added, "We would like very much that our school begin with a working relationship to the North American schools of graduate training in theology. If possible, we want to participate in a plan that will regularly bring sabbatical faculty members to Asuncion." Since the closing of the Mennonite seminary in Montevideo, Uruguay, the South Americans have not had a school to train church workers. Mr. Goerzen said this has caused serious problems because they have nowhere to go when their congrega- tions need leadership. Asuncion is not a continuation of Monte- video. The churches believe that the time is ripe for a new training facility. Plans are to begin with two levels of admission; those who would immediately go into the graduate program and those who want further preparation at a lower level. Participating congregations were invited to contribute $2.50 per member for 1977. The Witmarsum, Brazil, church has volun- teered $3.50 per member. The Commission on Overseas Mission is also assisting in the initial funding. The name, probably a Spanish name, for the school is to be chosen shortly. Projec- tions call for instruction at Asuncion to be 50 percent German and 50 percent Spanish. Bernie Wiebe North American food system said a "killer" The competition of agribusiness corpora- tions and the poor food habits of North Americans have given us a "new litmus paper test," said Dan McCurry, agriculture and food specialist and theologian. He spoke at an April 21 lecture in North Newton, Kansas. Sponsored by the Mennonite Central Committee's food and world hunger com- mittee, by Bethel College, and by the Western District and General Conference Mennonite Church peace and social con- cerns committees, Mr. McCurry spoke on "The Food We Eat and Justice" in obser- vance of United States Food Day. Mr. McCurry criticized the current North American food system, calling it a "killer." He said that the food industry spent $4 billion last year on advertising, much of it deceptive. While the selection of food has grown less nutritious each year, the variety of false choices has increased and the consumption of staples has decreased, he said. For example, since World War II, dairy con- sumption has fallen by 21 percent, fruit consumption 25 percent, and vegetables 23 percent. At the same time, pastry consump- tion has risen by 70 percent, "munchy" processed snacks by 85 percent, and soft drinks by 220 percent. The nation's health is suffering because of this food system, Mr. McCurry maintained. He said a recent Boston medical conference reported that parents are now raising a "generation hooked on sugar whose habit will be as expensive to maintain and painf ul to observe as any other addict's." Currently $30 billion is spent annually on health treatment for Americans. Another danger is the increase in agribusi- ness corporations, said Mr. McCurry. He told of the recent attempt by the Continental Illinois National Bank to use pension funds to buy $50 million of prime agricultural land in the Midwest and Midsouth. The plan would have involved owning the farms long enough to take the capital-gains tax advan- tage and avoiding paying taxes on profits because trust pension funds had been used to buy the land. The Illinois corporation could have controlled about $6,5,00,000 worth of grain. "Continental Illinois' innovation would have given them the power to put all that grain on the commodity market when they chose at the prices they could jack up the traders to give them," Mr. McCurry said. Fortunately, he added, the U.S. Depart- ment of Agriculture is being asked to investigate and the program has been halted temporarily because of public protest. But such ventures could become widespread unless much more protest is made known to Congress, he said. (The name of the proposed program was Ag-Land Fund I.) Mr. McCurry, who has had farming experience in the South, holds degrees from the University of North Carolina and the University of Chicago. He is program director for Chicago Loop City College's Center for Continuing Education and is director of Food and Cooperative Alterna- tives. Chicago church meetinghouse burns Fire bombs severely damaged the building of the Grace Mennonite Church in Chicago on Saturday, April 30. David Whitermore, staff person for the Chicago Area Mennonites, said the congre- gation did not know yet the extent of the damage and whether the building could be repaired. Although no one saw the person or persons who threw the fire bombs, the pastors of the church, Lee and Betty Hochstetler, had earlier received threats of fire and bodily harm from a man. This man had earlier lived with a young woman to whom the Hochstetlers were giving tempo- rary shelter. The Chicago police had a bulletin out for the man's arrest. The Hochstetlers have been serving the Grace Church since last fall while participat- ing as students in the Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education (SCUPE) program in Chicago. They were in the building when the fire broke out, but escaped unharmed. THE MENNONITE 327 .1 Eastern District wants conference minister A part-time conference minister for the Eastern District Conference was approved by delegates to the Eastern District annual sessions April 28 to May 1 at Men-O-Lan, in eastern Pennsylvania. Delegates representing twenty-eight churches approved a recommendation by the ministerial committee that a part-time conference minister be procured for a three- year term beginning by September 1978 at a maximum salary not to exceed $6,000. The delegates and visitors finished the sessions in the newly completed Landis Hall with a mission rally Sunday afternoon. Elmer Neufeld, philosophy professor at Bluffton (Ohio) College, and Don Follmer, a medical doctor in family practice in Bethle- hem, Pennsylvania, provided input on "Sanctity of Life: Birth and Death." Partici- pants shared experiences and grappled with questions about these topics following the addresses. The conference affirmed the Spanish congregation presently meeting in the building of the Grace Church, Lansdale, promising to support it with $5,000 when it decides to relocate. Until then, this money will be used to support John Freed in the developing ministry in Philadelphia. The Christian schools committee of the Philadelphia Mennonite Council was grant- ed its request of $1,500 to help Mennonite students in Philadelphia attend Christian schools. Scholarships are based upon need and willingness of the family to contribute what it is able. In order to encourage more participation from congregations and get new people involved, the district constitution was changed so that congregations will be represented at the conference by one vote for every twenty members of or fraction thereof, instead of one for every thirty members. This does not change the fact that one person can vote no more than seven proxy votes. The Frederick Home board has received oral approval for its cottages. The board outlined three plans for financial arrange- ments for the $34,000 dwellings. Delegates also discussed a resolution that the district encourage its churches to respect the rights of publishers to their copyrighted materials and to refrain from reproducing such materials without getting appropriate permission. Romans 13 and the fact that deliberately copying materials for church use is a bad example of Christian witness were cited as the concerns behind this resolution. Wayne Mumbauer, Harleysvillc, Pennsyl- vania, was reelected treasurer, and Marjorie Geissinger, Zionsville, Pennsylvania, was reelected as district representative to the General Conference Commission on Educa- tion. Ray Linberger of Philadelphia was elected to the General Conference's Com- mission on Home Ministries. The budget passed was $76,380, or $ 1 7 per member. Congregations were urged by district president Chester Mill not to regard their quota as absolute, but to think of the budget as faith giving and to exceed that amount where possible. Germantown Church in Philadelphia was the only church whose giving nearly doubled its quota this past year. Marjorie Geissinger, Zionsville, Pennsylvania Families share experiences with adopted and foster children at a weekend retreat at Camp Assiniboia in Manitoba. Adoptive, fostering parents meet Our family joined eleven others April 15 at Camp Assiniboia near Winnipeg. It was a Family Weekend focusing on the fact that each participating family had experience with adoption or child fostering. Friday evening the group gathered in the main lodge of the camp to get acquainted; with twenty-two adults and forty-six chil- dren there were a lot of introductions. People had traveled from many parts of Manitoba to meet together and learn from each other. We parents met in several sessions and covered a variety of topics relating to fostering and adoption. As an ice-breaker each family told part of "their" story and we were surprised to learn that even in a small group there had been quite a diversity of experiences. But many of the joys and frustrations of parenting were common to us all. Among the issues discussed were the following: the search by adopted children for their biological parents, rights of the biological parents, rights of adopting or fostering parents, how and when to tell children they are adopted, the special needs of biracial families, acceptance of the foster or adopted child by the larger family, the church, and the community; dealing with social workers and agencies. Families with foster children spoke of the heartache of giving up children they had come to love. They would like to see a response from our churches in the form of some kind of support group. No rigid program had been set up for discussions but were led by the weekend's organizers, Terry Burkhalter, Manitoba Camp program direc- tor, and Henry Neufeld, a social worker on staff at the Children's Aid Society (Portage). Mr. Burkhalter and his wife had worked with a similar study group of parents at a retreat at Laurelville Church Center, Penn- sylvania. Several young people on the camp's summer counseling staff arranged activities for the children during the time we were in session. They were responsible for a large and lively group from infants to teenagers. An event like this is already being planned for next spring again. Information is available from Camps with Meaning, 202- 1483 Pembina Highway, Winnipeg, Manito- ba R3T 2C9. Susan Wiens 328 MAY 17, 1977 The Mennonite CHM seeks to combine a caring, confronting Christian presence with a clear presentation of Jesus Christ and persuasive invitations to respond to the God of peace. l\Jaking Disciples North America in Make disciples! These are the central words of the Great Commission. Jesus gave them not only to the first disciples but also to us. Making disciples in North America is what the Commission on Home Ministries is commissioned to do! Reconciliation, communication, persuasion, and invitation are important when it comes to making disciples. CHM is seeking to bring these experiences to many persons in need by working with and through the living, active congregations of the General Conference Mennonite Church. The commission is seeking to be congregationally oriented and Jesus centered. CHM workers are finding particular strength in the purpose statement which Jesus chose for himself as he began his ministry. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has chosen me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save his people." Luke 4:18, 19, TEV DISCIPLES WERE DISCOVERED Jesus discovered potential disciples on the shores of Galilee, in the rebel movements of that time, and in the establishment's tax office. The Commission on Home Ministries has been discover- ing disciples on the farms of North America, in the environ- mental and peace movements of our time, and in various schools and business establishments. Two hundred twenty persons were guided to a Mennonite Voluntary Service unit during this triennium. The number of persons in service increased from 80 to 120. Plans for 250 volunteers are being projected! Many disciples of Jesus, both past and present, live and work in groups. Mennonite Voluntary Service groups range in size from two to nineteen. Twelve new groups or units were formed or projected during the triennium; six were closed. Unit activities include Bible studies, recreation, and worship as a base for child care, housing rehabilitation, and a variety of community services. Participants in Voluntary Service 150 128 132 125 As of May 1 100 85 75 1974 1975 1976 1977 E MENNONITE B-1 Voluntary Service Units, Numbers, and Projects Location Number of Volunteers Projects 'Lakeview (projecting 5) Alternative education, 1974 1977 social services Liberal 2 5 Day-care, tutoring 'ACTS (Chicago) — 6 Christian music, print, Markham 10 15 Mental health work, and graphics day-care Arvada 1 3 8 Apartment managing, 'Montana (projecting 2) Teaching, youth work community services Oklahoma City 2 8 Youth programs, home *Arvada II t 6 Community action repair, day-care day-care Oraibi 4 2 Hopi Mission School * Beatrice 5 Community outreach, teachers day-care Philadelphia 5 7 Home repair, com- Champaign 5 — Day-care, draft counsel- munity center ing Phoenix 2 — Head Start, day-care Cincinnati MCC 5 Remedial education, Portland 2 5 Veterans' counseling, en- home repair vironment 'Denver 6 Housing reconstruction, *St. Louis (projecting 5) Medical work, children's community center services Elkhart 3 Rehabilitation, com- Seattle I 4 8 Mental health, environ- munity center mental work Fort Wayne 9 Housing reconstruction, 'Seattle II — 4 Mental health, child-care community center "Tulsa (projecting 6) Child-care, community Gulfport 6 Teacher aides, recreation work center 'Washington, D.C. — 1 Sojourners magazine Hamilton 5 6 Resource center, com- 'Western Oklahoma 3 Youth services, com- munity pantry munity action Hammon 2 Day-care, hog raising Wichita 9 Housing rehabilitation, Hutchinson 10 15 Day-care, prison minis- community action try Other 9 Kansas City 2 4 Social services, alterna- tive education 24 Units 85 128 'New or projected units Although fewer in number than desired, some outstanding disciples were discovered for Indian Ministries. Elmer and Nadenia Myron left well-paying positions in industry to serve at Hopi Mission School and the Bacavi church. Ric and Carol Dalke were discovered in social work positions and sent to Seiling, Oklahoma, by their home congregation in Hutchinson, Kansas. Vernon and Bonnie Ratzloff, plus several volunteers, were found to teach at Hopi Mission School, while Ida Nowabbi became the first full-time Indian teacher at the institution. Near the end of the triennium the search for Indian workers extended to other cultures and lands as John and Tajwar Chand, formerly of India, began work in Hammon, Oklahoma. Othmar and Liselotte Meier applied and were called from Wald, Switzerland, to serve in Arizona. Congregations were also discovering disciples. Discerning the gifts of each member was an important theme in many living, active congregations. DISCIPLES WERE DECISIVELY INVOLVED General Conference disciples are involved in many congrega- tional mission and service programs. CHM is seeking to give these strong affirmation. Following are examples of some that were assisted by CHM during the triennium. David Schroeder, David Habegger, and dozens of other disciples were involved in inaugurating Jubilee Living at the beginning of the triennium. Studies were written, "Yobels" were sounded, and festivals were held. Loans were canceled and new commitments made. Palmer Becker of the CHM staff gave supportive leadership. Peter Janzen, Bernie Loeppky, Leland Harder, Stan Bohn, and a number of others were involved in starting more than forty churches during the 1950s. By the mid 1970s these groups had grown to a combined membership of over five thousand disciples! During the early seventies, David Whitermore, Henry Gerbrandt, Mark Weidner, and many others were dramatically involved in a new phase of church planting work. Research was done in over sixty locations. At the end of the triennium, regional conferences listed over thirty-five newer fellowships and congregations in the United states and six in Canada. These are touching the lives of more than 1,500 persons. Leonard Wiebe, part-time CHM staff member, is giving leadership toward a faith projection of fifty new churches by 1986. Perry and Elizabeth Yoder, together with their twin sons, Joshua and Joel, were creatively involved in Bible studies through an MVS project called People's Teachers of the Word. For two years they traveled from place to place, teaching in 125 school, church, retreat, and voluntary service unit settings. Gene Stoltzfus, MVS director from 1973-76, provided the vision for this ministry. Peter Ediger, the current director of the movement, is emphasizing a strong "Jesus theology" as a b;isis for service. Richard Pallotta, Martha Orner, and Kim Fran/ launched the B-2 MAY 17, 1977 '.Ue Spirit 0}tke£ordi^Pcn^ ecauce % Uae anointed r»e to .reach good h, to the Poor, ie hae tent eleate to the ct ececeriiig ol tight tals as adequate. It means giving the call to make disciples a new priority in our thinking and anning and working together in our local congregations, institutional ministries, and mference programs. The Great Commission is for us! It can be obeyed right where we are. od gives us the gifts in each congregation to be disciple-making churches. Floyd Bartel Prison letters I have seen a man get a letter, His first in many months or years, So proud that someone had written And shown care, So fragile from handling, Sharing it with others, Just about to tear. How long before the last one Or the next? I do not know for sure, But I do know that God loves that person Who took the time to say, I care. Inmate at Iowa State Prison Contents Who is Jesus? 321 Making disciples 323 Being a disciple in Washington, D C 325 Disciple making through church planting 325 A congregation reaches out 326 Farmers can also be disciples 326 News 327 Record 331 Letters 333 Research and study do help 334 The Great Commission is for all of us 335 Prison letters 335 The gospel is also social 336 CONTRIBUTORS This issue was prepared in consultation with the Commission on Home Ministries staff at 722 Main Street, Newton, Kansas 67114 Peter J. Ediger, 10102 West 64th Place, Arvada, Colorado 80004, is the director for Mennonite Voluntary Service. Palmer Becker is the executive secretary for the Commission on Home Ministries. Floyd Bartel is the CHM secretary for congregational mission. Harold R Regier is the CHM secretary for peace and social concerns. CREDITS Cover, 322, 324, RNS; 330, Mahlon Hess, MCC. Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Telephone: (316) 283-5100 Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Win- nipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4 Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Editorial assistant: Susan Schu- macher, Art director: John Hiebert Business manager Dietrich Rempel. Circulation sec- retary: Marilyn Kaufman Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L Ramseyer. 488 West Elm Street, Bluffton, Ohio 45817: Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117; Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indi- ana 46805, and Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Lawrence Khppenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P0M4 HE MENNONITE 335 The gospel is also social Harold R. Regier The Christian faith begins when we personally commit ourselves to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ. This faith reorders the way we relate to the social world. It shapes our personal, but also political and economic values and actions. Too often we buckle under the heresy some call "civil religion." Social, political, and economic values determine the shape of our faith. The world presses us into its mold. Moses pictures God as a deliverer from injustice and evil. Jesus stated his God-sent task, ". . . to preach the good news to the poor, ... to proclaim liberty to the captives, ... to set free the oppressed." God works deliverance and justice through his people. Peace and justice are hard to deliver when the hearts of "Pharaoh" and his "taskmasters" are hardened against the poor, the captive, and the oppressed. "We know not the Lord — if indeed the Lord is the God of the dispossessed," the Pentagon and its army must confess. The USSR has the nuclear arms capability to destroy each U.S. city of 100,000 or more popula- tion, eleven times; the United States each Soviet city thirty-seven times. Yet the United States continues to build three new nuclear bombs each day. And since 1965 Canada has annually sold abroad more than 300 million dollars worth of military products — more per capita than is exported by the United States. Christian disciples have a responsibility to change the course of nations, to prevent more Babylons, and to work for a more just society where not only survival but some degree of shalom is realized. I will indicate three possible ways for us to act. 1 . Christian disciples model the social nature of the gospel by creating and perfecting the new social order we call the church or the community of faith. Individualism, competition, and profit motivate life in the world around us. Jesus initiated and his followers began to model a new social order of caring, sharing, and peace-building relationships. Our Anabaptist-Mennonite heritage and theology are built on that model. We must examine and strengthen our churches as communities of disciples under the lordship of a loving and just God. 2. Christian disciples invite those outside the community of faith to participate in the new social order. Authentic evangelism calls people to a commitment to God and to the people who are modeling the radically new relationships and values that Jesus lived and taught. Scientist George Wald writes, "No society in human history has cultivated the technology of killing and destruction as has western society under Christianity (italics mine). In a civilization where Christianity has been promi- nent, our model has often fallen short. We call people to a personal faith in Jesus but fail to call them to a life-style which embodies the relationships and values that Jesus taught and lived. 3. Christian disciples are called to a prophetic witness consistent with the nature of God and his people. Disciples work toward the kind of social changes in institutions, in government, and in society that create a more just order in the church and as much as possible also in the world. On November 19, 1976, the judgment of a U.S. tax court ruled that the levying of taxes for war purposes does not interfere with the individual's free exercise of religion. If religion means only to worship together in a building or only to relate your personal self to God, then paying military taxes is no violation of religion. But if our religion moves us from the pew to see our neighbors as part of God's world, then that court couldn't be more wrong. Gertrude Roten, professor of Greek at the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, in a series of studies on 1 John at our church, in a warm and compelling way helped to burn the truth of this epistle indelibly onto our minds, "The test of being Christian is in your relationship with your brother." First John says that the gospel spells life in a new order, life in a community of faith which models the teachings of Jesus in concrete ways. This message of John is also at the heart of the Anabaptist-Mennonite vision. Some of us are trying hard to realize this vision. Others, it seems, are trying to lose it! It is of the most urgent conference and congrega- tional and personal kingdom business to examine our vision of the social nature of the gospel. This vision is central to our reason for being. Cyv% jo PA A cm f cjte*i cf± AeAAfovrA ut skills or experience. Now, MCC (Canada) has designed a >rogram specifically for these youthful ipplicants which stresses training in disciple- ship and service, rather than service itself. The program, called SALT (Salt and Light Training), is to operate one year on a pilot )asis, beginning September 1. Participants will live in a unit setting with i leader or leaders and will be affiliated with l local church which sponsors them in :ooperation with MCC. Participants will lave opportunity for service experience. who abolished the slave trade, did so precisely because their minds were occupied with heaven. As C. S. Lewis reminds us, "The Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next." Does our effectiveness or ineffec- tiveness in this world have to do with the kind of peace we have made with the eternal world? Hope expressed in this- world living. The miracle of the renewal of our lives is expressed in Romans 6:4, "We were buried with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we, too, might walk in newness of life." That experience, symbolized in our baptism, points to the death of the self- centered person in us, and the resurrection of a new being. That newness of life that comes as the result of new birth in Christ is the basis for new expressions of hope. 1 . Life is sacred. God loves me. God loves others. Divine love touches human hearts. There is hope in the potential for new life in every person. 2. God is still acting. That "God is love" speaks of the divine initiative. That newness of life comes to people today is testimony of God's power. Hope lies in knowing that God personal growth and enrichment, Bible and related study, and community and church involvement. MCC (Canada) wants such an experience to benefit the church in its outreach now as well as later as these young people prepare for full-time service and commitment. Two churches in Canada have already indicated an interest in sponsoring a service training unit like this. Candidates for the program should be high school graduates, willing to work hard for a year at both providing a service in an area of need and at personal development, and should be seriously committed to following Jesus Christ in their personal life. Further information on the SALT pro- gram is available from MCC (Canada), 201- 1483 Pembina Highway, Winnipeg, Manito- ba R3T 2C8. The program's close relationship with congregations will be similar to that of the Mennonite Voluntary Service program, sponsored by the General Conference. is not removed from the life of the world even now. 3. God calls people. God uses us to help shape life. "We are fellow workers for God" (1 Corinthians 3:9). The concept of disciple- ship, that we seek to be followers of Jesus even in daily living, is based upon the conviction that God has tasks of loving, serving, helping, healing for us in this world. I find hope in having this kind of stewardship given me, for it says to me that God has a purpose for my life. 4. Commitment is freedom. Freed from anxiety about death, we are free to serve with a new abandon. We are free to serve even if it costs. So I will not accept old ways of thinking — that power makes right. I will continue to work for an end to wars and violence. I will not accept the defeatist attitude that there is little we can do about food and energy shortages. But I will seek to become a better steward, wasting less and working for a broader sharing. I find hope in this freedom. 5. Finally, 1 find hope in trusting that if the end of earthly history does come in my lifetime, God who was there at the beginning will be there at the end. In that belief I choose to live and work. Posters wanted for General Conference The life and ministry of the church will be displayed through posters at the triennial sessions of the General Conference Menno- nite Church this summer in Bluffton, Ohio. Congregations are being asked to bring a poster, two feet wide by three feet high on stiff cardboard, that tells their story. Posters should be simple, but should include a Scripture portion or saying, picture or pictures, and name and address. "We are a conference of congregations," said Heinz Janzen, general secretary for the conference, "and this is one way to empha- size and recognize the different churches." All congregations are encouraged to bring or send a poster to conference. "We need and want to know about you and your church. Please do not disappoint us!" said Kathy Hildebrand of the program committee. The sessions will be held July 28-August 3 on the Bluffton College campus. "HE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It is Dub- ished weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton. Kansas 671 14, by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonite Church Second-class lostage paid at Newton, Kansas 671 14, and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions: in United States and Canada, $8 00, one year $1 5 50, two years, $23 00, three years, foreign. $8 50 per year Edito- ialoffice 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg. Canada R3P 0M4 Business office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 671 1 4 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 THE MENNONITE 341 Asia mission group will coordinate Asia Mennonite Services, an inter- Mennonite Asian mission group, will con- tinue to encourage wider mission interest and efforts in different areas. But adminis- tration of new mission programs in Asia should be done under national or regional mission administrative committees under the AMS executive committee. This was the decision of the Asia Menno- nite Services executive committee, which met April 16-17 in Pantabangan, Nueva Ecija, the Philippines. This was also the site of the tenth Asia International Reconciliation Work Camp, in which about forty campers from six nations participated. Pantabangan is a rural town about 160 kilometers north of Manila. Reports by national representatives indi- cated a growing interest and involvement in missions by Asian Mennonite churches. Funds and personnel have been sent to Vietnam and more recently to Bangladesh. Recently Japanese Mennonites sent more than $3,000 for work in Bangladesh. India and Indonesia have furnished personnel for work in Bangladesh as well as funds. Taiwan Mennonites want to send a missionary abroad within a few years, perhaps to the Philippines. Such work will be administered by subcommittees of AMS, similar to the one now functioning to supervise AMS involve- ment in Bangladesh. A full report on the Bangladesh work by Paul E. Myers, director of MCC Bangla- desh, provoked lengthy discussions about the future direction of AMS work there, the need for evangelistic and church planting ministries, and the need for Asia personnel and continued financial support from Asian churches. An open meeting was held Saturday night with the work campers and local Christians. Carl Beck, director of the AMS work camp program, said Asia needs the Anabaptist- Mennonite church and witness and vice versa. He stressed the primary challenge of church planting in new geographical areas — from South Korea and Bangladesh to Australia and New Zealand — through the help of Asia Mennonites who have profes- sional skills or even through migrations of groups of Asian Mennonites to new areas for outreach. Other matters discussed included drawing up a budget for 1977-80 and plans for greater publicity of AMS mission projects. A proposal was received to begin an Inter-Asia Exchange Visitor Program for young people and an Interchurch Visitor Program for adults and church leaders. These programs would be similar to the present MCC Exchange Visitor (Trainee) Program. Although there was general interest in the program proposed, practical difficulties will hinder starting such a program which would involve extended periods of time. Inter- church visits, however, should be encour- aged, especially in connection with traveling to international Mennonite conferences and special meetings, the committee said. Plans were laid for the second Asia Mennonite Conference the last two weeks in May 1980 in Pati, Indonesia. The eleventh Asia International Work Camp would be held just before the conference. The Indone- sia Mennonite churches will be celebrating their fortieth anniversary as independent church conferences and synods. Attending the AMS executive committee meeting were S. Djojodihardjo (chairman) and Charles Christano from Indonesia; P. J. Malagar (secretary), Pronoy Sarkar, and B. A. George from India; Takio Tanase (vice- chairman) and Carl C. Beck from Japan; Simon Wung and Hugh Sprunger from Taiwan; James K. Stauffer (treasurer) from the Philippines; Verney Unruh, representing the Council of International Ministries (North American Mennonite mission boards and MCC); and Paul Myers, MCC Bangla- desh. Nine Filipino pastors, headed by Felonito Sacapano, leader of Missions Now, Inc., (Mennonite), were present for some or all of the sessions. The next meeting of the executive commit- tee of the Asia Mennonite Conference and Asia Mennonite Services will be immediate- ly following the 1978 Mennonite World Conference in Wichita, Kansas. Hugh D. Sprunger Ffi sloe IIW'J i op;: The idaci Fres juld owhe ~.i:x P. J. Malagar, left, preaches at Sunday morning worship at Pantabangan, the Philippines, while J. Osleo interprets. Mr. Malagar of India was there for the Asia Mennonite Services meeting. 342 MAY 24, 1977 \y zresno bookstore will not open le idea of a Faith and Life Bookstore in -esno, California, has been scrapped and ; stock liquidated as of May 1. John Gaeddert, executive secretary of the ommission on Education of the General onference Mennonite Church, said the immission had reversed an earlier decision open the bookstore in January. The Department of Faith and Life Press id acted last December to open a bookstore Fresno. The commission had earlier said it ould be open to having a new bookstore. d when the opportunity came in Fresno, the .'partment decided to open the bookstore, first on the West Coast. The Commission on Education reviewed this decision at its annual meeting in February. After further inquiry and check- ing with local congregations, the Pacific District Conference, and the Pacific College (Mennonite Brethren) bookstore in Fresno, the Commission on Education decided not to open the bookstore. The stock which had been bought is being liquidated for the Department of Faith and Life Press. "The decision was made that there would not be enough local trade to carry the bookstore," said Mr. Gaeddert. "There are some feelings of not having done an adequate feasibility study and not ospital serves as development base Before it was as though there was a dark oud over the village," said Mennonite 'entral Committee nurse Anne Falk, de- gibing a village health program she works ith from her base at the Tayu Christian [ospital in Indonesia. "Now this dark cloud beginning to move away and things jntinue to get brighter." Under-five clinics and sewing classes are le major points of the program which Ms. alk, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and her Dworker, an Indonesian midwife, began in larch 1976. Although hunger and health roblems were evident to her, the village eople had to be made aware of these roblems before something could be done to elp. The particular village where Ms. Falk and er colleagues are working is made up of eople who immigrated from another area, ecause of their relationships with a mission roup working in the area where they lived efore, the people initially expected a lot of laterial aid assistance from MCC. But the people's attitude is changing, Ms. alk said, because she and her coworkers are howing interest in ordinary people as well as illage leaders. "We worked at this attitude hange by organizing the people — getting aem to organize themselves," Ms. Falk said. We said that we would not agree to work in tie village at all unless we had some voice rom the women themselves stating what heir needs were. Then we met with many of fie women." After these discussions women were ppointed from the eight sections of the illage to form a planning committee, which hen met with Ms. Falk and the midwife. The /omen felt that an under-five clinic and a ewing class for girls were most important. The under-five clinic operates in the illage, which is divided into eight sections, "linics held in private homes were set up one for every two village sections. Each section also appointed a woman to be trained to run the clinics, which are open once a month on different days so that Ms. Falk and other personnel from the hospital can visit each one. "I have been going every Wednesday to assist in training the women to run the under-five clinics," Ms. Falk said. "They are being taught to weigh and measure the babies, give advice about health, and teach nutrition and hygiene. Up to the present, my coworker has been doing the teaching because I don't speak Javanese." While Ms. Falk was in Vietnam, where she served from 1966 to 1969, she developed the principle never to work without a national counterpart. Since she speaks only Indone- sian, it is essential that the midwife does the teaching, both to use the Javanese language and to get nationals more deeply involved in the program. "My coworker and I also spend quite a bit of time doing follow-up of babies who have health problems," Ms. Falk added. "If the mothers and children don't attend regularly, we visit and find out why not. This is a way of getting into the homes and becoming known in the village as health-care persons." The sewing class that Ms. Falk works with is for children who are not going to school. The girls who attend, who have probably completed no more than one or two grades in school, have never used a needle and thread. Although the class began with twenty- seven girls, many of them dropped out when they were married because they were embarrassed to be with other younger girls. Later, many of the girls who had dropped out saw that it was something worthwhile. "They wanted to begin again, so now we have three classes going instead of two." In addition to these activities, the women of the village have begun attending meetings taking the local situation more seriously in the decision-making process. That was an error we made," he said. Mr. Gaeddert said the decision not to open the Fresno bookstore did not mean that the commission was not willing to consider a new location for a bookstore on the West Coast, but only that the Fresno location was not a wise one. Faith and Life Bookstores are currently located in Newton, Kansas, and Berne, Indiana. In addition, the Department of Faith and Life Press operates Fellowship Bookcenter in Winnipeg jointly with the Mennonite Brethren Church. organized by Ms. Falk. "Before," she said, "when the men got together for a meeting — the village committee consisted only of men — the women were invited to come but they always sat off in one corner and didn't say one single word. Now when there's a meeting, these same women all sit in a circle with the men. They also express their opinions and ask questions." World Conference registration projected Attendance at the tenth assembly of the Mennonite World Conference is being estimated at 8,000 people who will register for the week. An additional 4,000 are expected to attend on a daily registration basis, and up to 15,000 may attend the Saturday evening and Sunday sessions. The assembly will convene July 25-30 in Wichita, Kansas. Registration will begin at 9:00 a.m., Tuesday, July 25 in Century II Convention Center, with the opening session at 7:00 p.m. Registration fees for the week have been set at $36 for adults over twenty-six. A spouse may register for $16 without a registration packet. Youth (fifteen to twenty-five) may register for $21 ($11 for spouse). Children's rate is $6.00. Daily rates will range from $ 1 .00 to $5.00. Registration materials will be made available in early January 1978. A local hosting committee has been organized in Kansas representing the four host denominations: General Conference Mennonite Church, Mennonite Brethren Church, Brethren in Christ Church, and Mennonite Church. An office has been opened at 718 Main Street, Newton, Kansas. This office is in charge of Lola Friesen, hosting committee coordinator. HE MENNONITE 343 Multiracial family visits South Africa In 1959, John Howard Griffin, a white man who deliberately darkened the color of his skin, exposed himself to racism in the American South and from that experience wrote the book Black Like Me. When our multiracial family set off from Zambia for Swaziland via South Africa, our intentions were not as bold as Griffin's. My wife, Marian, and I and our children — Bruce and Mark, whom we adopted during our first term with Mennonite Central Committee in Kenya; Leanne, who came to us from Vietnam; and Matthew, who was born to us in Canada — simply wanted to spend Christ- mas with some friends and fellow volunteers in Swaziland. However, this meant traveling through a country where it is a crime simply to be a family such as ours. And during our trip we did experience, at least in a small way, what racial discrimination feels like on the receiving end. We had debated whether or not to go for quite some time but we received assurance from different persons that things were improving in South Africa and that as Canadians we would have no trouble. Since we really wanted to be in Swaziland for Christmas, we prepared the children as best we could without instilling fear in them and said, "Let's go." Upon closer inspection of the fine print in South Africa's travel regulations, we found that only Canadians of "pure white origin" are allowed to travel in South Africa without restrictions. Because our family did not fit that category, we went through the mill of forms and photos and letters and phone calls. To our surprise we found that one of the officials' major fears seemed to be our Mennonite connection — at the time we could not find out whether this was because of our parents' Russian birth or to the peace witness of MCC and Mennonites in general. We hoped it was the latter and learned afterwards that this was the case. Somehow we acquired a fictitious friend, a Mr. Stevens of Pretoria. His phone call to acquaintances to get information on us plus the secret file on us at the border crossing added a touch of mystery and challenge to our travels. In all our encounters with other African cultures, personal greetings had always been an essential part of social interaction. The young policeman at the South African border post, however, had no greeting for us, only mumbled questions. What was really noticeable with him as with many other minor officials was their unwillingness to look us in the eyes. As a multiracial family, we had become used to curious or surprised stares, but throughout South Africa the blacks almost totally ignored our family. The whites, on the other hand, stared incessantly. An exception was William, a colored, or mixed- race, truck driver. He approached first our children and then us as we sat in a park, asked a lot of interested questions, told us something of his life, and then pleaded for us to help him get out of the country in which he described himself as a prisoner. North American whites returning from South Africa are often heard to say, "I don't know what blacks are complaining about down there. They are better off economically than anywhere else in Africa, and they can buy anything they like in the shops." This materialistic argument is the same one used by South African whites to justify their racial discrimination. We could not understand how any amount of money could ever make up for the constant humiliation of being directed to a second-class existence by those awful "non- whites" signs. Our tension and anger when we saw our children hustled out of toilets and having their hands slapped by shop attend- ants just because of their brown skin was certainly not relieved by the abundance of things available in the plush "just-like-at- home" shopping centers. What our sagging defensive adult spirits could never have accomplished, we watched seven-year-old Leanne do with a flourish. We don't know exactly how she got started, but we suddenly came upon her in the ladies' wear section of a giant OK department store. While every store attendant — both black and white — stood spellbound, she held forth in her enthusiastic manner about her birth and early life in Vietnam, Bruce and Marks' Kenyan origins, their adoption, and Mat- thew's coming from his mummy's tummy! When it was time to move on, we got the first and only friendly acknowledgment of our family in South Africa. Another day, while waiting for a train connection, we were sent out of a restaurant by its white proprietor. As we wandered around the streets feeling terribly alone, we passed by a large, beautiful church. Marian remarked how sad it was that we could not even go into a church for security and acceptance. The outstanding impression of our trip through South Africa was not the need for black liberation — that need had been drawn to our attention on innumerable occasions — but rather the overwhelming need for liberation of South Africa's white popula- tion. They are enslaved to a legalistic tribal god who is using them, his favored people, to manipulate, subjugate, and even if necessary liquidate surrounding tribes whose greatest sin is being born with a dark skin. If such a description seems naive, it nevertheless portrays an attitude that has an ironclad grip on the ruling white minority. Jesus said, "He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted and to announce that cap- tives shall be released and the blind shall see, that the downtrodden shall be freed from their oppressors, and that God is ready to give his blessing to all who come to him." May this word come true in South Africa today. Erwin Wiens, MCC Zambia The Wiens family is, from left, Bruce, Mark, Marian, Leanne, Erwin, and Matthew. 344 MAY 24, 197 Mennonite leaching Out Through You SWorld Missions-Its Dynamics and Directions INTRODUCTION After seventy-three years of overseas mission (1900-74), the General Conference is engaged in its fourth major missionary thrust. The first overseas mission thrust came in 1900 with the sending of P. A. Penner to India. The second thrust came with the 'opening of mission work in China in 1910 and Zaire in 1912. Two world wars coupled with the Great Depression prevented the conference from its third major thrust until the middle forties and early fifties. Missionaries were commissioned in rapid succession to ;begin work in a host of countries including Colombia, Japan, Taiwan, and Paraguay. New Mission Thrusts It was not until 1974 that a fourth major missionary thrust was launched. Delegates at the St. Catharines General Conference gave the Commission on Overseas Mission a clear mandate to open new areas and send a new generation of missionaries. The commission, in cooperation with sister Mennonite mission and service agencies, entered Brazil and Bolivia in South America, and Botswana and Lesotho in Africa. More than eighty new missionaries were sent to older and newer mission areas. The 1970s may be remembered as the decade in which General Conference reached out in new directions. After a wane of world mission interest in the 1960s, the General Conference has experienced a fresh wind of the Spirit blowing on the lives of many people — young and old, men and women, Canadians and Americans. While the commission and missionaries continue to wrestle with complex problems, these are being faced with a commitment to the belief that we are not living in a post-missions era. The commission is moving with the changing times in terms of new mission methods and models, yet continues to see its fundamental purpose as "proclaiming to all peoples by word and deed, in a servanthood stance, that Jesus Christ is the only Savior and Lord." Our Triennial Goals There was a resounding YES by the St. Catharines Conference delegate body to two commission resolutions. The first resolution referred to the goal of recruiting, preparing, and sending of 30 new Executive Secretary and Chairman of COM. MIC '• 'MENT ~u~ — »- THE MENNONITE C-1 sumrr Jtvel presei Missionaries retiring from service. New missionaries beginning service. missionaries during the triennium. Although not stated, it was envisioned that the General Conference missionary team would be increased by 30 new persons above the 154 missionaries in active service in 1974. The goal to increase our global missionary family by thirty in the past triennium has not been reached. Why was this goal not accomplished? There are a number of reasons: above-normal terminations of career missionaries, high turnover of short-term workers, some unexpected expulsions, health and family reasons. The calling, preparing, and commissioning and sending of new missionaries did not keep pace with either the need or the goal. North American missionaries are still needed and wanted to serve overseas. Direct invitations continue to be received by overseas churches for persons with a wide variety of gifts and skills. The commission attempts to respond through a careful process of screening and selecting persons with deep commitment to Christ, high motivation for witness, and a willingness to assume the servanthood stance. The second resolution referred to the goal of exploring and opening three or four new mission frontiers. This goal has been reached and may be exceeded by the end of 1977! New countries now appear in our mission conscience and vocabulary. Besides those countries already mentioned, the General Conference will probably become directly involved in mission outreach in Upper Volta, Africa, and in Hong Kong before the end of the year. One of the dynamics of modern mission outreach is its inter- Mennonite and international character. The new outreach in southern Africa, through mission personnel under the Africa lnter- Mennonite Mission, involves five different Mennonite churches — General Conference, Evangelical Mennonite, Evangelical Menno- nite Brethren, Mennonite Brethren, and the Mennonite Church. There is also close coordination with the Mennonite Central Committee in southern Africa. Present plans call for the Mennonite Church in Zaire to pool resources with AIMM and begin a joint multinational mission program in Upper Volta. Several other overseas Mennonite conferences have expressed a desire to team up with COM in joint mission ventures. This direction is in keeping with the commission's purpose "to serve with the churches of the world as a channel for joint mission and for cultivating fellowship across national boundaries." The Holy Spirit has opened to the General Conference new areas of mission and service not known to us three years ago. Mennonite missionaries have an entree into Africa Independent Churches in Southern Africa like no other Protestant mission group. The call for Bible teaching and the training of leaders among these , indigenous Christians is a new direction for General Conference missions. In Brazil and Bolivia we are just in the beginning stages of our mission program. More missionaries are needed for evange- lism, church planting, and leadership development in these two] South American countries. Missions Is Costly The mission expansion during this triennium, while challenging, is also costly. Soaring international inflation, the steady devalua- tion of foreign currency, and growing costs in the training, traveling, and maintaining our missionary team overseas has increased the conference overseas mission budget. In 1964 the budget was just under one million dollars. The 1977 budget has exceeded two million dollars! Although our missionary numbers have decreased by approximately fifty persons since 1970, it costs more to maintain fewer missionaries today than a decade ago. The General Conference has given 5.7 million dollars during the 1974-77 triennium. This is a very significant sum of money. It also represents the depth of conference commitment to Christian world missions. At St. Catharines, in affirming the two goals of more missionaries and new expansion, the conference also promised to "renew our commitment to pray earnestly, to give ourselves and our sons and daughters for missionary service, and to contribute our financial resources to make these affirmations possible." With God's help, the conference has kept that promise! Where the Action Is! The Mennonite world church community now numbers six hundred thousand baptized believers according to recent statistics. The amazing fact is that by 1980, black, brown, and yellow Mennonite Christians will outnumber white European-North American Mennonites. God is at work by His Spirit and through His people in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The conference, through its overseas missionary efforts, is part of God's movement in our time. Howard J. Habegger Executive Secretary I ihifcs al .' jr. idmi Zaire mi ll tr. ibrc h As bl hi late fraii It \ ti, v. The commission at work. REACHING OUT IN AFRICA The Summer of 1974 Even the briefest review of the situation which pertained in the summer of 1974 in our program of outreach and witness in Africa is sufficient to reveal that there has been significant movement and development during the intervening triennium. The African scene, as related to our interest and involvement three years ago, presented the following facets. Zaire In the Republic of Zaire, missionary and Zairian church leaders had just come through a period of working out details of a plan for fusion of the mission and the church, designed to result in a single legally recognized administrative structure, the Zaire Mennonite Church. Newly elected or appointed national leaders had still to prove themselves in their new roles and responsibilities. The major shifts in missionary roles projected by the philosophy underlying the fusion plan were still to be translated into meaningful missionary responsibilities and functions. Perhaps most crucial of all, it was still to be demonstrated if missionaries could function effectively and happily within this framework and under the administrative authority of the church. The Mennonite Church of Zaire was much in need of sorting out its own priorities and spelling out its own vision. In Southern Africa three years ago, the Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission was just addressing itself to probing opportunities of ministry in the southern tip of that immense continent. Even as the AIMM board made the decision in the early 1970s to move ahead with the fusion of mission and church in Zaire, it also restated its own reason for existence as an organization and committed itself to a broadened ministry in Africa. Lesotho As a consequence of this new stance, the summer of 1974 found our first missionary couple on an initial exploratory term in the Kingdom of Lesotho. Although the history of Christian missions dates back to the 1830s, the Lesotho Evangelical Church, the major Protestant group of the country, appears to have lost its spiritual dynamic and its vision for outreach. The church's mentality seems to be essentially defensive and inward looking. Botswana In the same year AIMM looked seriously at the possibility of a Bible teaching ministry among Independent Churches in the country of Botswana. A board delegation made official contact with the leadership of the Spiritual Healing Church, one of the major independent churches of that country. The report of the delegation to the AIMM board recommended that personnel be recruited and sent to respond to what was felt to be a genuine need and a sincere request for help. Upper Volta Three years ago the Mennonite Central Committee was in process of fielding its first water development team in Upper Volta, one of the countries that had felt the brutal impact of drought in the Sahel area. It was discovered that in spite of Protestant mission activity in the country dating from the 1920s, there were significant blocks of tribal people who had not been effectively reached with a witness for Christ. The Summer of 1977 Zaire In 1977 the political/economic climate in Zaire has changed dramatically. A drop of some 60 percent of the price of copper on Teaching Bible to Africa Independent Church, Botswana. Nurses in training, Zaire. the world markets has severely shaken the Zaire economy; the Zaire currency has been devalued; President Mobutu made an ill-fated move in the civil strike of Angola across his southern border on the side of the losing political faction; Zaire has felt the harsh impact of the rise of oil prices. In late March of this year armed troops from Angola invaded Zaire's southern borders and began to move, largely unopposed, toward the Shaba copper mines. In the meantime, the Zaire church leaders have been asserting themselves in various areas of responsibility. During 1975, at a specially called meeting, five priorities were defined by the church: evangelism, Christian education, leadership training, ministries of compassion, and projects of self-help. Affirmation of these five priorities is being evidenced in various ways. Currently there is an appeal for experienced missionaries to help spearhead a new effort to penetrate the many villages of the church's mission area which still have no resident group of believers. A new department of Christian education has been organized. The Bible School has been reaffirmed as a key feature of the church's training program. Two months of stewardship seminars were conducted in 1976, which have resulted in noticeably increased giving in spite of inflation. Missionary and Zairian are working side by side, each in their assigned roles with a broad unanimity of purpose and within a framework of mutual respect and trust. While the AIMM board will never recruit and support missionaries to do what available nationals are qualified to do, we will continue to respond to sincere THE MENNONITE C-3 Hospital chaplain and family, Zaire. requests for qualified personnel that are happy to serve with a stance of servanthood within the framework of the Zairian church. Lesotho In Lesotho three years ago, AIMM had just sent the first couple to serve part time in a youth ministry with the Lesotho Evangelical Church. Today, two more couples are on assignment in the little mountain kingdom. One is giving pastoral leadership to the United Church of Maseru, the capital of Lesotho, where a growing multiracial group regularly gathers for worship and fellowship. A second couple is involved in a new Bible teaching ministry among some of the Independent Church groups of the country. Botswana In 1974 it was felt that a significant opening existed for a teaching ministry among the Independent Churches in Botswana. Today there are two couples in Botswana engaged in full-time Bible teaching ministries. A third couple is on staff of the government radio department in charge of developing religious programming throughout the country. Ministry among Independent Churches demands an accepting, j nonjudgmental stance on the part of missionaries. Our venture into such ministry is still in its beginning stages. AIMM accepts such a ministry as a valid form of mission outreach in the Africa of 1977 and seeks the Lord's guidance as we move forward. Upper Volta AIMM's interest in Upper Volta was only tentative three years ago. This summer a missionary team is being recruited for placement in the country by the middle of 1978. The region envisioned is the southwestern tip of the country inhabited by the Senoufo people. These Bantu people have clung to strong traditional culture and have resisted outside influences. While there has been some success among the Senoufo people in neighboring Mali, there is not one known believer among them in Upper Volta. It is envisioned that a Zairian couple sponsored by the Zaire Mennonite Church will become part of this new AIMM mission team. Beyond the task of recruiting a missionary team, how does a mission board go about launching a new mission program from scratch in today's Africa? What sorts of goals should be envisioned? What sorts of strategies adopted? What sorts of methodology sketched? Many of the concepts and methods employed in an earlier era of mission work in Africa are no longer acceptable or appropriate. As AIMM ponders these issues, the imperative of witness and service in this newest chapter of missions in Africa brings a sense of excitement and anticipation. What of the next triennium of ministry in Africa? Africa is a continent of ferment, turmoil, colliding ideologies, and conflicting regional interests. Undeveloped resources are great, and interna- tional powers are endlessly jockeying behind the scenes, struggling for influence and advantage. The General Conference, along with other Mennonite missions, set ourselves to another triennium of evangelism and service in Africa with the conviction that ours is an ongoing assignment; with the realization that serious discipleship in any age has carried an element of risk; with the belief that the greatest opportunities for advance in the cause of Christ often present themselves in the midst of turmoil; with the desire to be faithful to our Lord in this period of history in which Jesus expects us to be His disciples. James Bertsche Executive Secretary Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission i ;.v 1 r REACHING OUT IN ASIA Asia is a vast complex of diverse cultures and peoples, a continent in conflict and tension, striving to attain self-reliance and human dignity. It's destiny, now in the hands of Asians, wavers between hopes and dreams, frustrations and disappointments. In this environment, COM missionaries and national church leaders have been sharing the gospel in word and deed and building Christ's church. India The 1974-77 triennium saw rapid change, trauma, and conflict, but also signs of new life and hope. From a postwar high of thirty- four missionaires in Madhya Pradesh in 1961, the number was down to six in 1976. Changes came as a result of the Raipur agreements drawn up in September 1973 by the Bharatiya Mennonite Church Conference leaders, missionaries, and representatives of COM. These agree- ments, though not fully accepted by everyone, accelerated the shift from mission to church. Missionaries had laid the groundwork. In the early 1950s, boards for the administration of the mission institutions were formed with church conference representation. Capable Indians were trained and placed in administrative positions. The Raipur agreements opened in a formal way direct communication between the Bharatiya Mennonite Conference and the commission. In this new relationship, COM seeks to be a partner-brother with the church in new programs of outreach. Changes in funding educational institutions from North America resulted in the closing of some primary and middle schools, C-4 MAY 24, 1977 reding the hungry, India. pplication has been made to turn other schools over to the jvernment, including Jyoti High School in Korba. In October of 1975, a formal agreement was signed, turning over le administration of Christian Hospital and Sewa Bhawan ospital to the Emmanual Hospital Association. Over fifteen jspitals are members of this Indian-based organization, which irries on the medical ministries begun by missions. Christian Hospital, Champa, celebrated its fiftieth year in ovember 1976. Mr. Mishra, Minister of Health of the Madhya radesh state, paid tribute to the Mennonite missionary medical ;rsonnel who set high standards for health and hospital care. Development programs sponsored by The Economic Life and elief Committee (TELARC) helped thousands. Projects included im building and well digging for irrigation, crop experimentation, sh culture, and extension work. In 1976, TELARC gave way to ural Economic and Community Health (REACH) with broad- led programs that include a handicrafts industry and a village- ised community health program. The greatest disappointment in India during this triennium was le cancellation of the Seventy-fifth Jubilee Celebration. Internal mflicts in the hospital at Champa created tension in the local lurch. Repercussions were also felt in the church conference, here are signs that reconciliation is taking place. development project, India. Champa hospital jubilee, India. While visas are not being issued for long-term missionaries in Madhya Pradesh, COM hopes to maintain fraternal relationships with the Indian church through mutual visits. In 1976, Samuel Stephen spent several weeks in North America consulting, visiting churches, and speaking at several church conferences. In early 1977, Harry Martens spent two months in India in a stewardship teaching program. In spite of changes and periodic reverses, there are signs of hope. The church is developing a sense of its own identity and accepting new challenges in outreach. With some COM financial help, a new thrust in evangelism has been carried on with encouraging response in commitment to Christ and baptism into the church. Many church leaders have attended Union Biblical Seminary. The seminary is in the process of moving its campus from a rural setting to an urban-rural setting at Poona, 120 miles southwest of Bombay. Lubin and Tillie Jantzen represent COM on the teaching and administrative staff. Helen Kornelsen will join the faculty in October, 1977. COM also supports five persons at Woodstock School. Woodstock has been shifting it emphasis from a school for missionary children to an international school which includes students from India and southeast Asian countries. Japan Nineteen seventy-six marked the twenty-fifth anniversary of work in Japan. A total of fifty-five workers have served. There are ten organized churches with a membership of 550. For the first quarter of a century, work has primarily centered on Kyushu Island, with one church in Kobe. In 1975 the church leadership broadened its vision and declared, "We want to start work in major cities all over Japan." To reflect that larger goal the name was changed to Japan Mennonite Christian Church Conference (JMCCC). The first step in the expanded outreach was the placement of George and Martha Janzen in the city of Fukuoka, Kyushu's largest city. As workers and funds are available, new outreach will be expanded to other cities. Along with a new vision for outreach, the church in Japan seeks to be sensitive and flexible in developing new models for evangelism. The Japanese are among the least responsive people in the world to traditional evangelistic methods. The church is HE MENNONITE C-5 English evangelism class, Japan. Medical care, Taiwan. experimenting to find appealing ways to present the gospel. The church in Japan has worked hard at trying to understand the gospel in the context of Japanese culture. They are seeking to develop an indigenous theology that is true to Scripture but expressed in Japanese thought patterns. The Japanese church has also been involved in overseas outreach. For some years they helped support a Japanese Mennonite family in Ecuador, associated with Station HCJB. One of their own members, Teruko Yano, served for a number of years as a nurse in Vietnam under MCC. In addition to missionaries in Kyushu and Kobe, Ferd and Viola Ediger work in Tokyo. Their spiritual ministry is under the direction of the Keihin Dendo Kyoryoku Kai (KDKK - Greater Tokyo Cooperative Evangelism Committee). This includes the Mennonite church and Brethren in Christ. A new development is the Anabaptist Center. With the gift of the Robert Friedman Library as a basic resource, the center will provide study and research facilities, sponsor short-term courses, and conduct seminars in leadership training. The World Friendship Center in Hiroshima is the newest involvement in Japan for General Conference. The center, started in 1965, is dedicated to a search for peace and to keeping the world aware of the horror of nuclear warfare. People of every country, race, religion, and political persuasion can meet at the center to learn about the awfulness of war in a thermonuclear age. Our witness will be one of "presence" as an Anabaptist witness to world peace. Taiwan The first Mennonite church in Taiwan was organized in 1955. of V Today there are sixteen churches with a membership of 83i organized into the Fellowship of Mennonite Churches in Taiwaj (FOMCIT). Working with the national church in a variety ministries are twenty-six General Conference missionaries. In 1972 FOMCIT set ten ten-year goals. Last year they met ti evaluate progress, make mid-course adjustments, reaffirm origins goals, and establish new ones. 1. Increase church membership to 1500. 2. Increase offerings, working toward a tithe. 3. Plant two new churches (five were established between 1 97 76). 4. Attain financial independence for all churches (six ha\ reached this goal). 5. Strengthen training for laypeople and Sunday school ' toacViorc or Ihlist Bess ispel The Dies entire families to become Christian familj as an Anabaptist/ Mennoni npre- .2'- teachers. 6. Encourage /homes. 7. Train one gifted person professor/ scholar. 8. Strengthen the relationship between the churches am Mennonite Christian Hospital. 9. Send out one overseas missionary/couple. 10. Recruit and train new ministers. The steady growth and strength of the Mennonite church M Taiwan is due to wise planning, sacrificial giving, and the close partnership between nationals and missionaries. Along with visible church growth is an increasing awareness th; the gospel speaks to the total needs of persons. The Poveri Program projects carried out in two mountain villages on the eai coast in 1 970-73 led FOMCIT to form a social concerns committei This committee has assisted typhoon victims, underprivileged children in their education, families in financial distress, an» recently sponsored the opening of a learning center in Hwalien f< retarded children. Mennonite Christian Hospital in Hwalien continues to provi primary health care in the 1 20-bed facility. In addition it is a referri center for premature infants and for traumatic, orthopedic, aoi surgical patients. Medical extension work through public healt nursing, a preventive medicine program, and regular mobile clini trips to outlying mountain villages are also an important part of t hospital's ministry of healing. MCH also carries on a vital training program. This include nursing education, training of nurse's aides and practical nurses, course for interns from medical colleges on the island, and a residency program with training in general surgery, internal medicine, general practice, and obstetrics-gynecology. Financially the hospital meets its needs from patient incom A subsidy from COM makes possible the social service departme and an outstanding chaplaincy program. A local Board of Directors makes basic policy decisions fi the hospital. Plans are in process to shift responsibility from the mission to a Taiwan-based structure that will be church-related China Several Mennonite lay persons have visited mainland China infr^ the last three years, but with no opportunity to make any kind of| contact with the former General Conference field. It is hoped that| some day that may be possible as communications and visits(j increase. In the meantime, COM is looking forward to more involvemer with the Chinese in Hong Kong. Grants have been given to th China Graduate School of Theology for library developmer There has been serious discussion on and an initial exploratory vii for a joint Mennonite evangelism and church planting ministry i Hong Kong with the Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions. Verney Unruh, Secretary for Asia rtne iii Die fell be afliu ilf1: ' far 101 jent in mi ((rtei he C-6 MAY 24, 19771 REACHING OUT IN LATIN AMERICA itin American countries are in constant ferment. Political stability, repressive governments, violence, inflation, poverty, ppulation explosion, and social injustices plague the people, hristian witnessing in such a dramatic situation is an agonizing pcessity and an urgent call for those who firmly believe that the pspel gives hope to people in despair. The Protestant church in Latin America is a small community impared to the total population. There are about 20 million rotestants out of a population of approximately 270 million, is estimated that there will be 1 00 million Protestants by the year :)00, an increase of 80 million within the next twenty-three years. The maturity of the Latin American Protestant church is lpressive. Liberation theology, education-by-extension, in-depth 'angelism, consciousness-raising, and Bible materials for new aders are some of the recent contributions of Latin American rotestants to the larger Christian community. Articulate new )ices are giving us an interpretation of the gospel and how it can be ^plied in a Latin American context. These voices are a challenge to icarnate the good news in the Latin American situation today. In this changing, dynamic environment, forty COM mission- ies, missionary partners, and volunteers work in Bolivia, Brazil, olombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Uruguay, and Paraguay in irtnership with the national churches. olivia IThe first COM missionary couple, LaVerne and Harriet utschman, joined a missionary couple from the Argentine ennonite Church in 1974. Betty Barrios, a Uruguayan seminary aduate joined the group in early 1975. The two couples and the lgle missionary, together with the MCC volunteers, carried on a inistry of evangelism, Christian nurture, and leadership educa- m that has produced six small congregations in the villages rrounding the city of Santa Cruz. From the start, the work was Iministered by a Missionary Council on the field, composed of issionaries, MCC representatives, and a delegate from the rgentine Convention. The structure of the Missionary Council as modified in 1976 to include only two missionaries, two MCC orkers and two Bolivians chosen by the six congregations. A healthy insistence on national leadership from the beginning is resulted in a core of Bolivian leaders in each of the mgregations. The inclusion of two Bolivians in the Missionary ouncil further promotes this emphasis. •azil The opportunities for the gospel in Brazil, a country of more than 17 million inhabitants, are limitless. The Protestant community is timated at 1 1 million with a missionary force of 3,000. The Mennonite presence began in the thirties with the imigration of European Mennonites to Santa Catarina and later ■ the State of Parana. Mennonite missions among the Brazilians :gan with four North American missionary couples sent by the [ennonite Board of Missions in 1954-55. The work developed rgely in the states of Parana and Sao Paulo, although there is an :tive center in Araguacema. The Associacao Evangelica Menonita VEM) was founded in 1957 and is currently being strengthened to mtinue the administrative aspects of an expanding mission and lurch program. COM sent Erwin and Angela Rempel to Brazil in December •75. After a year of Portuguese language study, they were assigned ^AEM to Gama, a satellite city of about 1 30,000 inhabitants just Jtside the capital of Brasilia. Gama's congregation now has a jnday school attendance of about 40 with a church membership "29. HE MENNONITE C-7 The present work of AEM includes eighteen congregations and four preaching points with about 600 members. There are three bookstores. In addition there are three German congregations with an approximate membership of 600. Colombia The Mennonite Church of Colombia has grown from a small school for healthy children of leper parents, founded in 1947 in Cachipay, to a fellowship of five organized churches, several preaching points, a house church, two elementary schools, a home for the aged, an active program of Christian education, two successful bookstores, Bible correspondence courses, a radio ministry, and a ministry to the middle- and upper-classes. The most important developments in the last three years included the opening of a home for the aged in Bogota with twelve residents, a gathering of a large number of alumni of the Cachipay School into a promising house church, the contacts with the middle and upper classes in Las Villas, a new congregation in Girardot, the founding of the Mennonite Colombian Foundation for Develop- ment (MENCOLDES), a new agency supported by Mennonite Economic Development Associates, Inc. (MEDA) and Mennonite Central Committee in Colombia. Installation of new pastor, Colombia. Church planting, Brazil. Costa Rica COM assigned La Verne and Harriet Rutschman to the Latin American Biblical Seminary in San Jose, Costa Rica. This seminary, one of the oldest in Latin America, was founded by the Latin American Mission. The presence of the Rutschmans at the seminary could be an encouragement for Colombia and Mexico to send students to San Jose. La Verne will be a professor of Old Testament and Hebrew, and Harriet will be involved in the music program of the seminary. Mexico COM's work in Mexico continues to be mainly with the German Mennonites in the area of Cuauhtemoc. The missionaries play a supporting role to the leaders of the Mennonite Church of Mexico and cooperate with medical work at the hospital in Cuauhtemoc. One of the most significant developments in Mexico was the gathering of the mission personnel and representatives of the church of Mexico, in the spring of 1976 at Chihuahua, for the purpose of evaluating the work and setting goals and priorities for the next five years. The goals and priorities include a Bible School, church work at Swift Current, the continuation of medical work at Nuevo Namiquipa, the training of nurses, the upgrading of the educational work, and the beginning of work among the Spanish- speaking Mexicans in Chihuahua. COM is committed to provide personnel and financial assistance for implementation of these priorities and goals. There are encouraging signs of interest and concern on the part of the German church for the Mexicans. The Quinta Lupita Church , has recently bought a house for Sunday school and church services in Spanish. The Thanksgiving offering in 1 976 was entirely devoted to aiding the Mexican farmers who lost their crops because of the early frost. Several members of the three churches contributed their time and financial resources to help in the reconstruction of La Paz, a Mexican town hard hit by a hurricane. The opening of opportunities for work with twelve families at the Swift Current Colony is one of the brightest developments. Under the leadership of Dan and Elma Peters, the group at Burwalde in Swift Current has recently completed a church building with facilities for church services and a day school. Uruguay The work in Uruguay is under the sponsorship of a Mission Committee formed by the Uruguayan Mennonite Convention and the German Mennonite Conference. Henry and Helen Dueck, COM missionaries, have given leadership to several projects of the two church conferences. The last three years have witnessed a deep commitment on the part of the church members and a concerted and systematic effort in the strengthening of the local congregations through seminars, retreats, Bible studies, and workshops. The Uruguayan Mennonites are exploring new ventures in cooperatives, economy shops, and communal agriculture in an attempt to eliminate a difficult economic situation for many low- income families in the church. Ill til ting 0 icor Paraguay COM cooperates with the Comite Menonita de Accic Evangelistica y Social en el Paraguay (COMAESP), former known as MMKfP. This committee has an active program evangelism, church planting, education, and ministry to the Indian in the Chaco. COM contributes a substantial amount to the annual budget. In the past, COM has provided medical assistanc to Kilometro 81, a care center for patients with leprosy. COM also cooperates with the new seminary board. A number significant developments have taken place since the closing of th Montevideo Seminary at the end of 1974. — The old seminary board, composed of representatives < Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina, determined to open new Theological Seminary in Paraguay. — It also decided to transfer the library of the Montevide Seminary to the new seminary in Asuncion, leaving som duplicates for the Theological Education and Extension (TE program in Montevideo. — A new board has been elected. The new seminary board ha decided to open the seminary in July of 1977 and has requeste COM and MBM to send two professors and to contribute a model subsidy for operational expenses. WHAT ABOUT THE FUTURE? The following trends can be detected in the Latin American missionary work: 1. Evangelism and church planting continue to be prioril „, , number one. I ^ 2. There are signs of an awakening in the churches to the continent's social needs. 3. There is a conscious effort on the part of the Germr Mennonites in Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Mexico reach out in mission and service. 4. There is a new discovery of the church as a community of gifl 5. The lack of leadership in all national churches is obvious. T! next few years will see a strong emphasis on leadersh education. Some of the difficult questions facing the Mennonite churches Latin America are: 1. Do the churches still need missionaries? What kind? 2. How Anabaptist should the Mennonite church be? 3. How do you reconcile MCC and COM philosophy i; mission? 4. What kind of ministry do we need, and how can we bei prepare it? 5. How can we best give a united testimony where there a; several Mennonite groups working in the same country? 6. What should be the position of the Mennonite chun regarding cooperation with the Catholic church? 7. What should be the position of the Mennonite chun regarding political repression and social injustice? Hector G. Valencia V. Secretary for Latin Americ CONCLUSION Missions remains the heart of the gospel. To reach out and touch persons, cultures, and societies with the message of God's love and forgiveness in Jesus Christ is an imperative for the church. Through loving deed and authentic word, our conference missionaries, with their national brothers and sisters, have in the July 1977 Commission on Overseas Mission l/l! I \V,i [di-rt, past three years reached out and touched lives for Christ and Hisij kingdom. The commission, with the support of the conference, is committed to continue to REACH OUT THROUGH YOU! I sion C-8 MAY 24. 1977 words ffi deeds I reemphasis on Russian mission work is jing projected by the Mennonite Brethren oard of Missions and Services and Menno- ite Brethren Communications. A Russian pmmittee has been formed from representa- ves of both agencies, charged "with the rganization and administration of pro- iaiming God's Word to Russian-speaking eople, to evangelize, congregate, and isciple them." The committee will work losely with Mennonite Central Committee. The door is not yet open, but some of the 'indows are, and we dare not miss the pportunity to tell the good news to a people 'horn we know and love," said Vernon R. yiebe, general secretary of the Mennonite Irethren mission board. The Manitoba MB rovincial conference began a broadcast in le 1950s, later sponsored jointly with the Jorth American MB mission board. Efforts to put Tudor Village, Elkhart, ndiana, on its feet financially have failed, nd the retirement facility will close May 28, isplacing nearly fifty residents. For the past ifteen months, Greencroft, Inc., has man- ged the 100-apartment facility. Greencroft > a community-based organization which ■perates retirement and nursing facilities in Joshen and at Greencroft Center in Elkhart, t is sponsored by Mennonite Board of Missions through its health and welfare ivision. Neither Greencroft nor the mission ioard held a financial liability in Tudor 'illage. When Greencroft began managing he facility, the debt was $4 million. It has ncreased since then, said Robert Hartzler, Jreencroft executive director. The residence ras originally opened by the Samaritan lomes, Inc., an affiliate of Baptist Homes nd Hospitals, Inc. Greencroft was asked by he lending institutions to operate the facility fter Samaritan Homes ran into difficulties. Vhat will be done with Tudor Village is yet o be announced by the three lending nstitutions who hold the mortgage. Resi- ients who moved into the facility during the last fifteen months will have their entrance ees refunded. A number of people have noved to Greencroft Center in downtown Elkhart. The present leadership crisis is caused by he church's abandonment of her role as a ;ift-evoking community," Hubert Brown old 120 people from nine eastern states ttending a recent Conference on Black Church Growth and Evangelism in Salunga, Pennsylvania. Mr. Brown, author of the took Black and Mennonite, noted, "In proportion to their numbers, minority ;roups do not have as many church leaders as do white churches." He urged the church to help blacks to discover their leadership gifts, especially in light of the self-hate and inferiority inflicted on them by a history of slavery and white racism. "Profound love can exist between equals," he said. Black identity, he suggested, is an important part of the equality out of which this love can emerge. "Most worship services are adult-oriented, and children often feel they are not a part of the process," said J. O. Schrag of McPher- son, Kansas. "Most of the hour is spent or tolerated by diversions such as coloring and playing with other appropriate toys." But at First Church in McPherson, three- and four- year-old worshippers have a children's story time. Children run up to the front and gather around Pastor Ernest Porzelius for their own service. "This is truly a meaningful part of the worship not only for the children, but also for the entire congregation," said Mr. Schrag. Choice Books sales in Canada increased 82.4 percent over 1975, director Paul Yoder told a recent provincial supervisors' meeting in Winnipeg. The supervisors requested Dar- rell Jantzi of Kitchener, Ontario, to contact conferences in eastern Canada about ex- panding the program in French-speaking areas. They will also look into buying bookracks from a Canadian manufacturer. Indians in North and South America are planning to bring their concerns about human rights to a United Nations-related Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Peoples in the Americas. The conference, scheduled possibly for Sep- tember in Geneva, Switzerland, has been planned in cooperation with the U.N. nongovernmental organization subcommit- tee on racism and decolonization. The International Indian Treaty Council now has official U.N. status as a nongovernmen- tal organization. More information is available from the Institute for the Develop- ment of Indian Law, Suite 612, 927 15th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005. Occupations have changed greatly in the United States during the last thirty years, reports Ministers Lifeline. Since 1947 white- collar workers have increased from 35 percent to 50 percent of the total. Blue-collar workers dropped from 41 percent to 33 percent. Farm workers have sustained the largest drop — from 14 percent to 3 percent. Mennonites, their friends, or their families who do not live in Chicago but find themselves in a Chicago hospital can receive the services of a pastor in Chicago. Such people may contact David Whitermore, 500 Washington Boulevard, Apartment 204, Oak Park, Illinois 60302; phone, (312) 386- 4136. He is coordinator for the Chicago Area Mennonites. A baccalaureate completion program in nursing and a bachelor of science degree in nursing were approved at the spring meeting of the Bluffton (Ohio) College board of trustees. J. Lome Peachey of Christian Living magazine received an award for general excellence for the family publication at the Associate Church Press convention recently. Christian Living is published monthly by Mennonite Publishing House, Scottdale, Pennsylvania. Three new groups were accepted into the Manitoba Women in Mission organization at its annual meeting in April in Winnipeg. The conference was also highlighted by the dedication of a history of the women's organization in Manitoba. The history has been dedicated to Maria Siemens, founder and first president of the group. !THE MENNONITE 345 New arrests reported in South Korea A new wave of arbitrary arrests has begun in South Korea against Christian leaders. According to religious sources, about nineteen people were arrested April 13 by South Korean police and imprisoned. They are accused of having participated in collecting signatures for the "Charter for Democracy." This charter was published in March by ten political and religious leaders and asked for the abolition of the state of emergency declared in 1975 by President Park Chung Hee, a return to democracy, and the rehabilitation of all political prisoners. This document, which already had about 300 signatures, was confiscated by police during a raid in early April on the offices of the Commission on Human Rights of the National Council of Churches in Korea. Most of the people arrested have been active in the campaign for human rights. Among them are Lee Jik-Hyong, secretary of the commission; Kim Kyong-In, his assistant; Cho Wha-Soon, president of the Urban Industrial Mission; and one of his colleagues Cho Chi-Song. Observers said it was significant that these arrests took place only after the departure of an American congressional delegation which had been seeking information on the human rights situation. In addition, five of the 150 theology students who had publicized a "declaration of suffering" at the end of a Lenten worship service April 7 at the Seminary of Hankuk were also arrested for having violated the Bishop says murder is rule in Uganda Uganda has become a vast concentration camp, according to an Anglican bishop who recently escaped from that country. In a recent interview in Toronto, Bishop Benoni Ogwal of the Anglican diocese of northern Uganda described recent changes in Uganda which he says are causing suffering to the population. "My people are being slaughtered by day and night," he said. Military tacticians from the Palestine Liberation Organization are directing the operations of a secret police force composed largely of foreigners, according to Mr. Ogwal. This force, organized by the govern- ment's State Research Bureau, is assuming police functions and taking the law into its own hands, the bishop said. Bishop Ogwal, evading security forces who were searching for him, escaped across the border into Kenya and has now sought asylum in Canada until he is able to return to his country. He was involved in events leading to the arrest and subsequent death of Anglican Archbishop Janani Luwum in February. Recent reports from Uganda indicate that President Idi Amin is taking further repres- sive steps against the largely Christian Acholi tribe. 'Way of Peace" translated into French "The Way of Peace," a statement adopted by the General Conference Mennonite Church at its 1971 sessions in Fresno, California, has been translated into French and titled, "Le chemin de la paix." Initiative for the translation came from Mennonite churches in Quebec, and the twenty-six-page booklet will be distributed by them and offered on the French radio spots produced by Mennonite Radio and Television (MRT), an inter-Mennonite media group in Winnipeg. Translator of the booklet was Germaine Lauren of Montreal. Funding for the publication came from Mennonite Radio and Television, which published it in cooperation with Faith and Life Press, Newton, Kansas. The booklet is available free in limited numbers from Mennonite Radio and Television, Box 2, Station F, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2L 2A5. The statement puts peacemaking in biblical perspective in terms of the way of Jesus, love for all people, evangelism, and justice. The statement says the Christian should give ultimate allegiance to Jesus Christ over government. It declares nation- alism as one of the clearest forms of idolatry today, advocates alternative service to the military but recognizes that some will not cooperate at all with the military draft and others will continue to endorse military service, stands by those who resist the payment of war taxes, and asks Christians to work at the root causes of war. The statement is a reaffirmation and updating of traditional Anabaptist- Mennonite teaching on war and peace. The ten French language radio spots will be heard on a station covering most of Montreal. According to Mr. Neufeld, because the messages are straightforward evangelism, time must be purchased by Mennonite Radio and Television. The spots were written and produced by two members of the French-speaking Men- nonite congregation in Joliette, Quebec, who work for the station first releasing them. anticommunist law. The eighteen Christians arrested about a year ago for having asked, during an ecumenical service in Seoul, for a return to democracy, received sentences of up to eight years, later reduced to a maximum of five years. Since the April 13 arrests, twelve Catho- lics and Protestants in the United States have sent a letter to U.S. President Carter asking him to express his concern to President Park's government about "his harassment and persecution of Christian leaders" and "to use his prestige to obtain freedom for the nineteen detainees." The letter was transmit- ted to the White House by American Ambassador to the United Nations Andrew Young, One such step is to turn the town of Gulu, an Acholi center, into an Islamic area. It is- reported that no Acholi will be allowed to live within five miles of the town. "When Amin came to power, most of the commanding officers in the army were of the Acholi tribe," Mr. Ogwal said. "But he killed so many good army personnel that he has built up hatred in the army." The bishop said there are heavy concen- trations of the PLO in his northern home- town of Gulu, in Entebbe, and in Kampala. He believes they direct the activities of the State Research Bureau, which acts as an intelligence arm. Mr. Neufeld also reported that MRT is initiating and funding a cassette project for Indians in Canada. MRT is working with five different groups doing Indian ministries to record the Bible on cassette and to distribute these in two different Indian languages. une profession de foi chretienne su 0 h (HI |s hurcl lie i{ a met {Co tM W eft "a itnta Mora lUIK inual in BlUi: ■mil wsei jlllU j M n le chemin de la paix hint 11,96 :■ i. 346 MAY 24, 1977 '<\> Record Workers \\chard A. Dalke, First Church, Hutchin- i|n, Kansas, is among four recipients of the j 77-78 Mennonite Mental Health Scholar- i ips with Jonathan W. Jantz, Calvary (lurch, Liberal, Kansas, named as alter- Hte. (Four Bethel College alumni receiving cognition for special service and achieve- ;nt on Alumni Day, May 21, were Robert \\d Myrtle Unruh, MCC workers in jiraguay since 1951 working with home ing and farm conditions; Fremont Regier, io has served in Zaire (1965-76) expanding fe rural Christian development program ider Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission and je Commission on Overseas Mission of the ;neral Conference; and Doyle Preheim, director of music at the Eighth Street iiurch, Goshen, Indiana, and director of je Elkhart Symphony Chorus. Calendar :. June 6-10 — Mennonite Voluntary Service Mentation, Camp Colorado near Sedalia, Dlorado June 9-12 — Pacific District Conference inual sessions, Aurora, Oregon June 16-19 — Northern District Confer- ij ce annual session, Huron, South Dakota ij July 3-6 — Single adults' retreat for the lgle, widowed, separated, or divorced, Jiurelville Mennonite Church Center, Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania July 4-22— Summer school. Council of Mennonite Seminaries, on the campus of Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Fresno, California July 14-17 — Mennonite Medical Associa- Letters Yields high daily interest Dear Editor: There is a good deal of concern in many circles about the potential for crop failure due to drought and other weather and erosion conditions. There are agencies involved in conserving and using much of that which is wasted, thrown away, or allowed to rot right now. One such agency is the Food Bank in Portland, Oregon. It is bearing a high daily interest. Matt Ward of Peace Mennonite Church works with the Food Bank. He began with a year in VS but now is an employee. Food Bank serves as a distributor to agencies of the United Way, who in turn distribute to individuals. Food Bank col- lects, stores, and distributes an average of 30,000 pounds of food per month, most of it gleaned from farms or donated from food wholesale or retail outlets. Matt is the volunteer coordinator. This may mean going out with a group from a local church to pick end-of-the-season tion convention, Lakeside (Ohio) Camp; C. Everett Koop, speaker July 23-27 — Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Toronto July 28-August 3 — General Conference triennial sessions, Bluffton, Ohio strawberries, cherries, beans, corn, or cucumbers. It may mean handling 40,000 pounds of frozen french fries or to distribute several tons of instant mashed potato flakes. Other gifts to the Food Bank have included a hundred gallons of milk and a couple thousand pounds of Girl Scout cookies. What does the Food Bank get the most of? Squash. It seems every home gardener has extra squash. Food Bank recently had a contest to name their new van. The prize was a squash weighing 130 pounds. Maybe other communities could also work at ways of conservation and utilizing excess materials. Robert Hoffman, 1009 North Buffalo, Portland, Oregon 97217 April 1 More congregational profiles Dear Editor: I want to express my thanks for The Mennonite. I am especially glad to see the feature "Congregational Profile." I hope we see many more of these. Donavin Diller, Box 691, Beatrice, Nebraska 68310 May 2 Copastor needed The Carlock and North Danvers Mennonite churches would like to call a pastor to serve in their shared ministry program in a part-time capacity. The congregations have cooperated in sharing a team of two ministers since 1971. Elmer Wall is continuing as a full-time member of the pastoral team. Ministers share areas of responsibilities in the congregations with the part-time team member, for instance, preaching about once a month, helping supervise the Sunday schools, and doing some visitation. Can be ideal for a minister who wishes to slow down before retirement. Interested persons should contact: Elmer Wall Box 41 Carlock, Illinois 61725 (309) 376-2781 Conference budget 1977 BUDGET: $3,179,883 jdget for •77 includes: Dmmission on Jucation !34,048 Dmmission on yerseas Mission !,084,949 Dmmission on Dme Ministries 79,918 ennonite Biblical Ijminary ;>80,968 btal $3,179,883 judget receipts for April were $214,448 bringing the 1977 total to $688,479. Budget receipts ir 1976 were $203,154 for a total of $745,368. On a percentage basis at the end of four , onths, 21.7 percent was received in 1977 and 24.9 in 1976. Ted Stuckey, conference 1 easurer ACTUAL INCOME $3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1 ,000,000 500,000 J FMAMJ JASOND HE MENNONITE 347 HERALD PRESS SAYS: Mcnnonites, Don't Buy Herald Press Books and Curriculum Material Out of Loyalty Ilt is true that in 1976 twenty-four of the thirty-one new Herald Press books were by or about Men- nonites. It's true that we just completed the first major revision of the Herald Summer Bible School Series in 28 years using Mennonite writers, advisors, and churches to create, edit, and test the courses. But don't patronize us because we are your publishers. 2 Buy Herald Press books because they meet the needs of you, your family, your church. As your publishing house, we strive to stay close to the issues facing Christians today. In the last year we have dealt with: divorce and remarriage (DIVORCE, A CHRISTIAN DILEMMA, paper $1.95); affluence (OVERCOMING MATERIALISM, paper $1 .95; CH R 1ST IN THE COUNTRY CLUB, paper $1.95); church growth and renewal (COMMUNITY AND COMMITMENT, paper $2.95; THE CHALLENGE OF CHURCH GROWTH, paper $2.95; BEYOND RENEWAL, paper $1.95); world hunger (MORE-WITH- LESS COOKBOOK, paper $5.95); demonology (THE DEVIL DID NOT MAKE ME DO IT, paper $4.95); the charismatic movement (MY PERSONAL PENTECOST, paper $3.95); the nurture of our children (SEVEN THINGS CHILDREN NEED, paper $1.95; LOVE AND SEX ARE NOT ENOUGH, paper $3.95); discipleship (WALKING IN THE RESURRECTION, cloth $5.95; BECAUSE GOD LOVES, paper $1.25); nationalism (OUR STAR-SPANGLED FAITH, paper $2.50); and death and dying (AFTER DEATH, WHAT?, paper $1.95; MY WALK THROUGH GRIEF, paper $1.95). I I12J country Club Commitment MAY 24, 1977; I 3 Or read us to discover your roots, find out where the Mennonite Church is today, and where it is headed in the future. Read: THE GREAT TREK (cloth, $9.95); 'TWAS SEEDING TIME (paper, U.95); BLACK AND MENNONITE (paper, $3.95); KINGDOM, CROSS, AND COMMUNITY (cloth, 112.95). Mm Use Herald Summer Bible School Series and Herald Omnibus Bible Series because they are the only mm VBS courses consistent in theology and approach with Anabaptist/Mennonite beliefs. Also, invest in [Herald material because churches across North America are discovering that HERALD PRESS VBS curri- cula are the only courses that are permanent and closely graded. Churches of all denominations like the ontinuity that this approach offers students, teachers, and superintendents. They appreciate the empha- is on Bible study and Christian life-style that the material offers. Purchase Herald Press books and curricula because it is quality literature for church and home. Available through your local bookstore !"HE MENNONITE 349 Reviews Men's roles need changing, too Tough and Tender by Joyce Lansdorf (Revell, Old Tappan, New Jersey, 1975, 157 pages, $5.95); Man of Steel and Velvet by Aubrey Andelin (Pacific Press, Santa Barbara, California, 1972, 3 16 pages, $7.95); Letters to Philip by Charlie W. Shedd (Spire Books, Old Tappan, New Jersey, 1976, 128 pages, $ 1 .50 paperback); F or Men Only by J. Allan Petersen (Tyndale House Publishers, Wheat on, Illinois, 1975, 236 pages, $2.95 paperback); and Success Is a Failure Experience by William L. Malcomson (Abingdon, Nashville, Tennessee, 1976, $4.95) are reviewed by Elizabeth G. Yoder, Mennonite Voluntary Service, Newton, Kansas 67114. Women's liberation has been debated endlessly both by the secular and the religious press, but men's liberation is only now beginning to be recognized in books and articles. On my desk are at least a dozen volumes about men's changing roles written from a secular point of view. A few books about men have been written from a Christian perspective, but very few, seeming- ly, have yet. responded to the current trend toward liberation for men. Two books on men's roles that are quite similar are Tough and Tender by Joyce Lansdorf and Man of Steel and Velvet by Aubrey Andelin, the husband of Helen Andelin, the originator of the "fascinating woman." Basically both books accept the traditional roles for men, seeing the ideal man as strong both physically and emotion- ally, competitive and success-oriented. Added to that is the "tender" or "velvet" aspect of the Christian man — chivalry, understanding of women, appreciation of the finer things in life. The "biblical" role of men is seen as leadership in home and society. It is assumed that there is a "divine order" that must not be disturbed. Women should not shoulder financial problems or take jobs outside the home. Men must not be "part-time nursemaids" or perform tradi- tionally female tasks. This blurs mother- father roles and will have a harmful effect on children. Obviously neither the "tough and tender" man nor the "man of steel and velvet" is married to a liberated woman. Charlie Shedd, popular writer on mar- riage and family, has also written a book on male roles in marriage called Letters to Philip. As do Lansdorf and Andelin, Shedd assumes a female partner who is the traditional female — emotional and depen- dent. It is not surprising, then, that his first advice to the about-to-be-married "Philip" to whom the book is addressed is, "Take charge!" He has a rather patronizing approach toward women and assumes that they can be appeased by buying them things. In an appalling story that really tips his hand in terms of his view of women, he tells about a man who took good care of his guns, but neglected his wife in whom he had "invested" much more money. Another book which is frequently seen on men's bookshelves is For Men Only by J. Allan Petersen. This book is a collection of articles about the male role from a Christian perspective. As Petersen puts it in his introduction, "The Bible and human history teach us that a man is made for leadership in the society and the home. And when strong, confident masculine leadership is lacking, a vacuum is created which is invaded by demonic and destructive forces." For the most part, the articles in the book promote traditional male images of dominance and success. It is surprising, then, to find among the articles, one titled, "Man the Leader" taken from David Augsburger's book Cherishable: Love and Marriage. Augsburger questions the idea that "man-is-and-ever-shall-be-the- sole-leader" and differentiates between dominating and leading. He suggests that dominance is not unique to either sex, that it is often a sign of a rigid, authoritative personality which may, in fact, result from weakness and insecurity. Leadership, on the other hand, is not something a person is, but something a person does, and therefore it can be done by either sex. Leadership is a function and should always be shared. Augsburger urges men to give up their "dominating, aggressive life-style(s) and disavow their self-image(s) of superiority and supremacy." He suggests rather that manhood should be measured by relation- ships rather than "success" — the job, size of paycheck, etc. Instead, he suggests that the experience of marriage and parenthood is more important in measuring manhood. Compared to the other articles in For Men Only which extol traditional views of masculinity in our society and hold them up as "Christian," Augsburger's article is so different that one wonders if Petersen really read (or understood) it when he included it in his book. There is one full-fledged "men's libera- tion" book from a Christian perspective. It is a slim hardbound book called Success Is a Failure Experience, by William L. Malcom- son. Malcomson's message is that the masculine image of success and rugged independence is a kind of "bondage to that which is not you." He treats three aspects of the masculine "success image" — success on the job, at home, and in religious life. In the third chapter, concerning religion, Malcom- son talks about the rewards of being a churchman (status, respectability, etc.) and suggests that "our pursuit of the success image is affirmed by the church." Instead, the church should be calling us to change our values and to renounce the success image. In a transitional passage called "Breaking the Bonds," Malcomson describes his getting free of the success image as almost a conversion experience. The final section of the book, then, is a series of informal reflections on life free of the images of success and masculinity that enslave men. Malcomson urges men to slow down and enjoy life, to see their jobs asjobs, not as life, to think of themselves primarily as persons and secondarily as male, and to cast their burdens on the Lord instead of worrying about things that are God's problem. Interestingly, Malcomson does not men- tion women's liberation or suggest that men's liberation depends on women's libera- tion or women's on men's as other writers on the subject often do. He puts the problem of liberation squarely on the shoulders of men and says that men must free themselves from their own bondage to the society's images of masculinity and success. Go If ati .ever "o k Etei pen trabo Hurt Whf Ste sexii ish Help wanted Replacements needed in summer and fall for persons currently meeting human needs through day care, housing rehabilitation, and community service programs. Urgent openings tor persons with skills in social service, teaching, journalism, com munlty organizing, legal and medical work. Two year terms preferred. Room, board, travel, and medical coverage plus $30 a month allowance provided. Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 350 MAY 24, 197/ \\ Meditation Sod's Spirit becomes flesh f a tree is cut down, there is hope that it will sprout again and fresh shoots will not fail, [hough its roots grow old in the earth, and its stump is dying in the ground, if it scents water, may break into bud and make new growth like a young plant" (Job 14:7-9). j The Bible is our guide to right relationships with God and our brothers and sisters. We are 'tiled on to understand how this Scripture speaks to those relationships. To what does the letaphor refer? What is the implied call to us? Humankind is the stump to which Job referred. It has been said that we are always dying, eginning with the moment of birth. But what are the "fresh shoots"? Are we speaking of ffspring, or are we speaking of that which differentiates us from the so-called lower animals > make us in God's image? That would be his Spirit flowing through us — a Spirit which ever fully dies in anyone. As humankind comes and goes from the face of this earth, that Spirit remains to take root i the lives of individuals. Only as those persons take a militant stand of "making" the will of od be done in their lives and earth, does the Spirit become flesh and stand anew like a tree hich shall not be moved. We are called to right relationships not only with those around us ow, but also with those who come after us. We accomplish that relationship by leaving the orld a better place emotionally, spiritually, and physically than it was when we came into it. o do less is to make life increasingly difficult for succeeding generations. I believe that there is eternal life after death — life in the presence of God for you and me — ut there is another important aspect to immortality. It is the Spirit of life taking root in us hich, when these mortal bodies are gone, "breaks into bud and makes new growth like a oung plant." It is a legacy we leave behind to condition the world for other "fresh shoots." Eternal life consists also of what we leave behind and not just of what we will become in the resence of God. To complain about the way things are and physically do nothing for others r about our environment is worse than indifference. That is the spirit of death and doom for lture generations. When we leave this life, will we leave heaven or hell for those who follow us on this earth? Jack L. Mace Stereotypes ingle persons are immature irresponsible undependable insecure | unable to form deep relationships I sexually maladjusted | socially misfits 1 a shame to their parents ! a dilemma to the church. jiarried persons are y mature responsible dependable secure a part of a deep relationship sexually adjusted society's norm a pride to their parents the foundation of the church. If the above are true why did Jesus choose not to marry? why did Paul encourage celibacy? Ruth Ann Bixler Contents My hope for Bluffton 338 A people of hope 340 News 341 Record 347 Letters 347 Men's roles need changing, too 350 God's Spirit becomes flesh 351 Stereotypes 351 How to get ready for Bluffton 352 CONTRIBUTORS Various people were invited to make person- al comments about the upcoming confer- ence at Bluffton. These are featured in this issue. James Waltner, Normal, Illinois, is copas- tor of the recently merged MC and GC congregations at Normal. The church holds membership in both conferences. The meditation writers are Jack L. Mace, Hutchinson, Kansas; and Ruth Ann Bixler, Lakeland, Florida 33801 CREDITS Cover, Gerber's Studio, Bluffton, Ohio, Bluffton College Information Service; 340, RNS; 344, Jan Swartzentruber, MCC; 345, J. O. Schrag. The Meiiiioiiilc Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4, Telephone: (204) 888-6781 Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Telephone: (316) 283-5100 Editor Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Win- nipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4 Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton. Kansas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schu- macher Art director: John Hiebert Business manager: Dietrich Rempel Circulation sec- retary: Marilyn Kaufman Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L. Ramseyer, 488 West Elm Street, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117, Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indi- ana 46805; and Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg. Manitoba R3P0M4. HE MENNONITE 351 How to get ready for Blul With only nine weeks remaining before the General Conference triennial sessions in Bluffton, Ohio, here are a few suggestions on how to get ready for the conference. 1. Patience and a high tolerance for a lot of people in an unairconditioned auditorium will be valued qualities. The hosting committee has been working hard. Four food options have been planned to feed delegates and visitors in a short time. Some airconditioned spots are available. But the debate in the plenary sessions may be hot in more ways than one. 2. Be prepared to separate national from binational issues. The chairman and the resolutions committee will be instructed to let only binational issues come to the General Conference floor. Canadians probably won't feel the need to bring strictly Canadian issues to the General Conference; the Conference of Mennonites in Canada will have just finished its annual meeting in Toronto. But U.S. delegates may have a hard time remembering that strictly U.S. discussions are to be reserved for the U.S. caucus slots on Monday and possibly Tuesday afternoons. The U.S. delegates, in their first meeting by themselves, may have difficulty discerning exactly what they are supposed to do. After all, the U.S. caucus wasn't suggested by the U.S. delegates or even by the U.S. districts, but by the General Conference. A meeting of U.S. delegates is needed. Americans in the General Conference have been stepping on Canadian toes at resolutions time for too long, and the Canadians have finally said, "Ouch." But don't expect the first U.S. caucus to go smoothly. 3. Get ready for some preliminary talks about restructure of the General Conference in 1980. Some talk has already started between General Conference and Canadian Conference boards about a new role for the Commission on Home Ministries that would focus its work in the United States. More radical restructuring may even be possible. But most of the people so far talking about restructure are not proposing such a move this year. More time for processing such a decision is needed. But the way is being prepared for a more major discussion during the next triennium. 4. Read the resolutions which are being mailed to each congregation. These resolutions have been prepared by congregations, district conferences, task forces, and conference boards and commis- sions. Summaries of them will appear in The Mennonite. These are not all the resolutions that will be presented at conference; some will not be written until the sessions have started. So be prepared for handling a lot of resolutions in a short time. The Mennonite has carried or will carry registra- tion information; a list of the nominees for boards, commissions, and other offices; reports of the boards; and other preconference information. (See pp. 338-39 for comments of ten people on their hopes for Bluffton.) 5. Intergenerational activities may prove attrac- tive and in keeping with the family theme of the conference. Some adult delegates may find the new games planned by the youth for the afternoons more interesting than workshops, caucuses, and alumni meetings. 6. Stretch your definition of "family." Family means more than mother, father, and biological children. The workshops will discuss singleness, aging, male-female roles, communicating faith in the family, single parenting, divorce and remar- riage, and a variety of family life-styles. There will also be talk about the church as the family of God — a circle where Christians can be brothers and sisters to each other. In a real sense, the whole General Conference is "family," too. Some of us don't see each other too often, and a General Conference is a time when we can strengthen the ties of three or six years ago. What happens in the hallways and out on the lawn is at least as important as what will go on in Founders Hall. I am looking forward to sharing coffee or orange juice with other participants at the confer- ence and building up the "familyness" of the General Conference. LB The Meiiiioniie OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO ONE LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST cLKriAfU c^<\ LIBRARY ii 92:22 MAY 31, 1977 S3* !H£ W .Tf.'-i S'rM est 5*5 How blest are those of gentle spirit; they shall have the earth for their possession (Matthew 5:5). The main unsolvable problem for human- kind centers around the use and abuse of power. Some, like Nietzsche, have affirmed the will to power. Others have maintained that power corrupts and that absolute power corrupts absolutely. Nevertheless, most people feel that it is essential for the state to have the authority to exercise coercion both internally against citizens and nationals and David Janzen externally against other nations. While the abuse of coercive force as practiced by the individual or society is under constant criticism in the Bible, some traditions recognize legitimized coercion as reflecting the wrath of God. The traditions of the Flood and the tower of Babel suggest that coercive action was necessary because of human evil, but that God himself took this action (Genesis 6:5ff.). The Exodus tradition follows a similar pattern. God has made a covenant with the patriarchs and when he hears the groaning of the enslaved Israelites, he rescues them with mighty acts of judgment (Exodus 6:6ff.). When, because of their wickedness, God wants to destroy the people he has just saved, Moses intercedes on behalf of his people. But then he orders the Levites to through the camp to kill their brothers, friends, and neighbors (Exodus 32:27). The coercive power of the sword is also wielded by the representatives of God in the Joshua tradition, in the time of Samuel and To overcome evil with good is productive. To overcome evil with e is counterproductive and only strengthens the determination resist. All VISITS Wilt TERMINATE WHERE YOU ARE SEATED Toward a theology of involuement corrections ■ he judges, and in the Deuteronomy tradi- tion. "You shall show no mercy: life for life, •ye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, ind foot for foot" (Deuteronomy 19:21). ! You shall annihilate them — Hittites, Amor- I tes, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, 'lebusites — as the Lord your God com- manded you, so that they may not teach you ill the abominable things that they have jlone for their gods and so cause you to sin igainst the Lord your God" (20: 1 7f.). This judgment upon the whole human ace is also reflected in the Prophets. Again it s God who brings judgment, but he may act n judgment through other nations punish- , ng sin with sin. In the New Testament, Paul iplugs into this prophetic tradition, con- temning both Jews and Greeks alike for >eing under the power of sin (Romans i:9ff.). But there is also the hint that when duman beings and nations act in judgment >n others, they, too, become guilty and ripe !or judgment. The prophetic tradition of the suffering ervant clearly avoids this guilt, even as it !>ears the burden of the guilt of others. Paul ollows this tradition when he admonishes Thristians not to seek revenge but to leave a )lace for divine retribution. Evil is to be ilefeated by good rather than by a counter- jorce of evil (Romans 12:17ff.). The same nessage is also found in the Sermon on the 4ount, where Jesus enjoins his disciples to ove their enemies and not to set themselves igainst the person who wrongs them. There nust be no limit to their goodness. Following the first tradition, churches ;enerally have blessed coercive action when t was legitimized in the state, its police force, ts courts, and its armies. The abuses of the towerful have generally been tolerated. Sometimes even to the extent that, in Practice, might makes right. In one way or nother, the eye-for-an-eye justice has been iffirmed. In the name of love and humanity, Marxists have likewise justified violence. At he root of this position lies the view that evil :an only be overcome by evil. Once the vicked ruling class has been destroyed, the tate with its violent, coercive power will vither away and only administrative func- ions will remain to serve the whole society. Marxist poet Bertolt Brecht, therefore, (leads for our understanding when he says: Iven the hatred of squalor Aakes the brow grow stern. Zven anger against injustice vlakes the voice grow harsh. Alas, we Vho wished to lay the foundations of kindness lould not ourselves be kind. to/ you, when at last it comes to pass "hat man can help his fellowman. Do not judge us Too harshly. It appears to me that today, in the face of our arsenal of nuclear weapons with their tremendous overkill capacity and second- strike capability, even common sense must teach us the folly of the way of coercion. The lesson of the Vietnam War is that power has its limits. All the carpet bombings could not force the Vietnamese people to their knees. What do you prove when you unleash the power of weaponry only to destroy yourself and the goodness of God's creation? In 1961-62, in the face of its conflict with the USSR, Americans argued in favor of using the ultimate weapons even if it meant that 90 percent of the population would be sacrificed. If we are willing to sacrifice 90 percent of the population for a questionable existence for the other 10 percent, then why not sacrifice our lives as disciples by actively seeking to overcome the world by our goodness? In the process we will have God's blessing pronounced upon us instead of his curse (Matthew 5:11; compare Deuterono- my 28). The lessons are clear that violence breeds counterviolence. The enemy may be beaten to the ground, but he will rise again as soon as possible in an attempt to assert himself with violence. To overcome evil with good is productive. To overcome evil with evil is counterproductive and only strengthens the determination to resist. Jesus shows us a new way for political action. He rejected coercive force not only in his teaching, but in his whole way of life. It was not that he did not have such power available to him. He could have commanded more than twelve legions of angels, but he chose to walk the way of the cross ( Matthew 26:5 Iff.). He overcame the world in weak- ness and in love even as he prayed for those who crucified him. His disciples were called to "love one another; as I have loved you, so you are to love one another" (John 13:34). They were sent out like sheep among wolves (Matthew 10:16), not as wolves among wolves. We should be content to share the lot of our Master. "Do not fear those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul. Fear him rather who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell"(Matthew 10:28). The world that is self-satisfied and compla- cent in its dependence on violence to protect its interests will resist the proclamation of Jesus forthe release of prisoners (Luke 4: 1 8). Such "foolishness" of the gospel will hardly be tolerated. And yet the prison system does stand condemned by the experts. The board of directors of the National Council on Crime and Delinquency says: "Prisons are destruc- tive to prisoners and those charged with holding them. Confinement is necessary only for offenders who, if not confined, would be a serious danger to the public. Forall others, who are not dangerous and who constitute the great majority of offenders, the sentence of choice should be wide variety of noninsti- tutional dispositions" (Crime and Delin- quency. October 1975, p. 315). "Prisons must be judged by their actual functioning rather than by their stated objectives. They have proved to be (I) ineffectual, (2) probably incapable of being operated constitutionally, (3) themselves productive of crime, and (4) destructive of the keepers as well as the kept," says the council. The church can offer its assistance by providing alternative healing communities that do not use coercive force, but provide a healing discipline of love. We can offer the world our assistance but always in such a way that we witness to true disciplcship. Conceivably, crime could be greatly reduced by simply developing a more just society. Pierre Trudeau organized an elec- tion campaign on the slogan of a "just society." If this had not been just an empty slogan, it could have been great. Ramsey Clark says, "You will not elimi- nate crime by eliminating poverty, igno- rance, poor health, and ugly environments. But it is clear that such conditions are demonstrably responsible for most crime — nearly all crime that is foreseeable and can be prevented" (Crime in America, New York: Simon and Schuster, 1970, p. 66). In the Divine Imperative, Emil Brunner says, "In every crime the first and chief criminal is — society. For it breeds crime by the brutality of its economic 'order,' by the paucity of its provisions for those who grow up in morally impossible conditions, by the harshness with which it throws upon the street all those who are less talented and successful in life, by the lovelessness with which it meets those who are least adapted to its requirements" (p. 474f.). When Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5: 1 5, "But always aim at doing the best that you can for each other and for all men," we must confess that we have failed as Chris- tians as well as society. We are called to greater involvement in correcting injustices in the knowledge that it is the will of God our Savior "that all men should find salvation and come to know the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). The self-serving, self-assertive world which is dedicated to law and order through violent restraint is blind to the power of self- denying love that takes up its cross daily to follow Jesus. With Hans Denck, I believe that Christians should function as ministers of God's grace, but not of his wrath. Let us follow Jesus as ministers of God's grace for the redemption of sinners everywhere. "HE MENNONITE 355 Amelia Mueller I first went to prison on August 27, 1972. It was a new experience for me; it was interesting; it was fun! My sister and my brother-in-law had been corresponding with and visiting Greg (all inmates' names have been changed) for several months. Greg had a friend, Joe, who also had minimum custody. So I got myself onto Joe's visiting list and went to see him when Elfrieda and Bob went to see Greg. The five of us had a picnic lunch in the shade of a tree. We ate and talked and laughed; the three hours passed quickly. Joe was paroled to his family in Sep- tember. But Greg had another friend, Larry, who received few letters and had no visitors. So I got myself onto Larry's visiting and correspondence list. By now it was too cold to picnic outside. We ate and visited in the large "outside" visiting room. My casual interest in him as a lonely prisoner changed into a feeling of loving concern. A bond of friendship grew between us. He talked long and vehemently about his problems, and I listened with mixed feelings. He lacked self-discipline; he was unstable emotionally; his sense of values was all wrong by my standards; and I was never sure how much of what he was telling me was true. But he was likeable and so hungry for love and acceptance. With Larry I went through those terribly difficult weeks preceding his release on parole. Tension mounted inside him until he was ready literally to "climb the wall." There was fear that he wouldn't actually get out, that something would happen at the last minute to prevent his release. There was even more fear of getting out, of becoming a part of the world outside again. He was certain that everyone seeing him would know he was a "jailbird"; he was afraid he wouldn't get a job or wouldn't be able to keep the job if he did get one; he was worried about establish- ing social relationships. Larry left Hutchinson by bus for Topeka on a Monday afternoon in January. I had / know that many of these men have deep problems and that, at least to a degree, they have chosen the life that brought them behind bars. But I have also become acutely aware that each is an individual of worth in God's eyes. been with him on Sunday afternoon; he had been depressed and "jumpy." I had thought about him and prayed for him all evening. Monday morning, on impulse, I told my school principal that 1 would like to take my afternoon coffee break at the bus station. (My afternoon schedule is flexible; I worl^ individually with hard-of-hearing children who are in regular classrooms much of the day.) My principal smiled and nodded permission. I shall always be glad that I took that coffee break. Larry had been brought down to the bus station by a guard, but now he was sitting all alone, a small package of belong- ings on the bench beside him, the envelope containing his release papers and his bus ticket clutched tightly in his hand. He was dressed in the clothes that had been issued to him — too dressed up. He had told me on Sunday that if they gave him a white dress shirt, he wouldn't wear it. But he was wearing a white dress shirt and shiny new black dress shoes. He was subdued and quiet. He had little to say, but his eyes told me that he was glad to have me there, sitting beside him until the bus came in. Just before he boarded the bus, he shook my hand and told me that he ha> arranged with a fellow prisoner to use hi: outside contacts to get word to me about getting onto another inmate's visiting list. And so I became involved with Bill. By then my conviction had crystallized that that first Sunday picnic had been no incidental happening. I felt that I had been given my "marching orders," that this was work whicl God wanted me to do. 1 visited Bill regularly all spring and earl summer. I found him intelligent, capable] sensitive, and deeply affectionate. His fathen and stepmother had separated shortly aftea his incarceration, and he had had nocontacj with either of them. During the past six months he had not had a single visitor oi letter, not even a Christmas card. Hi: feelings of rejection and loneliness ha<| brought him to the verge of deep depression I offered to cosponsor Bill in June an<| found myself involved in the "impossible La:: p Jul THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and Ireedom undor the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It is PU1 lished weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton, Kansas 671 14, by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonite Church Second-clai ' 1 ' ' ■ ' ■ 1 ' 1 1 ! , 1 1 < 1 i lli w Y , r 1 1 / I I ■ I , i ■ 1 1 1 , 1 1 . w 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 h i ; 1 1 ii I . H 1 1 n 1 1 i p 1 1 , ' , 1 1 1 > 1 , , 1 1 1 ■, ii I I ' .1,1 les anil i ,111,1,1,1 % 1 1 in yen $ I S 'SO I wo yi'.n s KM IHI IhiiH' vi'.n', 1"i i 1 Vl'ni prniMi f .liti rial office 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4 Business office 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Postmaster: Send Form 3579 to Box 347. Newton, Kansas 6711 356 MAY 31, 197 ituation which many of the young prisoners ace. Bill was only eighteen; he could not be laroled to his parents; there was no halfway louse in Hutchinson like the one to which .arry had been paroled in Topeka. So he lad to have a job and a place to stay — "down n black and white" — by the first of June in jirder to get out on his release date in mid- i une. j When you are behind bars and have no xperience in job hunting, how do you go :.bout finding employment? You can send i>ut parole work sheets by the dozen, but how ilo you interest the prospective employer in 1 igning the sheet when you aren't able to talk Jo him in person? Landlords require a month's rent in advance plus a $20 to $50 gleaning deposit. How do you manage that little trick before the first of June, when all [he money you are sure of is the $35 you will i>e getting at the time of your release in mid- June? ; Bill couldn't figure out the answers to these questions, and frankly, they stumped me, too. It was at this time that I clipped (and pasted at the side of my clock where I would see them often) the words "The time to work harder is when you want to give up." There were days when my faith wasn't strong enough and I was completely discouraged. Then on the last day of May, an apartment and a job both materialized, and I spent the rest of the day apologizing to God for my doubts. The months since I escorted Bill out through the gate to freedom have been no spectacular success story. The year behind bars did nothing to alleviate his serious emotional problems, to teach him how to manage his money, to motivate him to stick to a job when the work becomes hard and boring. But there have been many occasions for rejoicing and thanking God, like the Sunday morning in August when Bill knelt at the altar to make a profession of faith. I've gone back inside the walls again as a Now I simply pray that I may be one of the persons through whom the "specialist in the impossible" can come to visit and work with these lonely, frustrated, misguided persons behind the prison walls. part of an organized group of Christians, participating in the M-2 Program (Man-to- Man Program). What is a grandma-age woman doing in a "man-to-man" program? I thought and prayed about this for months before signing up. My decision to take part was based largely on my experiences with Larry and Bill. For both of them, one of the big lacks in their growing-up years had been a loving, caring mother. In prison they had ample opportuni- ty for contacts with men — the chaplain, their classification officers, the correction offi- cers, the job supervisors, the Upper Room Fellowship, their fellow inmates. But they did not have, and never had had, meaningful, stable contacts with mature. Christian women. Their need of, and hunger for the love and affection of a mother-figure made me feel that there definitely is a place for mature, caring Christian women in prison visitation. Through the M-2 program I am visiting and writing to Sam. I have seen him only three times, but already, as I talk to him, I find myself thinking of the line from a familiar poem, "There is so much of good in the worst of us. . . ." Much has happened since that first Sunday picnic in 1972. I have become realistic. I know now that many of these men have deep problems and that, at least to a degree, they have chosen the life that brought them behind bars. But I have also become acutely aware that each is an individual of worth in God's eyes. I first went to prison motivated by Matthew 25:36b, "I was in prison and ye came unto me." By now my motivation has shifted. I no longer think of myself as doing something for Christ by my visits. I have learned through experience how inadequate my best efforts to do something for Christ are. I have learned through experience how inadequate my best efforts to do something for the prisoners are. I have pasted another clipping on my clock: "We know that he [God] is a specialist in the impossible. . . ." And now I simply pray that I may be one of the persons through whom the "specialist in the impossi- ble" can come to visit and work with these lonely, frustrated, misguided persons behind News Stronger U.S. role set for Home Ministries The Commission on Home Ministries of the General Conference Mennonite Church should concentrate more on U.S. matters, rather than binational issues. This was the recommendation of a joint Canadian Conference-General Conference structures committee that met May 5-6 in Rosemont, Illinois. Its general direction was affirmed May 6-7 by the General Confer- ence's General Board executive committee. The structures committee said a structur- al, constitutional change was not necessary now, but the general direction should be tested before it is made formal. "There was general agreement," said the committee, "that ultimately there should be a degree of parallelism between the Commis- sion on Home Ministries (General Confer- ence) and the Congregational Resources Board (Canadian Conference) in the way they would function in the United States and Canada, respectively. Financial support patterns, in which considerable funding comes to CHM from Canada, need not change immediately but may do so as the above structures evolve." The structures committee (with equal representation of Canadian Conference and General Conference board members and staff) was appointed by the two bodies' General Boards to work at tensions between the two conferences' structures. Many questions about such a change in CHM's job description remain unanswered. To whom would such a U.S. -oriented commission report? to the General Board? to the U.S. districts? The MCC U.S. Ministries reports to the binational Mennonite Central Committee, it was pointed out. Should the Canadian Conference not elect representation to CHM now? Should there be U.S. representation on CRB reference councils and Canadian representation on CHM reference councils? Would such a change in structures mean that some areas of conference life such as evangelism, church planting, and peace would be cut loose from General Board concern? What happens to the binational work which CHM is doing now, such as radio-television ministries and peace education? The structures will be ambiguous for a while, the General Conference General Board executive committee admitted. The structures committee also spoke to other areas of tension: —The question of transferring Der Bote, the General Conference's German periodi- cal, to the Canadian Conference will be raised again. — The Conference of Mennonites in Canada should act on behalf of the General Conference in relating to the needs of the Umsiedler, or Russian emigrants, in western Europe. — The proposed satellite program of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries in connection with Conrad Grebel College in Waterloo, Ontario, should not develop into a separate, competing seminary, the struc- tures committee said. Some western Canadi- ans are wondering if they should have been consulted about a seminary extension in Canada. — The General Conference should con- tinue to appoint three representatives to the Mennonite World Conference delegate body. But the Canadian Conference should nominate a Canadian as at least one candidate for appointment. Members of the structures committee for the Canadian Conference were Jake Harms, Fred Enns, and John Neufeld, with Ed Enns and Henry Gerbrandt as staff. General Conference members were Elmer Neufeld, James Waltner, and Stan Bohn, with Heinz Janzen and Palmer Becker, staff members. t It's nau' ackit tU. j tli )Wa As (Cl r topi rowi "Hi kk'i. Bit I vert \et oins lien josti The hi vine ups, irresj jverr emir 8,-. ie; i)( le Se u the Dual-conference congregations gather Why would a congregation want to join two conferences? "To bridge some of those Mennonite gaps," said J. R. Burkholder of The Assembly in Goshen, Indiana. He was speaking at a gathering of dual-conference congregations, May 12-13 in Rosemont, Illinois. Representatives from twelve of the twenty-six congregations belonging to both General Conference and Mennonite Church conferences gathered to share ideas and experiences. Twenty-five persons were pres- ent, including representatives from the Mennonite Church General Board and the Central District Conference. Some of the reasons expressed for wanting dual affiliation included: — Congregations with members from both GC and MC conferences can keep ties with both conference backgrounds. — A symbolic witness to inter-Mennonite unity is expressed. —The resources of two conferences are made available. Assets of dual affiliation included: — New or small churches that are strug- gling financially can draw on larger member- ships, on the gifts and talents of more individuals, and on greater sources of sup- port. — An appreciation for the backgrounds of both groups results; fellowship and unity among Mennonites are increased. — Mennonites from both backgrounds feel free to attend. The liabilities of dual affiliation included: — Difficulties arise in the working out of financial giving; more than one conference is being supported, but neither gets full sup- port. Church offices are receiving a flood of mail, with a duplication of materials sent out by both conferences. Each conference has its own periodicals and news services, so this results in duplication of articles and infor- mation. — There are twice as many meetings and conferences to attend and the churches cannot afford to send representatives to all of them. Those attending the conference hope to see less duplication of materials and periodi cals and hope to meet the financial needs of both conferences. They want to continue to increase unity between Mennonites and would like to see more dual-conference congregations. To new churches considering dual affiliation, they suggest educating the congregation about the decisions being made and suggest that applications to membership in each conference be made simultaneously, with each knowing that the other conference is also being petitioned. The representatives feel good about their dual affiliation and recommend it to other churches. Lois Bare of Southside Mennonite Fellowship in Elkhart, Indiana, felt that dual-conference congregations help to re- mind members that the church is not limited to one conference: "God's kingdom is bigger than that," she said. "It felt good to get that in my bones." Sherrie Zimbelman, Chicago m ' isnifl ;:. i h;\ 1 lb H [Ik CI feu ivioli is si (KM ll! ill (ill li 358 MAY 31, 1977 j •<;„, \/laps, minutes prove Indian claims t's so easy in this culture to be totally laware of the Indian people's plight," said ickie Stahl, a Mennonite Central Commit- e U.S. Ministries volunteer at the Institute |>r the Development of Indian Law (IDIL) Washington, D.C. As a research assistant Ms. Stahl has xorae aware of unfair treatment of Indian ;oples of which she was ignorant while owing up in Freeman, South Dakota. "It's a strange thing," she said of her >ming to IDIL. She grew up in a state in hich the Bureau of Indian Affairs declared ime Indians incompetent so they could take /er the land and rent it to white farmers. Yet "I was so sheltered from what was )ing on in the reservation," she said. Only ter coming to IDIL did she realize the justices done to Indian peoples. The Seminoles, a tribe of about 300 in the lorida Everglades, is one group IDIL is ying to help. Ms. Stahl looks through aps, old minutes, land office reports, and >rrespondence between army officers and )vernment officials to try to prove the j;minoles have a valid land claim, i Based on maps of the area, Ms. Stahl said, ey believe an oral treaty was made between e Seminoles and the U.S. Government in Ji42, giving them an area of land. But j idently the government broke the treaty, r the area is absent in later maps. Because white people wanted the land, the >vernment poured much money into three :minole wars to drive them out of Florida » live with the Creek Indians — bitter lemies — in Oklahoma. Bloodhounds and 'en hot air balloons were used at one point sniff out and spot the Seminoles. Many of iem eventually moved to a portion of the reek Indian Reservation, but many slipped :ep into the Everglades, where they still /e. Ms. Stahl said the IDIL has a fairly good ise to prove the Seminoles' land claim, ised on the historical material they have learthed. The IDIL treaty project in which Ms. tahl works takes on legal treaty cases, such ; the Seminoles', which are likely to set a "ecedent in maintaining land rights. Most the cases handled by the treaty project are ;ainst the Indian Claims Commission CC), which pays money to Indian people >r violated land claims. Ms. Stahl admitted is strange to be working against a ipposedly helpful organization, but points it that after the ICC pays the money, the tdian people no longer have any right to leir land. In effect, the ICC's payments are a gal way for the government to buy off idian land. IDIL also holds workshops to encourage Indian self-government and researches and publishes books and magazines such as the American Indian Journal, the institute's monthly publication. Recently IDIL completed the Southeast- ern Indian Project working with the Tunica tribe. This project resulted in state recogni- tion for the Tunicas and the placement of MCC volunteers Steve and Anne Egli to work with the tribe. IDIL was established in 1971 to develop legal theories which would ensure the rights of Indian people to continue their way of life. Mennonites should have a special affinity for Indian people, Ms. Stahl said. Like the Mennonites, Indians have a special attach- ment to the land. Like the Mennonites, they want to preserve their culture and religion. Although attempts are made at preserving Mennonite culture in private schools and colleges, the schools Indian people attended have only worked to destroy their separate languages, religions, and traditions. "Missionaries have been one of the biggest agents of colonization," she said. She mentions a worker in the IDIL office who was not allowed to see her parents while attending a Catholic boarding school as a child. Besides researching, Ms. Stahl helps volunteer Doug Basinger with the American Indian Journal. Mr. Basinger is managing editor of the Journal. He solicits documented articles on Indian history, law, education, and government from college professors, attorneys, and researchers. He watches for legislative and federal action concerning Indian people and capsulizes the actions for the Journal, which is sent to law school and college libraries and tribal councils. After finishing his degree in English and communications at Goshen College in 1975, he was attracted to the IDIL position because of his combined interest in journal- ism, law, and Indian issues. He grew up in Lima, Ohio, and belongs to the First Mennonite Church, Bluffton, Ohio. He began his two-year assignment July 1976. Jackie Stahl attended Freeman Junior College, Freeman, South Dakota, for one year and graduated from Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana, with an English and education degree. After teaching at Chris- topher Dock High School, Lansdale, Penn- sylvania, for one year, she started her two- year assignment with MCC July 1976. She belongs to the Hutterthal Mennonite Church, Freeman, South Dakota. Jackie Stahl, a Mennonite Central Committee U.S. Ministries volunteer at the Institute for the Development of Indian Law in Washington, D.C, researches old documents that support Indian people's claims to land. HE MENNONITE 359 Canadian Conference sessions set in July "A seventy-fifth celebration without fan- fare," someone has called the seventy-fifth delegate session of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada (CMC) July 23-27 in Toronto. It will concentrate more on laying a solid groundwork for the 1978 conference year and session, than on reminiscing and backslapping celebrations. H. J. Gerbrandt, general secretary for the General Board, in his report for this year expressed concern that our Anabaptist religious legacy ". . . is slowly being moved to the safer confines of our halls of learning and to the files of the archives . . ." while radio pastors through the mass media nurture many conference members to move in a different direction. He said, "I would like the conference to do a little more projecting into the future. We have let circumstances carry us along in many areas. We should take stock of where we are going as Mennonites. Are we satisfied with simply melting into the culture of our time?" Aside from considering a general CMC direction, delegates to the conference will deal with specific concerns from the CMC boards. A major item for consideration identified by the Canadian Mennonite Bible College (CMBC) board is the offer made by the P. W. Enns Family Foundation to erect an archives-library building on the campus. Rudy Regehr, college business adminis- trator and chairman of the building commit- tee of the proposed center, said that the conference will be presented with a recom- mendation to accept the gift. The historical center would house the CMBC's academic library and the CMC archives administered by Lawrence Klippen- stein under the direction of the history- archives committee. Mr. Regehr pointed out that it does cost money to operate another facility and the conference will need to take this into account. Native Ministries (NM) board executive secretary Isaac Froese called upon the delegates to assist in CMC outreach to Canadian Indians by examining their own attitudes to their Indian neighbors. Mr. Froese said, "We should redefine our missions policy to embrace within it a good- neighbor policy. We destroy the kernel of the good news if we maintain barriers of hostility and misunderstanding." A resolution passed at the 1976 CMC sessions read as follows: "Be it resolved that we . . . (d) consider an independent study of Native Ministries . . . which would, on completion of its study, act in an advisory capacity to the conference and the NM board." The CMC General Board considered the resolution but deferred action until the NM board has had more time to develop its present program. The Congregational Resources (CR) board projects a many-pronged program. According to Edward Enns, executive secretary, "A major concern is the gap between vacant positions and available ministers. Somehow we are unable to concern, motivate enough people at the family, church, and school levels to consider this responsibility. I would like delegates to be aware of this problem and to continue to search for ways which would lead to its solution." Mr. Gerbrandt, coordinator of evange- lism ministries of the CR board, points out that there are new doors opening for congregational outreach, and that oppor- tunities for the 1 33 conference congregations are phenomenal. For example, the CR board has joined with the British Columbia Conference in support of the Mountainview Mennonite congregation's outreach into the Vancouver Chinese community, a program under the leadership of a Chinese minister, Stephen Lee. Among other concerns, the CR board will prepare for the delegates a brief to be presented to the Federal Law Reform Commission on Family Law, should the conference take a stand on this issue. Coupled with the presentation of this brief will be a special emphasis on the family during the session. Said Mr. Enns, "While we see evidence of the troubled family unit both without and within our congregations, we should remind ourselves quite seriously that we also have many healthy families in existence and the possibility of many more." CMC treasurer Frank Dyck pointed out that the 1977 budget is 10 percent higher than the 1 976 budget, but 15.5 percent higher than the actual income received in 1976. Conference giving is on par with what it was last year at this time, which means it has not quite kept up with the budget increase. ;c iplk ited mi enw ily2! MCC will solicit new funds Mennonite Central Committee will begin doing some direct fund raising among General Conference Mennonites in the United States, according to a new agreement drawn up by MCC and General Conference top-level staff and ratified recently by the conference's General Board executive com- mittee. Under the new agreement, MCC will be permitted to go directly to General Confer- ence congregations once a year to solicit financial support, will be featured on one church bulletin each year, and will be listed separately on the General Conference's contribution form. The conference General Board will annually recommend a goal for General Conference giving to MCC. The need for a new agreement with regard to U.S. churches arose because of changes in the last few years in the way contributions to MCC were handled. (In Canada, General Conference congregations relate directly to MCC [Canada] and provincial MCC organi- zations without channeling giving or infor- mation through the conferences.) Previously, MCC was included in the budgets of the commissions on Overseas Mission and Home Ministries, and any money designated for MCC which was received at the conference offices was applied to the budgeted amount. But during MCC's boom years, 1974-75, giving far outstripped the budgeted amount, and most MCC giving was put outside the General Conference budget, to the satisfao tion of both agencies' desire for the money flute transactions to flow smoothly. In 1976, however, giving to MCC was Bade slightly down, although still far above pre- 1974 levels. The compromise agreement, which was worked out in April, is similar to an Kith agreement which MCC has made recently t\o with the U.S. Mennonite Brethren and possibly with other constituent groups. "Does this mean we need to beef up our fund raising?" asked one member of the General Conference's General Board execu- tive committee at its May meeting. The General Conference now has no person whose task is primarily fund raising. The Division of Administration will be considering soon the possibility of hiring such a person to work primarily in encourag-fiilu ing deferred giving (through wills, annuities, etc.). an mih( ft leFe ade avers onbc was I ft war ?bcl lostei Ihel yea ft Up rial IBs 01 Itnh «i\ IttOI (111 I hit i pipe! bkh iliac, Correction The new theological school in Asuncionjjssou Paraguay, sponsored by the South Ameri can Mennonite churches, is receiving sup-|in» port from Mennonite Board of Missions, Elkhart, Indiana, as well as the Generally Conference's Commission on Overseas Mission. John Koppenhaver, on leave from Hesston College, will go out as an instructorj| The ir with support from MBM. 360 MAY 31, 1977'-; Congregations apply for membership y iplications from six congregations in the 1 ihed States and Canada will be considered ij- membership in the General Conference 1 ;nnonite Church at its triennial sessions liy 28 to August 3 in Bluffton, Ohio. The applications were given preliminary .proval in May by the General Board (i^cutive committee. jMost of these congregations are inter- 1 snnonite in makeup and already belong or j in to belong to a conference of the ijennonite Church. SThe Michigan State University Menno- i e Fellowship, East Lansing, Michigan, is ijide up mostly of students and other jiversity-related persons. It has thirteen :mbers with forty-one active participants, was formally organized in December 1972 The Assembly, Goshen, Indiana, began nuary 6, 1974. It consists of two clusters; ch cluster consists of several small groups, usters normally meet separately Sunday orning, except for every sixth or seventh inday, when the entire Assembly gathers. It has eighty members and is a member of the Indiana-Michigan Conference (Mennonite Church) and the Central District Conference of the General Conference. The College Park Mennonite Church, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, began in 1975 as a joint church-planting venture of the five General Conference Mennonite churches in Saskatoon. Membership is twenty-seven, with an average attendance of forty-five. The Cincinnati Mennonite Fellowship began in 1973-74, when the Central District Conference and the Ohio and Eastern Conference (Mennonite Church) began supporting the work of Mark Weidner in Cincinnati. The fellowship joined both district conferences in 1976. Present mem- bership is twenty-one adults. A remedial reading center is sponsored by the fellowship and the voluntary service unit there. A housing group has begun to explore the possibility of establishing a housing rehabili- tation program in the neighborhood. The Rockway Mennonite Church, Kitch- ener, Ontario, began meeting for worship in 1960 and has been a member of the Mennonite Conference of Ontario (Menno- nite Church). Especially since 1970, more people of General Conference background have affiliated with the congregation. The congregation joined the Conference of Mennonites in Canada in 1975 and the Conference of United Mennonite Churches of Ontario (General Conference) in 1976. Membership is seventy. The Mennonite Church of the Servant, Wichita, Kansas, began meeting in Sep- tember 1976 and was chartered with sixteen members on April 8. A group of about twenty-five meets weekly in homes for worship and decision making; smaller groups meet during the week. The congrega- tion plans to apply for membership also in the South Central Conference (Mennonite Church). Applications for membership in the General Conference will be considered on the first evening of the conference sessions. teport recommends no Mackenzie pipeline istice Thomas R. Berger, who conducted i inquiry into pipeline construction in the ackenzie Valley in northern Canada, leased his report May 9 when it was tabled the House of Commons. Among the major recommendations he ade were that no pipeline be built across e Northern Yukon and that construction the Mackenzie Valley be delayed at least n years. The Mackenzie Valley pipeline inquiry, t up in March 1974, was to assess the ■rial, environmental, and economic im- icts of construction of a gas pipeline in the orth and the cumulative impact of an lergy corridor from the Arctic. It was also recommend the terms and conditions that ight to be imposed on any right-of-way if ich a pipeline were built. The Berger recommendation not to build pipeline across the Northern Yukon iminates the application of Arctic Gas, hich proposed to link Alaska gas fields ith a gas pipeline carrying Mackenzie Delta is south along the Mackenzie Valley. Mr. Berger also made several recommen- itions regarding wildlife sanctuaries, im- ovements in technology, an independent )dy of knowledge on northern science and chnology, and restrictions on offshore illing. The impacts on the native way of life and e settlement of native claims loomed large in Mr. Berger's considerations. "Superimposed on problems that already exist in the Mackenzie Valley and the Western Arctic, the social consequences of the pipeline will not only be serious — they will be devastating," he wrote. Mr. Berger pointed out that construction of a pipeline now would impose a choice about their future on the native people. Once construction of a gas pipeline begins, he said, industrial development based on the nonre- newable resource sector would be inexora- ble. His report favored development of a diversified economy in the North and a strengthening of the renewable resource sector. The Berger recommendations, although commissioned by the Canadian Govern- ment, are not binding. The recommenda- tions to be made by the National Energy Board, however, have legal authority. The federal cabinet may veto, but not reverse, their recommendations. A reversal may be made only by act of Parliament. Public interest groups supporting a moratorium will likely urge government to act on the Berger recommendation. To meet the U.S. self-imposed deadlines on the decision, the Canadian Government is expected to make up its mind on pipeline construction by September 1. Mennonite Central Committee (Canada) has an interest in the decision because of its involvement in native concerns, and as a member of Project North, an interchurch organization recommending a moratorium until certain conditions are met. Implicit in its membership is support of a moratorium. One of the conditions of membership, however, is that MCC (Canada) takes a separate position on issues it cannot support. Because of the urgency of the situation, and the necessity to clarify its position, MCC (Canada) is preparing a position paper on northern development, particularly the moratorium recommendation, to be ap- proved before it is too late for action. Menno Wiebe, director for native con- cerns, and Daniel Zehr, peace and social concerns secretary for MCC (Canada), are holding seminars in Ontario and Manitoba during the summer to involve the constituen- cy in the issue of northern development and the church's response. Mr. Wiebe has been invited by the native people of the Mackenzie Valley to a Dene Assembly in Fort Fitzgerald, Alberta, June 19-25. "They want the Mennonite church to hear their concerns and they want our statement," he said. Persons concerned about MCC (Cana- da)'s position on this issue are urged to express their views to their members on the board. 'HE MENNONITE 361 Trident protest resources offered A resource kit protesting the Trident nuclear submarine was distributed recently by the Seattle Religious Peace Action Coalition (SERPAC). SERPAC is an interfaith peace education project in which Mennonites also partici- pate. The resource kit, entitled "RepenTrident," was distributed for "Trident Sunday," May 15. It includes Scripture selections, quotes on nuclear weapons from church leaders and periodicals, budget figures for nuclear weapons systems, a bibliography, and magazine articles. The Trident submarine-launched ballistic missile system would be based at Bangor, Washington. Words ffi deeds Wounded Knee, an example of a minority group in conflict with society at large, will be one of a number of case studies at the 1977 conference of Intercollegiate Peace Fellow- ship October 20-22 at Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ontario. Case studies will involve native Americans and Canadi- ans, blacks, Hispanics, and Canadian immigrants. Resource persons such as John Adams and Frank H. Epp will discuss how these conflicts could have been or were resolved. Included in the discussions will be minority relations to the Mennonite church. IPF is an organization of students from Mennonite and Brethren in Christ colleges and seminaries. It is sponsored by the MCC Peace Section. People sixty-five years and older may enroll at Bluffton College at no charge, beginning next year, according to Elmer Neufeld, academic dean of the Ohio school. Such enrollment would be on a noncredit basis as space was available. Senior citizens who are interested in this may contact the college registrar's office. Twenty-nine students graduated May 1 from Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winni- peg, Manitoba. Twenty-one completed the bachelor of theology program and eight the bachelor of church music degree. The purchase of a diesel van will enable Good Books bookstore, Ranchi, India, to resume an educational film program halted because of high petroleum prices. A grant of $ 14,000 from Mennonite Central Committee was made to the bookstore which was established with grants from the Association for Christian Literature Development and 111 W laine Jl 19 e,rep :0 Ret 11,0 tl inge, it sb lion. nCa n I loole & tot j led dies nada fell t chu ie co w fas lend le tee Oiher il the Demonstrators march for, against abortion Both sides of the abortion issue demonstrate in front of the White House May 8 in Washington. D.C. At top are the March for Life protesters. Below is the procession of the Motherhood hv Choice Movement. imei item. liter: Mennonite Board of Missions. Besides taking health and agriculture films to villages, the van will allow Good Books to deliver low-cost schoolbooks to remote areas of the Bihar so more children can afford to go to school. Until now, books have been delivered by bus through the flat savanna of Bihar state and hand-carried the last part of the way. Expanded programming in agriculture will be offered at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, next year, according to Marion Deckert, academic dean. Three options will be available: a preagriculture two-year program leading to an AA degree and preparing students to transfer to a school im ( like Kansas State University, a general "cent i agricultural AA degree for the student who S.|'j does not intend to transfer, and a four-year nil, degree program at Bethel with a double 2 pert major in rural development and some other In Ca field. mrcri wrch . The Kansas Mennonite Men's Chorus sang Hie I to an estimated 3,400 people in two concerts -the April 30 in Lindsborg, Kansas. Offerings tod; during the concerts were given to Mennonite '« si Central Committee for worldwide relief. I Each of the 525 members in the chorus -w comes from one of the sixty Mennonite >i\\ congregations in central Kansas. It 362 MAY 31, 1977 American, Canadian membership reported P\ mbership in U.S. and Canadian churches lained relatively stable during 1975, the 5t recent year for which data are avail- Is, reports the Yearbook of American and C tadian Churches 1977. he book places U.S. church membership 131,012,953. While that figure is down f n the previous year by more than 81 ,000, the decline is because of a change in method of reporting by the National I mitive Baptist Convention. Without that nge, U.S. church membership would \ e shown a gain of more than half a lion. n Canada membership showed a decline f m 15,093,162 to 14,497,842. Sunday ool enrollment was down from 807,8 1 7 to ,256 for those denominations that report- last year. he data were collected from 223 religious lies in the United States and 67 in nada. :or the most part, the "mainline" Protest- ai churches lost members during 1975, \ ile conservative and Pentecostal churches { w faster than the population, continuing "end that began in the late 1960s. The fastest growing religious body, ording to the 1977 Yearbook, is the vation Army, which reported a 5 percent rease in membership. )ther rapidly growing religious groups il the membership gains they reported are Curch of God of Prophecy (4.9 percent); Gurch of God of Cleveland, Tennessee (4.4 pcent); Jehovah's Witnesses (4 percent); jptist General Conference (3.8 percent); Spenth-Day Adventists (3.3 percent); and (urch of God of Anderson, Indiana (3 p cent). The Roman Catholic Church, the largest r gious group in the United States, report- er membership of nearly 49 million, up0.4 p cent. Among the mainline Protestant bodies rjistering declines were The United Presby- Ijian Church in the USA (down 2.4 I cent), The Presbyterian Church in the IS. (2 percent), The Episcopal Church (1.7 J rcent), and the United Church of Christ H percent). i n Canada, membership in the Anglican ( urch fell by 4 percent and in the United (jurch of Canada by 1.8 percent. The Yearbook also reported that: H— the number of clergy in the United sjites dropped by 653, but the number of cjrgy serving parishes fell by more than JjOO. i| —seminary enrollment has begun to climb 1 tidly, ending a period of leveling off in the hOs and early 1970s. The survey shows a growth rate of 8 percent for 1974 and 10.1 percent for 1975. — the number of women enrolled in seminaries almost doubled between 1972 and 1975. Women comprised 1 5.9 percent of all seminarians in 1975. The number of women in seminary programs that lead to ordination rose almost 150 percent in the same three-year period. — black and Hispanic-American student enrollment has also been increasing but at slower rates than previously. Record — more than two-thirds of Protestant clergy participated in at least one continuing education program in 1972 and 1973 and more than half planned to participate in 1974. The congregations most likely to provide time and money for continuing education were large suburban churches. — total giving is up in actual dollars, but down when adjusted to inflation. — in Canada, 63.5 percent of the estimated population are church members, compared with 61.5 percent in the United States. Ministers Henry R. Braun, Waterloo-Kitchener Church, Waterloo, Ontario, has been chosen as a student pastor for the summer by the Inman (Kansas) Church. He is completing his second year in seminary and was a former Paxman in Zaire. He will assist in the Inman Church. Henry V. Friesen has been appointed to a three-year term as conference minister for the Conference of Mennonites in Saskatche- wan effective in August. He has served pastorates at the Altona (Manitoba) Church and the Mount Royal Church, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. During the past year he has been involved with the clinical pastoral educational program at Prairie View Mental Health Center, Newton, Kansas. Workers Terry Burkhalter, Springstein (Manitoba) Church, will be commissioned to camp ministries on June 5. He is serving as camp coordinator for the Conference of Menno- nites in Manitoba. Visiting professors at Associated Menno- nite Biblical Seminaries for the 1977-78 Pastor needed Home Street Mennonite Church, Winnipeg, Manitoba, requires a leading minister with duties to begin September 1. The member- ship of the congregation is just above 200. For more particulars write Edwin Teichroew, 39 Gerrond Bay, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2Y 1B3, or phone (204) 889-8796. school year will be Jake Elias, Toronto, Ontario; Owanga Weldo, Zaire, Africa; Jan de Gruchy, Cape Town, South Africa; Marlin Jeschke, Goshen Indiana; and J. Richard Burkholder, Goshen, Indiana. John L. Florell has been named director of pastoral counseling and consultation servi- ces at The Health Center, Bloomington, Illinois, effective June 20. Bill and Kaye Merrill, voluntary service workers with Mennonite Central Committee in Happy Valley, Labrador, have been appointed half-time coordinators for volun- teers in Newfoundland and Labrador. They will be responsible for program development and providing administrative and pastoral support to the volunteers. Bill has a BA in sociology and anthropology, an MA in pastoral care, and a MDiv. Kaye is a trained nurse. Diane Zimmerman Umble, Hesston, Kansas, has resigned as communications coordinator for the General Conference Copastor needed The Carlock and North Danvers Mennonite churches would like to call a pastor to serve in their shared ministry program in a part-time capacity. The congregations have cooperated in sharing a team of two ministers since 1971. Elmer Wall is continuing as a full-time member of the pastoral team. Ministers share areas of responsibilities in the congregations with the part-time team member, for instance, preaching about once a month, helping supervise the Sunday schools, and doing some visitation. Can be ideal for a minister who wishes to slow down before retirement. Interested persons should contact: Elmer Wall Box 41 Carlock, Illinois 61725 (309) 376-2781 IIE MENNONITE 363 Mennonite Church, effective at the end of August. She will continue her quarter-time position at the Newton, Kansas, offices as director of Faith and Life Radio and Television for the General Conference's Commission on Home Ministries. In addi- tion, she will be teaching part-time at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, as lecturer in the communications department. At Bethel she will teach courses being intro- duced into the curriculum for the communi- cations minor and will supervise field placements in communications. Ms. Umble has served three-fifths-time as communica- tions coordinator under the conference's General Board since September 1975. In that position, she has coordinated brochures, Grosvenor Place, a residence for young men on probation requires staff, either single men or a houseparent couple. Apply to: Henry Dueck 306 Notre Dame Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 1P4 Phone: (204) 942-8626 or (204) 489-2920 Grosvenor Place is sponsored by MCC (Man- itoba). Inter-Mennonite chaplain for the Univer- sity of Western Ontario, London, Cana- da Half-time position to begin fall or winter of 1977 Minimum qualifications: MA degree Could be combined with teaching responsi- bilities, doctoral studies, or other chaplaincy work. Send application and resume to: Nelson Scheifle Box 104 Ailsa Craig, Ontario N0M 1A0 CANADIAN MENNO- NITE BIBLE COLLEGE dedicated to serve the student • the church • the community advertisements, posters, audiovisuals, and mailings to congregations and individuals. She is a 1973 graduate of Messiah College, Philadelphia campus, with a major in radio, television, and film. Before coming to Kansas she was a writer-producer for Mennonite Broadcasts, Inc., Harrisonburg, Virginia. Calendar June 6-10 — Mennonite Voluntary Service orientation, Camp Colorado near Sedalia, Colorado June 9- 12 — Pacific District Conference annual sessions, Aurora, Oregon June 16-19 — Northern District Confer- ence annual sessions, Huron, South Dakota July 23-27 — Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Toronto July 28-August 3 — General Conference triennial sessions, Bluffton, Ohio Eastern June 19-24 — St. Davids Christian writers' conference, Eastern College, St. Davids, Pennsylvania Northern September 18-25 — Crusade '77, high school auditorium. Mountain Lake, Minne- sota; Myron Augsburger, speaker Western July 11-14 — Personal development train- ing conference for clergy and church-related workers, Prairie View Mental Health Cen- ter, Newton, Kansas Elim Bible Institute invites applications from persons interested in intensive biblical and practical Christian training within a small school setting. Information about programs, residence, and financial aids is available at: Elim Bible Institute Altona, Manitoba R0G 0B0. Sponsored by Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba Letter I J you beir Eternal life gets priority Dear Editor: Dennis L. Derksen (May 3 issue) states, "If we really knew God and his Word, we would know our earthly duty has as its No. 1 duty the prevention of shedding the blood of innocents." If we really knew God and his Word, we would realize that our No. 1 duty is higher fctesc than preserving physical life. The last words that Christ left with his followers were not iristia words about preserving physical life, but ai about making disciples. When a person 3; becomes a disciple of Christ, he does not just have life for another thirty, fifty, or seventy years, but forever. Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost. He came to die so that we could have eternal life. His greatest mission was not the feeding of the 5,000 nor the healing of |iristia those with terminal illness (although that was great and should be of concern to us), k His greatest mission was dying and giving rami eternal life. If his No. 1 mission had been to give physical life, he should have taken the thief down from the cross, instead of letting him die while providing him with eternal life. If our mission of giving bread takes priority over the mission of giving eternal fnont life, it is no wonder that our witness is weakened for the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-3) is the power of God unto salvation (eternal life). And we can only expect some of our people to turn to churches where that power is given a greater emphasis. While I like to help people in material need, I must ask myself, Am I more concerned about their eternal life than their material well-being in this life? Paul M. Zoschke, pastor, Woodland Mennonite Church, Box I, Warroad, Minnesota 56763 ttnw May 3 a Mi ilhwf Lai iicatn Jeren 10 Ca jiest! pure Ird FO y, ve yo .V 01 Istd t n The music program gives particular attention t< church music which also serves as a good back ground for other musical careers. Areas of stud: include: Choral work, Vocal studies, piano organ, history, religious studies, liberal arts cor man misar Iky mm it itli Her The theology program is a balance of studies in religion and arts to serve as a background; for work in a church vocation or for furthe study. Areas of study are Bible, theo logy, music, church history and liberal arts Room, board and tuition fees $1500 per year ujvi >i m (OK |M DM title, For more information Write to: Admissions Office, Canadian Mennonite Bible College, 600 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M> 364 MAY 31, 197 Discussion Enough is enough Ail Richard Tl you know that millions of church people a being misled and perhaps robbed? A ition drive is going on across the United tes claiming that religious broadcasts are eatened. The circulating petitions call on ristians to protest an alleged petition by idalyn Murray O'Hair to ban religious bj>adcasting. I decided that after seeing a number of a'icles concerning the ongoing useless cjnpaign, enough is enough. hirst is some background information. I a a Mennonite and a radio news director in s ithwestern Michigan. I was working at a Cjl ristian radio station near Chicago when t( Lansman-Milam Petition (RM 2493) v s filed with the Federal Communications 0)mmission (FCC) in December 1974. The ri. ition sought to limit the number of eucational FM radio channels that could be aigned to religious organizations. Jeremy Lansman and Lorenzo Milam, tta California broadcast consultants, said inorities and others were being denied :ess. But in August 1975, the FCC in a animous decision denied the petition juests, noting that the First Amendment 1 juires it "to observe a stance of neutrality yard religion." So the crisis was over with : FCC denial, right? Right, but unfortu- tely, a completely false campaign would Ive you believe otherwise. As one writer so aptly put it, "The dragon used to die." The flood of mail urging the TC not to ban religious broadcasting ntinues. Over five million letters have been :eived in the past two years, and they are II coming in, according to reports in late nuary of this year, at a rate of six to seven ousand a day! Why the unnecessary flood of letters? The rrent unfounded campaign appeared in 1 religious publication this past January ider a caption "Help Save Religious oadcasting." The article claims that Ms. Hair has been granted an FCC hearing on petition that would ultimately eliminate e proclamation of the gospel on the ■waves of America. To make matters worse, the article claims at one million signed letters are needed to bp Ms. O'Hair's petition. Although the onoun we is used numerous times in the ticle, a group or organized drive is never lentified. Apparently, the Christian world is believ- ing this hoax. But there are some solid facts to refute the drive. Both the Associated Press (a national news gathering agency) and Broadcasting (a newsweekly of broadcasting and allied arts) carried articles in January dealing with the hoax. FCC chairman Richard Wiley spoke before the National Religious Broadcasters at its annual convention in the nation's capitol in January. There he reportedly asked the religious broadcasters to help stop the avalanche of mail being received by the FCC. And according to the Associated Press, a panel of religious broadcasters at the same NRB meeting indicated they had tried without much success to stop the letters since last year when Wiley made a similar plea. In an Associated Press wire story on December 15, 1976, Ms. O'Hair said she had received a lot of hate mail on the current "issue" (quotes mine), but says, " 'The whole thing is nuts.' " The AP story continues, "She says she is not interested in banning anybody, but only in getting more atheists on the air." I write now not to point fingers at anyone, but to sound a word of warning. The current campaign is completely false, but we cannot rule out the possibility of a future one that is authentic, and for that I am glad to see the Christian support. But to rally to combat something that doesn't exist makes us look silly. I would like to point a finger at the person or persons who started this current hoax, and I aim to find out who it is. As 1 see it, the present campaign to stop Ms. O'Hair's imaginary petition resulted from Christian concern over her successful efforts to stop Bible reading and prayer in schools. But this time that genuine concern has now turned into extreme paranoia. What concerns me the most is the resulting inaccurate report(s) circulating through what I choose to call the "Christian grapevine." I hope that the credibility loss we as Christians have suffered as the unfounded campaign con- tinues is not irreversible. We profess to know the truth and the light, but I am afraid that this time someone didn't try to get the facts. Stewardship and the waste of money are also a concern. One article puts FCC estimates at nearly $570,000 in postage that has been spent to send the letters to that federal agency as of November of last year. That money obviously could have been used for the Lord's work elsewhere. Not only are Christians being misled, they may be getting robbed! The Associated Press, in its December 1976 article, quoted FCC mailroom chief Robert Nelson as saying that "some ministers are collecting money to help wage the campaign." How shocking! With a dead issue, but an apparently live campaign on our hands, I can only wonder what the money is really being used for. With that I rest my case. Let this be a lesson to check sources of information and ask for help in the search, if necessary. Let us make sure the facts are known and presented and that any campaign and accompanying fund drive, be it Christian or otherwise, is addressing a real and significant issue. No man can be called friendless when he has God and the companionship of good books. —Elizabeth Barrett Browning Faith and Life Bookstore 159 West Main, Berne, Indiana 46711 Box 247, Newton, Kansas 67114 Fellowship Bookcenter 302 Kennedy Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2M6 E MENNONITE 365 MDS volunteer «°™J*^eo\ mud fr°r,£ Haven, Colorado, cabin in Glen n - - ' ,eae' ' thp kitchen - ' uMtpr for As a former relief worKe » , ■ Dear MennomtcS; _M a ^^b^^ Europe, 1 reahze that- g called ,, victims think of t nd 0n them to de; the service workers who ^ receive gra , SCNot that one ^£^1^™*^** one motivation ^f^tot reject the ff^ng. U » But even Jesus ui k him tor ms ms Pe" ^ Wh° who ^^r^is not easy to condemn one s g complex modern _ ^ iq76. flood m always easy . even those like me ■** •^e'S^ in G.en the surviving victims ar tofEstesPark residence m Glen n Gle„ (,hes« know T "LC forty*", 'dome »as 6"™ Eina y me/ she said. morning. always easy- devastating July . ' Estes A few days after the dev canyons nea s) the Big r T°the Mennonite Park, Colorado, the_ needs of cany arrived to help w m untouched . ^ ^ Mennomtes but i t the ^e many who helped- . tmaster, talked ^S^SS^^M» StdweU said. ^U^eve*^ sogers came .peo le "didn't ^^^.^S^^ and offered to do the d on the M ^ -After getting *c °\alf full of mud and ju would go into a «atthough they r ^rv, a\\ walks 01 ll'c came from aii w iefrom all walks ot me „Mrs.Sidwell -dentS- hp to clean out the Pe who cry about saving the family, you that their motivation is often a desire to erve society as we now have it. They n to think that if the family "goes," ything else will "go" with it. What they 't realize is that from God's perspective h the family and society have already e. Both are fallen. Both are beyond ng. Both are in the process of being aced by a greater and grander idea. (It's / natural, isn't it. that those who lpaign the hardest to preserve our fallen ily structure are often the same folks that lpaign so earnestly to preserve our fallen tical and economical structure!) ut wait a minute, you say. We can't just away with the family! ou're right. And that's the catch. God's ' family has not yet fully come. Like i's new kingdom, it's here — and yet it's here. o what do we do? We learn to live in the ny. We learn to live in the between times, foot planted firmly in the old and one t planted firmly in the new. We straddle fence and strain hard for that which God promised. We can't escape our old order ilies and the responsibilities to which re tied. But at the same time we've got to n living in God's new way. And the icts can be immense. God wants us to start living as if his new kingdom has already come. Jesus, James, and John, for instance, all tell us to start treating everyone, especially other believers, as if they were our brothers and sisters. "See how much the Father has loved us!" says 1 John. "His love is so great that we are called God's children — and so, in fact, we are" (3: 1 , TEV). Right now we who are Christians are to begin living as if we are one family. We are to treat each other not as a friend treats a friend ("I'll be nice to you if you'll be nice to me"). Such an attitude is at the core of Jesus' teaching, especially in the Sermon on the Mount. It also permeates a lot of what Paul had to say, especially about personal relationships. "Since you are God's dear children," he wrote to the Ephesians, "you must try to be like him" (5:1, TEV). The essence of living in God's new family is a spirit of giving — a generous, free giving of ourselves to others. We are to give to others not because they deserve it, not because they've done anything to earn it, and not just because of some fragile, earthbound marriage vow or blood relationship. We are to give ourselves to others — regardless of how much they give back — simply because they, too, are dear children of God, siblings in Christ, equally rescued from weakness and failure. As we begin to live as if God's new family has already come, we simultaneously bring Most of what people want to save is only a romantic image of what they think families were like two gener- ations ago, based largely on mem- ories created by the Waltons or some other nostalgic distortion. new hope and life to old, earthbound family relationships. No, the old will never be all that God intended, but as we wait and struggle for what God has promised, bursts of new life and new hope can shine even in the old. Parent-child-spouse relationships can be renewed as they begin to take on some tender, loving qualities of the new family that God has promised. God is exploding our limited, human thinking. He's creating a new family in which all will live as one. But until that family fully blossoms in our midst, we who are Chris- tians must learn to live with love and compassion in a broken world reaching out to parents, sisters, husbands, and children who need our care. No, we don't want to "save the family" as an institution. It's a broken and fallen structure. We know God has something better in mind. But we want to reach out to love those who. like us, are living in the agony of an unfulfilled promise. Simultaneously, however, we can and must work at developing more Christ-like relationships in the kinds of cross-family ties that will characterize God's new kingdom. Toward this end, some will teach their children to accept love and affection from more than mommy, daddy, and grandma. Some will live "in common" with other brothers and sisters. Some will force them- selves to develop broader ties by not marrying, while others will forego the inward-looking temptations that are so often brought on by children. But whatever the method or methods, the motive must never be selfish or escape but openness to others in the pattern of Jesus. I've made some efforts to live as if we are all God's children. I've made some attempts at new relationships. But my attitudes — and needs— are still far from the kind of "new family" living that Jesus called us to. One foot keeps dragging in the hard-packed dirt of a fallen world, a fallen kingdom, a fallen family. And I stumble. It scares me and it excites me. but God in his wisdom is bringing to life a new family. It's his family. I want to be a part of it. but I'm torn between two worlds. And I keep looking back. Maybe Jesus, who has walked the agony before me. can help straighten out the furrow. MENNONITE 371 to be ve Ben Martens loves his kids, all thirty-two of them. He doesn't pander to them, nor is he intimidated by them. His relationship to them is candid and open. When he's displeased, he "blows up," and then the matter is forgiven and forgotten. Ben's family is big, so big that it takes three homes in Winnipeg to house them all. Furthermore, they're all boys. Their ages are from eleven to eighteen. Group homes have been Ben's thing since 1972, after he and his wife, Mary, returned from a year's experience with group homes in Ontario. He started with a home on Banning Street, but this was relocated to the present place on Alverstone in 1974. A second home was opened in 1973, and two years later the doors to another place in Winnipeg and a farm, then near Grunthal, were opened. The farm was moved to New Bothwell last summer, but had to close because of lack of staff. The boys come to Ben's homes via Children's Aid and as probation referrals. Ben estimates that their average length of stay is about six months, although some stay much longer. Willie Hamilton, for example, has been with them for well over three years. He's seventeen now, plays in a small rock group, and considers Ben's place his home. In another year, when he's eighteen, he'll be on his own. Willie has come through rough times, but he seems to be getting things straightened out. He proudly shows off his well kept and creatively decorated room. But not nearly all the boys stay as long as Willie. The roster at the Home Street house shows over 200 boys have come and gone in the last three years. The only way the program can make an impact is to have good staff. Ben emphasizes this point strongly. He has a payroll of fifteen. The most effective staff person is probably Vivian, Ben and Mary's daughter. She communicates easily with the boys and has their ungrudging respect. She's been a cook in one of the homes, but now she's a "troubleshooter," floating from house to house as needs arise. Ben feels fortunate in having a caring staff. He particularly notes Doug Cox, who has been with him for four years, and Bruce Rathbone. The key factor that Ben looks for in his staff is the ability to love the kids. If that doesn't come easily, they might as well forget it. Bruce heads the place at 232 Home Street. He once wrote for the Winnipeg Tribune and has been a promoter of musical events. Big brother, parent, and guardian- that's how Bruce sees his responsibility to the boys. "I like to show them affection and to kid around with them. 1 work at the reward system," he forgiving." Bruce's workdays often stretch to twel hours or more. That's one of the demands me the job. You need to be flexible and availab iamu at almost all times Doug serves as Ben's associate. Ben spe, of him with generous appreciation. He a|| commends the cooks. They are import because they have the opportunity become mother figures for the boys. Pornographic material is not permitted the homes. "It creates the wrong impress^ f Lor of women, "explains Ben. Healso insistst" the boys and the staff refrain from the use vulgar language. Staff is also discourag from trying to impress the boys with "t tales" about their own youthful exploits When discipline becomes necessary, B sometimes has to become the administrati of "justice." It is his policy not to spank, b lylei on a few occasions he has resorted to tj ns to strap. The most recent occasion was wh several boys failed to go to school aft several pointed reminders and warning |\!tho However, he can count on one hand number of times the strap has been appli|«a during the past four years. But Ben also has good times with thei Last summer he took eight of the boys or ^ three-weeks trip to British Columbia His concern doesn't end when the boys a discharged from one of his homes or plao elsewhere. He took me to the You Detention Centre in Tuxedo, where he spo to two boys who had previously been wi him. He chided one for being there and tried to encourage the other, who seemed have no business being there. Ben loves kids. It's his business, but i also his mission as a Christian rat t THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, leach, molivale. and build Ihe Christian tellowship within Ihe context of Christian love and Ireedom under the guidance ol the Scriptures and the Holy Soinl It I lished weekly except biweekly during July and August and the lasl two weeks in December at Newton, Kansas 671 14, by the General Board ol the General Conference Mennomte Church Seconc postage paid at Newton Kansas 67114, and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions in United Slates and Canada, $8 00, one year, $1550, Iwoyears, $23 00, three years, foreign, $8 50 per year rial office 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P0M4 Business office 722 Main Slreel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67 1 1 4 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 34 7. Newton, Kansas 671| 372 JUNE 7. 19 CONGREGATIONAL fROFILE IRST MENNONITE CHURCH ERNE, INDIANA pleased the Lord" to take Sammie from Jura Alps in Switzerland to Adams jnty, Indiana, to build his church in ne, Indiana. iamuel F. Sprunger's mother died on tuary 16, 1850, and one of the relatives spered these words, "If it had only ased the Lord that his mother might have en little Sammie with her, how well he luld be cared for." At his mother's death, Inmie was only fifteen months old. Little •m the woman realize how it would "please m Lord" to make Sammie the spiritual ilider of the more than seventy Swiss nnonites which formed the nucleus of ) congregations, the Baumgartner Church 1 the Berne Church, that settled in Vera iz and Berne, Indiana, ijljnder Samuel F. Sprunger's leadership, a iffl'd congregation was started which even- Jsj lly led to the union of the three congrega- is to form the First Mennonite Church, ■ne. Here were small churches that chose be big. \lthough there are those who frown upon churches, there are many advantages in ng a large church. There is a substantial reservoir of leadership and sufficient finan- cial resources to support God's work. The church can provide an adequate program of Christian nurture and training which will equip the members to fulfill their calling to be "a priesthood of believers." They can take Jesus' final mandate seriously when he said, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1:8). In order to fulfill Jesus' challenge there needs to be effective preaching and teaching of God's Word as well as its practical implementation by consistent Christian living and through a winsome witness. At the heart of the church at Berne is a strong teaching and preaching ministry where the people of God apply biblical truth to contemporary situations. The Sunday school and midweek services are not only times of prayer and Bible study, but they are training sessions to equip the members to become "a priesthood of believers." The sessions include methods in Bible study and teaching, catechetical instruction, steps to 'ow is part of a display for the missions festival. ... t««i i»« mm t« <«»»'" am mm. mrs »o«o nnm mm mt » t««t »«' »*»' M rutst ci nit hi sun mmgst titm, hum i89i successful Christian living, lessons for communication in marriage, and ways to witness effectively. The church provides practical opportuni- ties for in-service training through the Sunday school, the midweek sessions, the junior church and Bible Hour, and outreach. The Sunday school has initiated a cadet teacher training program which enlists high school youth to serve as assistant teachers. Perhaps the most encouraging program is Evangelism Explosion. This involves twenty-eight people in weekly outreach under the training of seven certified trainers. This training program includes an additional eight trainees from the Maplewood Menno- nite Church in Fort Wayne. The benefits from outreach have been a new sense of purpose to the church, a new confidence in witness, new commitments to Christ in the community, and new members brought into the fellowship. It has also created a desire to start a sister church. In investigating possibilities of establish- ing a sister church in another locality contacts were made with the Fairhaven Mennonite Church in Fort Wayne. This is a struggling church under the Indiana- Michigan Mennonite Conference. The Fairhaven Church extended an invitation to the First Mennonite Church, Berne, and we are now working together under a joint committee with two families from Berne who have covenanted to fellowship and serve at Fairhaven for the next six months. The First Mennonite Church, Berne, has always taken Jesus' mandate seriously. In its history it has had 250 members serve in Christian ministries through missions, the ministry, voluntary service, TAP, Christian education, conference leadership, and MCC. The church is still sensitive to Jesus' challenge of "go ye" and make disciples and his promise "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Mennonite family life 1940-77 R. Bruce Woods What has happened to the Mennonite family since the 1940s? I have just completed a study of family life issues and trends in the General Conference. In the next issues of The Mennonite, we will report the findings. "The Mennonite family is not such a troubled institution as the American family in general," wrote Menno Harder in the 1940s. He noted the following strengths in our families: (1) Mennonites believe in endogamous marriages. Few marry outside the group. (2) Mennonites believe that a mother's place is in the home. Working outside of the home is frowned upon by members of the group. By 1947 Carl Smucker, at the sixth conference on Mennonite educational and cultural problems, revealed a growing sense of vulnerability among Mennonites. He affirmed that the Mennonite family is "apparently a relatively strong family and has not been affected by drinking, divorce, movies, dancing, . . . and other similar social evils." However, he also said, "Farm life alone will not insulate our families from ON THE ^ modern trends of secularization," and "Family life is invariably affected by change. We cannot stand still in point of time nor do we wish to go back. We do not live in the same world into which we were born." At the 1957 conference on education and cultural problems, J. Howard Kauffman said, "Family life among Mennonites has been undergoing changes apparently quite similar in many ways to the changes in the larger society. Certain traditional forms have given way to the newer, emerging patterns of family behavior." J. Winfield Fretz addressed the same conference on social trends affecting the Mennonite family at midcentury. He wrote that the family in the home is ceasing to be a production unit and is almost totally a consumption unit. Another trend was changing morality. There was a decline of masculine dominance and the emergence of a democratic family, he said. And the "roles" in modern marriage were changing. Calvin Redekop, also in 1957, added, "Family life was authoritarian and closely tied to values of togetherness. Social life was group oriented. Religion was a group affair .... These characteristics have undergone a transformation so that now Mennonites no longer conceive of themselves as a group, but as individuals in a competitive society. In brief, the competitive way of life of Ameri- can society has been exchanged for the community type of living practiced earlier. "It would seem," said Mr. Redekop, "that Mennonites are now in the third stage of a three-stage cycle — from a community of believers, to a community of relatives, to a community of individualists. In each stage, however, the community concept has suf- fered progressively so that 'community' for the individualist stage is hardly applicable." ■ lei ieral pi ychec College students in marriage and family, classes in three different Mennoniti,, colleges — at Tabor, Hesston, and Bethel- concluded that they, too, observed change! lt in Mennonite family life in contrast to thost of former generations. They felt in 1 957 that (1) children's opinions and wishes are mort respected; (2) parents have a higher eco nomic level, hence children today have moi money and material things; (3) Mennon children have fewer routine chores a: regular responsibilities; (4) entertainme: and recreation are less restricted. The word on family life from HowaK Kauffman in 1973 is a prophetic update an earlier word spoken in 1947, "Mennon families in the United States and Cana> also partake in the rising tide of fam problems. We may have built some protei tive cultural fences around our family am kinship groups, but we have no immunity t< the destructive forces that threaten tto family system." In 1975 the General Board of the Genera Conference observed, "It is painfully ob vious in many churches that there are force at work which lead to family fragmentation ndida Out of this concern in 1975, the Commis »aii; sion on Education was asked to study sucl oplt' issues as marriage, divorce, remarriage, am related family life areas. In response to thi request, COE appointed a committee oi family life and engaged a part-time stal tsloi person. As part of our work, we held a consults pa tion on the family and did a careful researcl fi project on family life among Genera Conference Mennonites. Next week's article will indicate the group ilkt tested and the needs most often identified a u concerns in our congregations and commu tiw nities. 374 JUNE 7, 197 isior h -fft iden Nora 'i\> n IJews — Resolutions proposed for General Conference flowing are summaries of several resolu- t ns which are being proposed for action a'he General Conference triennial sessions j'y 28 to August 3 in Bluffton, Ohio. Full 1 1 of these resolutions and others are being wiled to each General Conference congre- ion. Some wordings may be changed by time the resolutions reach the conference vil disobedience and war taxes The resolution reviews the history of neral Conference discussion of the war issues from a sentence in the 1971 tement "The Way of Peace" to General ard deliberations on an employee's [uest that war taxes not be taken out of her /check. The resolution asks that congregations d regional conferences "commit ourselves a serious study of civil disobedience ring the next eighteen months, that the mmission on Home Ministries help j ilitate such a study . . . , and that a dtriennium miniconference be convened ' congregations to report on their study d to recommend actions related to civil obedience and war tax resistance, includ- ; the question of Mennonite institutions ving as war tax collectors for the state by :hholding these taxes from employees." istoral ministry The resolution notes the shortage of jndidates for the pastoral ministry and jpognizes that every congregation has Jople with gifts as pastors and teachers. | 'Be it resolved that: j — every congregation take responsibility ir identifying and calling out persons with j ts for the pastoral ministry; I — every congregation make this an ijportant and ongoing function of its life ijd ministry; | — every congregation make use of college, i ninary, and conference staff and program jj" the training of its ministers; and j — every congregation consider calling one 'I more persons from its number for the ;,storal ministry during this triennium." Divorce and remarriage The resolution recognizes that Mennonite congregations have a variety of attitudes toward believers involved in divorce and remarriage. It observes that God hates divorce but loves the sinner. "Therefore we share the responsibility for some marriage failures and as the 'reconciling community' should seek to explore a redemptive program for those whose marriages have failed. "Be it resolved that during this triennium we call for General Conference congrega- tions to study and search their hearts that ministries to those persons whose marriage fails might emerge in our midst. . . ." Marriage Encounter The resolution reviews the need for helping people have good marriages and observes that Marriage Encounter is a Christian program for couples which other denominations have adapted to their needs. Its focus is on trained lay leadership with a Christian style and language. "Be it resolved that the Commission on Education, through its family life commit- tee, develop and implement Marriage Encounter throughout the General Con- ference; that the reports of these experiences and their effect on participants be circulated widely among our churches and pastors for their evaluation; that the budgeting for these initial experiences come from within the resources of the family life committee and participating couples and congregations and other supporting agencies." Television violence The resolution notes that Mennonites as a historic peace church have rejected violence as a way of life. It reviews the effects of television violence on children and on the Mennonite church. "With the adoption of this statement of concern, we recommend that every con- gregation in our conference be challenged to take some action with regard to a witness against violence on television." Some suggested actions are studying the effects of TV violence on one's own community and congregation, monitoring programs for amount and kind of violence, writing letters to sponsors of violent television shows, discussing the issue with program directors of local television sta- tions, and asking the Inter-Mennonite Media Group and perhaps the seminary and church colleges to explore the whole matter of violence on television, encouraging them to become pioneers in producing and encouraging better TV programming. Church planting The resolution notes that with the increas- ing mobility of our society there has been a new interest in establishing additional Mennonite fellowships and congregations. "Therefore, be it resolved that we encour- age the Commission on Home Ministries, the Conference of Mennonites in Canada, the district and provincial conferences, and the local congregations of the General Conference Mennonite Church to increase their efforts and priorities in church plant- ing. We believe that God may bless a new emphasis on church planting with fifteen to twenty new member congregations in the next triennium and fifty new congregations by 1986 " To meet this goal, the resolution calls on congregations to consider planting daughter congregations and providing leadership and initial support for new fellowships. It also suggests that each regional conference work towards employing a full-time church extension worker. Other resolutions are planned on Chris- tian missions under authoritarian regimes, offender ministries, moratorium on the Mackenzie Valley pipeline, nuclear energy and responsible use of energy, and the World Peace Tax Fund (U.S. caucus only). family in focus, bluffton 77 HE MENNONITE 375 Cutting at the cadeau mentality "They ask for cadeau — a gift, says Teresa Birky, Mennonite Central Committee vol- unteer about the beggars who come to her door each day in Grande Riviere du Nord, Haiti. "A cardboard box, a tin can — that's a gift — because everything's recycled." Teresa and her husband, David, would like to cut away at the handout mentality in Haiti which has grown out of years of handout programs from North American agencies. "People want you to give them things," David said. Sometimes it is not easy to fight that mentality. Teresa sets aside certain days when beggars may come to her door for some milk or whatever she has on hand. It is difficult to say no to them when she knows the Haitians gladly share with each other from much smaller stores of food. David tries to keep a low-key approach in working with a Haitian-administered self- help crafts co-op so the Haitians won't feel dependent on a blanc — white person. "We're there to help them do what they want to do," he said. He goes to meetings of the co-op directors to listen and be available for technical or managerial advice. Teresa works with a committee interested in publishing a newsletter in Creole. Al- though everyone can speak the French- inspired language, little has been written in Creole. One problem David confronts in trying to encourage self-sufficiency is that Haitians do not always recognize the same needs as he does. They understand their day-to-day needs are met because they can sell the crafts they make, whether smooth or knot-holed, to the co-op. They don't understand that the future craft market may suffer if standards are not kept up to the assembly-line quality expected by North American consumers. Besides working with the co-op, David works with people who come for help in such undertakings as capping a spring. To help A worker packs self-help shipments for mailing from the artisans' cooperative in Grande Riviere du Nord, Haiti. ilom tlayf ,'erer: improve the pure water supply, one of the biggest needs in Grande Riviere, rocks and dirt are dug out to form a basin where water comes out of a mountain. A pipe is put in the oothe basin and then capped so leaves and dirt wii not fall into the water. David tries to make sure most of the work and direction for such projects come from k£![ Haitians. Then, if a pipe later becomes W plugged the people will not return out of ook ignorance to the old unsanitary method of scooping water directly from the basin at the i"eri spring. Although they can see places where the jhtm- Haitians could improve their production or ii| water supply, David said, "We're the foreigners there. We have some learning to do, too." The effect of the affluent North American |ntwo life-style on the poverty of Haiti is one thing they have learned in the first year of their Im three-year assignment. The geographic » insulation between the rich and the poor has been pushed back by their firsthand expe- rience of seeing how the production ofj)DI coffee, Haiti's main export, depends oij people paid so little they can't buy food. The Birkys have learned a slower pace offlutol life. "They don't operate by our time ai schedules," Teresa said. "You don't run to nalar this meeting and that." Meetings don't always start on time. Days are not rigidly led, structured in an office routine. Vork IVi fei; They enjoy the informality of HaitianiHta society. A chicken walked through church)()DI one Sunday, Teresa says with a laugh. Whei a church member doesn't have the correctl change he wants to place in the offering, to doesn't hesitate to make change from th offering bag. Because the Birkys see positive character4jnides| istics of Haitian society, they are concerned mO about importing too much of the Nortrill m American way of life with the technical to advice given by the ten volunteers at Grande 1 Riviere, where the program includes medical sta! as well as agricultural aspects. How can they encourage people to make enough money to feed themselves without instilling a lust for money? "It's pretty tough to carry over good concepts and not bad ones," David said. Although the Birkys are two of the few white people in Grande Riviere, they fee well accepted. David and Teresa spent 1971- 73 at MCC headquarters, Akron, Pennsyl- vania, where David was a bookkeeper anq Teresa a secretary. David is a member oiji Lake Region Mennonite Church, Detroit,- Lakes, Minnesota, and Teresa is a member II », Ml) Mill Un Jena Kol Hit lloc Bllti Used of Eden Kansas. Mennonite Church, Moundridge 376 JUNE 7, 197 (If: .aos fights new war laking the long and hazardous sixty- ilometer journey to Vientiane had been dayed for three days. Finally the father and lother realized that their eight-year-old son ould not recover without help. They eren't sure what he was suffering from but really didn't matter. So many people in leir village had the same symptoms and lere were no medicines to help anyone. It >ok all day in the back of a truck and almost 11 the money they had saved to get to the ;neral hospital in the capital. They were iopeful that now the doctors could help lem. But it was too late. Their son died that ight of cerebral malaria, i Public health officials describe malaria as lie "No. 1 health problem" in Laos. Recent Vorld Health Organization (WHO) surveys n two provinces of Laos indicate that one in iiree persons suffers from active malaria. I eventy-five percent of the cases are falcipa- rum, the most difficult strain of malaria to I "eat. ! During the war, American aid provided |)DT for spraying areas under the control of pe Vientiane government. With the collapse if this regime in 1975, all U.S. assistance was ut off and sprayings had to be suspended, iausing a sharp increase in the incidence of ■iialaria. This year WHO has provided ten pns of DDT, about 12 percent of the total jeed, for spraying mosquitos in the most vifected areas. For Laos using DDT is a life- |'r-death choice. WHO officials consider )DT to be the cheapest and safest protec- ion against malaria carriers. I With the destruction of many hospitals nd dispensaries in the countryside and the ; !epletion of medical supplies during the two lecades of war, disease in Laos today is widespread. In one village north of Vienti- ane, 20 percent of the villagers are seriously ill with dysentery, intestinal parasites, Infections, and malaria. ; "How many children did you have?" we isked the mother of a friend recently as she i at weaving cloth under her house. "Oh, nany. I don't remember," she answered, :ontinuing sadly, "There are five living, but nany have died." WHO estimates infant inortality in Laos at about 1 23 per thousand, hme of the highest rates in the world. The primary cause of mortality among Lao children is gastroenteritis resulting in licute diarrhea. Most cases of the disease are paused by the lack of basic hygiene and (sanitation in many rural Lao villages: water |s usually not boiled before drinking, wells Und latrines are uncommon, and animals are : aften kept under houses causing the breeding pf germs and germ-carrying insects, f Recognizing the importance of public health education and preventative medicine in disease control, realizing that most foreign aid in the past benefited primarily the small urban population, and facing serious trans- portation difficulties over its rugged terrain, the new Lao Government is now seeking to develop a decentralized rural health net- work. Many villages, even those near the capital, have built dispensaries and received health workers for the first time after the war. Medical facilities, however, face a desperate shortage of equipment and sup- plies. In a recent visit to the new thirty-bed hospital in Vieng Sai in northeastern Laos, foreign diplomats found only two shelves of medicine in a small cupboard. The 265,000 refugees who returned to their native villages since the end of the hostilities face other serious hardships. Many of the nearly three million tons of bombs dropped on Laos by American planes during the war have yet to explode. In Muang Pek subdistrict, known as the Plain of Jars, fifteen farmers were killed and five injured by unexploded ordnance while reclaiming their fields last year. Before the war Xieng Khouang Province had 83,000 water buffalo. When the bomb- ing finally stopped only 250 draft animals had survived. Because of the serious lack in pulling power, groups of eight men harness themselves behind buffalo plows. As a result of the difficulties in reclaiming their fields, most resettled refugees harvested only a two- months supply of rice last year. Exasperating the difficulties of postwar recovery, Laos faced a rice harvest disaster in 1976. Northern areas were plagued with locusts. Central and southern paddy fields suffered drought during the planting season and then were inundated with Hoods shortly before harvest. In an attempt to avoid this problem in the future, massive water-control systems are being built throughout the country. During the first two weekends of April, thousands of volunteers from Vientiane dug fourteen kilometers of waterways and irrigation canals around the capital city. This spring Vientiane was turned into a giant vegetable garden as every available plot of land was cultivated to increase food production. The new war which the people of Laos are fighting can be won, but not without time, education, and financial help. Assistance through bilateral and multilateral channels has been significant in supplying food and medicines to avert disaster. United Nations agencies have worked closely with the Lao Government in developing projects to provide hospitals, medicines, and equipment for agricultural development, but funds for many of these projects are not yet available. Although the U.S. Government spent billions of dollars financing twenty years of warfare, it has yet to help pay the cost of peace. As a result, relations between the governments of Laos and the United States have been seriously strained during the past two years. But as they told President Carter's commission during its visit in March, the new Lao authorities are ready to forget the past. Gestures of American assistance could go a long way in restoring goodwill between the two countries and winning the battle of the Lao people against disease and hunger. Murray and Linda Hiebert, MCC Laos Words & deeds A gap continues to exist between the employment rates, income, and occupation- al status of white males as compared to minority and female Americans according to a recent report of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. For 1976 the median income of women working full-time was 58 percent of that for men, compared to 60 percent in 1 965 and 64 percent in 1955. The traditional two- to-one ratio of minority to white unemploy- ment also persists. Elementary New Testament Greek will be offered from July 18 to August 26 by the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana. Course instructor is Gertrude Roten. Facing a 10 percent budget cut, the Menno- nite Broadcasts board has agreed to give priority to congregational public media over multimedia campaigns and national pro- gram distribution. Five research and devel- opment projects will be curtailed including several new radio spots and a set of TV spots for international release. The board decided to continue The Mennonite Hour with a fifteen-minute music message format, but agreed to test a five-minute daily format for possible implementation by 1979. Menno- nite Broadcasts, Harrisonburg, Virginia, is the public media arm of Mennonite Board of Missions, Elkhart, Indiana. The thirty-fourth annual Saskatchewan Women in Mission Conference was held May 7 at North Battleford, Saskatchewan. Speaker Anna Schroeder of Brandon, Manitoba, spoke on the theme "Time — Choosing Your Priorities." Over five hundred women attended the session. THE MENNONITE 377 Alcohol education provides alternatives The following interpretive article was writ- ten by Claire Ewert for an alcohol study project sponsored by MCC (Canada). Why is it important to educate oneself and others on the effects of drinking alcoholic beverages? Says Wallace Ewert, a former Mennonite Central Committee volunteer who now farms in Saskatchewan, "When I read about the effects of drinking alcohol on such areas as driving, work, and physiological effects, it told me that there was no good reason to drink." Wallace began working on MCC (Cana- da)'s alcohol research project (BAAR — Bold Alcohol Action and Research) in July 1975. As a preparation for the project, he spent several weeks reading all available informa- tion on the effect and production of alcohol. He has not touched an alcoholic drink since that time. Before he came to the decision to be an abstainer, he considered himself a social drinker. He would have a "few drinks at parties but didn't drink frequently." Drink- ing for him was a social activity. He could "take it or leave it." Wallace took his first drink, a beer, in his early teens. It was taken with a friend following an unhappy personal experience. The legal age then was twenty-one years, so such activity was against the law. "It was a novelty because you weren't supposed to. The other guys thought you were big then." The reason he continued to drink was "because my friends did. I did it to be sociable. I enjoyed the high from the drink." But he admits that he "didn't enjoy the taste. That's why I drank vodka; it has no taste." Wallace's change in life-style came about because logical arguments undermined his emotional reasons for drinking. Being a Mennonite himself, he now believes that Mennonites should not drink alcoholic beverages. Mennonites should also not sell grain or grapes for the production of alcohol. "When one considers the world food crisis and our responsibility to our brothers, then the use of grain or grapes for alcohol production is wrong." As a total abstainer, Wallace does not believe that social drinking is harmless. He is a strong supporter of nondrinking pro- grams, but doesn't go around preaching abstinence to his acquaintances. "It's ev- eryone's choice whether to drink or not. I may indirectly influence the behaviors of others by my own behavior. Wallace's account of his use of alcohol is not very different from many other young Mennonites. He began drinking almost by accident. Before he had had time to make a conscious decision on the matter, he was drinking socially with his peers. It wasn't until he was required to become familiar with alcohol and its effects on the lives of others and the potential effect on his own, that he made a conscious decision against alcohol use. The experience of this young man was magnified many times in the city of Edmon- ton from December 1971 to January 1 972. A public information campaign for responsible drinking and driving aimed at changing knowledge, attitude, and behavior was conducted by the Edmonton and Alberta safety councils. Factual information relating to the problem of drinking drivers and suggestions as to how to avoid alcohol- related accidents was presented to the public, more specifically aimed at the social drinker. The campaign consisted of distributing campaign placemats, posters, and pam- phlets; airing campaign spots on radio and television; sponsoring essay contests on the topic "If You Drive After Drinking"; and providing public speakers to speak at service clubs and schools, among other things. The city of Calgary was the control city. Calgary was subjected to its normal De- cember traffic safety campaign while the Edmonton campaign stepped up the amount of factual information. A randomly selected sample of the driving population in both cities was tested to establish their blood alcohol contents (BAC). At the same time, questions were asked which tested the level of knowledge of subjects about various points which had been emphasized in the campaign. Their attitudes towards present drinking-driving laws were also recorded. The experimental design consisted of a "before and after" study (before the cam- paign and after the campaign) in the two cities. The most important finding of this study was that the Edmonton campaign was effective in reducing the number of impaired drivers from 3.0 percent to 1.4 percent. In Calgary there was also a drop in the number of drivers who were over the legal limit, but the difference was not statistically signifi- cant. These statistics indicate the value of presenting information to the public. Both cities were subject to informational cam- paigns about the effects of drinking and driving. In both cities there were decreases in the numbers of intoxicated drivers. But in Edmonton, where there was a greater emphasis on presenting information on drinking combined with driving, the drop in drivers who drank to dangerous driving iver 2 iire, levels of alcohol was reduced to a significant extent. Both examples, the individual who famil- iarized himself with facts about alcohol and Mi the larger community exposed to informa- evera tion on driving and drinking, indicate that lOrke knowledge does facilitate a change in behavior. In order to obtain knowledge it is necessary to experience education. Demon- |pit strating alternative attitudes and behaviors is an important part of education. Too often land; the society in which we live demonstrates only one possible form of behavior. The Christian community is responsible |«e for providing alternatives. These alternative attitudes and behaviors must then be fa supported and reinforced within this loving enter community. This does not leave room forfaire judgment and criticism. We are all responsr ble for each other. Put tojet level ■ork. Winnipeg church celebrates anniversary The young son of one member stood up on the pew inside a large Winnipeg sanctuary, looked around and said, "This sure doesn't look like a church." So reported chairperson John Lohrenz to the Fort Garry Mennonite Fellowship's tenth anniversary celebration Sunday, May 15. The fellowship has now operated for ten years without a salaried ministry and without a church building. Ministry duties are shared and space is rented at the Canadian Nazarene College, for Sunday services. Otherwise, most meetings are held in homes. Characteristics of the group are a strong family emphasis, participation in smalllfclW prayer and study groups, and a flexible approach to worship and Christian educa- tion. The program of the church is guided by a covenant to which members are asked to commit themselves. There are sixty-one Jl members in the fellowship. Several other families and individuals participate actively. trch Grosvenor Place, a residence for young mem on probation requires staff, either single men l or a houseparent couple. Apply to: Henry Dueck 306 Notre Dame Avenue Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 1P4 Phone: (204) 942-8626 or (204) 489-2920 Grosvenor Place is sponsored by MCC (Man- itoba). 378 JUNE 7, 1977 \ little ram gives a lot of water eople didn't believe that a little ram lydraulic pump) could lift water from the ver 250 feet to the top of the hill in Mukedi, aire, according to Albert and Annie >rudge. But when it was first turned on for veral minutes, Albert and the other 'orkers heard shouts from the village before ley had even made it halfway up the hill, idicating that water was already flowing ut of the pipe at the water tower site. Putting in water systems at Mukedi and andala, small communities about 850 iilometers east of Zaire's capital, Kinshasa, has only part of the job for the Drudges, who /ere supported by Mennonite Central Committee and Africa Inter-Mennonite Uission. Mukedi and Kandala are church (enters for the Mennonite Community in ''.aire (CMZA). Funds for the two water vrojects came from Canadian International |)evelopment Agency which contributed 24,000, a provincial grant of $12,000, and n MCC contribution of $12,000. Albert also put in dams and water wheels t a Methodist mission and at a farm ponsored by the Protestant Agricultural 'rogram where several MCC volunteers vork. In addition, he worked on construc- ion at a girls' school at Nyanga, a CMZA hurch center where he and Annie lived uring their V/i years in Zaire. Annie ooked, "kept a coffee house," and served as nother and grandmother to MCC workers, nissionaries, and their children. Although Albert used dams and water vheels to pipe water from rivers at the vlethodist mission and the farm, he was able o install hydraulic rams at Mukedi and jCandala because there is enough "head," as 1 1 he drop from the water's source to the ram is ailed. With a twenty-three-foot head at Dopastor needed 'If he Carlock and North Danvers Mennonite 'iii ihurches would like to call a pastor to serve in their •I ihared ministry program in a part-time capacity. Khe congregations have cooperated in sharing a I 'earn of two ministers since 1971. Elmer Wall is continuing as a full-time member of the pastoral earn. Ministers share areas of responsibilities in the congregations with the part-time team member, for instance, preaching about once a month, helping jiupervise the Sunday schools, and doing some Visitation. Can be ideal for a minister who wishes to :;low down before retirement. 1 Interested persons should contact: Elmer Wall Box 41 \ Carlock, Illinois 61725 i (309) 376-2781 Albert and Annie Drudge Kandala, the pressure of the ram lifts the water 400 feet to the village at the rate of three gallons a minute. At Mukedi, there is a forty-six-foot head, and the water is lifted at the rate of twenty gallons a minute or 700 barrels a day. "That is really amazing when you consider that it would take one person carrying water from the river half a day to fill one barrel," Albert said. Completing the entire project at Mukedi and Kandala took Albert and Annie more than a year and several trips to each place. "The only way to get anywhere in Zaire is by truck, motorcycle, or small plane," Albert pointed out. In April of 1976, he rode by motorcycle to Mukedi to help with laying the pipe. Different sections of the village contributed the labor to dig the necessary ditches. Help wanted Positions in Seattle, Washington: Immediate open- ing for skilled secretary with environmental agency. Openings for fall 1977 include work with retarded adults; a position at a spastic children's center; work with home health-care program; and positions at Seattle Mental Health Institute. Two-year terms required. Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 The rams, shipped from North America and trucked inland from the Zairian port of Matadi, were installed in October and November. Albert spent two weeks at Kandala, where he was assisted by fellow volunteer Darrell Martin. Then he went on to Mukedi, working three weeks there. The water tanks, made of disconnected pieces shipped from England, arrived in February. In March, Albert went to Kandala again to put up the 4,000-gallon tank. The two faucets which the tank supplies are near to the maternity and dispensary, he said. Along with Martin and MCC volunteer Glenn Detweiler, Albert and Annie returned to Mukedi again in March to erect a thirty- three-foot tower where they would place a 16,000-gallon tank. There was one problem, though. Some of the connectable pieces for the tank had the holes drilled in the wrong places. "We sent a radio message to a CMZA center for mechanics to send us a drill press," Albert said. When the plane brought it in, they had to wait to begin redrilling holes until the electricity was turned on in the evening for the students at the school to study. "We drilled until ten o'clock," he added. Another problem came up while the Drudges, Martin, and Detweiler were working at Mukedi — they received word that the ram at Kandala was broken. "These rams are supposed to be trouble-free," Albert said. "But we twisted the pilot's arm to fly us into Kandala to see what was wrong." When they got there, however, they were informed that the village people had already taken care of the problem. One of the braces holding the ram had shaken loose, but they had found someone in another village who could weld and gotten him to repair the break. "It makes me feel confident that they will be able to keep the system going," Albert said. Drudges were working right up to the time they left Zaire. Although the top of the water tank had not been put on when they had to leave Mukedi, when they flew over a few days later, it was up. In the few days they had at Nyanga before they left, Albert installed a new pump at the water wheel that supplies that village's water and did some finishing work on one of the buildings at the girls' school. The Drudges, from Markham, Ontario, had lived in Zaire from 1970 to 1973 as MCC volunteers. During that time Albert worked on a water system for Nyanga and worked in building construction. Annie was in charge of the mail, which is sent out to all the CMZA centers from Nyanga. THE MENNONITE 379 Record Calendar June 16-19 — Northern District Confer- ence annual session, Huron, South Dakota July 23-27 — Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Toronto July 28-August 3 — General Conference triennial sessions, Bluffton, Ohio Ralph K. Weber has resigned as pastor of the Walton (Kansas) Church. He continues to serve as manager of Faith and Life Bookstore, Newton, Kansas. Published television and how to speak to the television industry, including a list of addresses to write about programming. The brochure is avail- able free of charge from Women in Mission, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Ministers Henry Dyck has accepted the pastorate of the United Mennonite Church, Mission, British Columbia. He previously served the congregation of First Church, Kelowna, British Columbia. Bruno Epp has accepted the pastorate of the Eben-Ezer Church, Clearbrook, British Columbia, effective in September. Reviews "What Is Television Teaching Your Fami- ly?" asks a brochure recently printed by Women in Mission, the women's organiza- tion of the General Conference Mennonite Church, in cooperation with Faith and Life Radio and Television. The brochure was written by Naomi Wollman of Moundridge, Kansas, secretary of Women in Mission and its representative to the Mennonite Central Committee Peace Section. The brief article in the brochure covers television violence, advertising, stereotyping, and the erosion of moral values. It suggests how to use Workers Shirley Sprunger King, until recently serving in Haiti, has been appointed part- time instructor in organ at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas. She will replace Alice Loewen, organ and piano instructor at Bethel since 1958, who has resigned. Jane and Larry Wilson have begun a six- weeks vacation in Newton, Kansas, after two years of service under the General Conferen- ce's Commission on Overseas Mission. They have been engaged in church planting and Bible teaching in Armenia, Colombia. Books challenge you to grow The Cost of Commitment (1976, 89 pages, $1.95) and The Fight (1976, 230 pages, $3.95), both by John White (Inter Varsity, Downers Grove, Illinois) are reviewed by La Verna Klippenstein, 753 Fairmont Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 1 B3. John White, a former staff member with the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students in Latin America, is now an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of Manitoba. In two warm and personal books he helps Christians count the cost of their commitment to Christ. "For years I felt guilty," he writes, "because I never seemed to be committed deeply enough to Christ .... I had the feeling that I should be suffering more, doing without more. Yet when I did suffer, my suffering bore little relationship to my commitment. Sometimes it seemed to arise from my lack of commitment and at other times bore no relationship whatever to it." In seven short but intense chapters the author deals with suffering, cross bearing, and the paradox of freedom through slavery. "What does it mean to take up your cross when little risk is involved in following Jesus?" he asks in The Cost of Commitment. "Does his teaching about the cross have meaning only when secret police pound doors at midnight? No indeed." And again, "Jesus is not telling us that we must sacrifice all our possessions to inherit heavenly trea- sure, only that if we were to grasp what glories he has for us would we realize how silly we are to cling to such rubbish." 77?^ Cost of Commitment does not talk about the suffering we all share as humans, nor suffering we bring on ourselves through stupidity or sin, nor disciplinary suffering. The author refers to suffering experienced because of loyalty to Christ — the result of deliberate choice. Thinking adults will find this small pocketbook challenging. Tne Fight also deals with the Christian life. In it John White goes through the basic areas of Christian living: faith, prayer, temptation, guidance, Bible study, fellow- ship, and work. He offers new Christians sound first steps and older Christians refreshing insights into the struggles and joys of freedom in Christ. Each chapter ends with a set of study questions based on a biblical passage and the reader is urged to work through them. "The miracle of new life does not guarantee beauty of character," says White. "The life needs to grow and develop. That is why I am writing my book. I feel a great urge inside me to share with you as much as I can of what is important in practical Christian living." The author draws upon the rich resource of personal experiences to illlustrate his points. He does not hesitate to call attention to common misconceptions in biblical interpretation nor to reach behind a facade of piety to expose one's real self; foa example, "even to pray for strength to forgive may be a subtle way of postponing forgiveness." The Fight addresses itself particularly to university students who are new Christians with little biblical background. The sections are short. Descriptive titles in the index help one find a desired topic quickly. The themes and study questions make this book a helpful resource for small-group use on college campuses. Both volumes go far beyond superficial treatment of concerns common to serious Christians and provide meat to nourish those willing to submit to the necessary disciplines. Both make appropriate reading for personal growth and excellent gifts for friends away at school. 380 JUNE 7, 1977 True dreams Peter J. Ediger had a dream nd in my dream I saw ieneral Conference Mennonite General Board eated at the conference table. vnd in came Moses nd the Mennonites said /loses, you offend us 'ou should give more study o questions of civil disobedience >efore you challenge Pharaoh. Vnd in came Daniel nd the Mennonites said )aniel, you offend us t'ou should give more study o questions of civil disobedience >efore you resist worship of the image. i \nd in came Jesus ind the Mennonites said lesus, you offend us ifou should give more study o questions of civil disobedience before you upset money changers in the temple. \nd in came Peter and John ind the Mennonites said Peter, John, you offend us i^ou should give more study Ro questions of civil disobedience before you speak again of Jesus. jAnd in came Conrad and Menno lind the Mennonites said Conrad, Menno, you offend us You should give more study |:o questions of civil disobedience ,oefore you defy civil law to follow Jesus. o o "Two Dreams" came after the General Board, forthe third time, refused to honor the request of an employee of the confer- ence to not withhold the war tax portion of her income tax. The General Board has asked the Commission on Home Ministries to give leader- ship to study the question of civil disobedience and war tax resistance. I had a dream and in my dream I saw General Conference Mennonite General Board seated at the conference table. And in came Moses and Moses said Mennonites, you follow us who've gone before move with courage in obedience to the Lord in challenging your Pharaohs. And in came Daniel and Daniel said Mennonites, you follow us who've gone before move with courage in obedience to the Lord in resisting worship of images. And in came Jesus and Jesus said Mennonites, you follow us who've gone before move with courage in obedience to the Lord in upsetting money changers in your temples. And in came Peter and John and Peter and John said Mennonites, you follow us who've gone before move with courage in obedience to the Lord in speaking and acting in the name of Jesus. And in came Conrad and Menno and Conrad and Menno said Mennonites, you follow us who've gone before move with courage in obedience to the Lord in defying civil law to follow Jesus. THE MENNONITE 381 Letters Have you invited others? Dear Editor: In our daily devotions the verse is given, "God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which arc mighty" (I Corinthians 1:27) with the thought, "You can be too big for God to use, but never too small." In Revelation, Christ gives a message to the churches. There were those found faithful, but others needed to be corrected. Recently I read an account telling of the worldly influences creeping into the church. God's Word commands us as born again believers to "break away" and "come out" from the spirit of the world. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers; for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness?" We need to examine ourselves. How do we stand? In Ephesians 5:27 we read, "That he might present it to himself a glorious church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish." God sent his son to die and redeem us that if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness ( 1 John 1:9). Having accepted him as our Savior we are entrusted with a message to invite others. Recently as one brought a message, he, too, This Publication is Available in MICROFORM OR INFORMATION WRITE: University Microfilms International Depl. F.A. 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 U.S.A. Dept. F.A. 18 Bedford Row London, WC 1 R 4EJ I Mi|I.)Mi1 asked, "Have you ever invited one to receive Christ?" This is a question to take to heart, please accept him now, tomorrow may be too late. In Luke 14:23 we read, "And the Lord said unto the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.' " The Lord, too, compels us to invite them. I admit to not being perfect, as we all will. Having received him as our Savior, he will give us courage to witness for him and encourage each other. As Jesus left, he sent his Spirit. As we listen to his voice, he will direct us to give his message in inviting others to Christ. One person mentioned my inviting him to accept the Lord, and he had rejoiced when he accepted the Lord as his Savior. Again and again in meeting people, his Spirit has led me to invite them. I give all the praise to the Lord. Only one life, it will soon be past. What's done for Christ, that alone will last. A be E. Kroeker, Inman, Kansas 67546 April 19 Taxes for what? Dear Editor: As a practicing tax accountant I was not able to attend the war tax conference at Kitchener or General Confer- ence at St. Catharines in 1974. However, I do look forward to attending some of the sessions at Bluffton this summer with J. Winfield Fretz, theologian and sociologist, guest speaker. The American Friends Service Commit- tee case was an example of endeavoring to change the law — withholding. I hope we as a conference find and can work out in a practical way with the government, a solution to many of our tax dollar spending issues. A recent Federal Tax Guide report indicates the IRS not only gets tough with some tax preparers under the Tax Reform Act of 1976, but "persons who, on the basis of religious or moral beliefs, refuse to pay all or part of their taxes, fail to file returns or fail to file complete returns should expect the IRS to take vigorous civil and criminal enforcement measures. The courts repeat- edly have held that the income tax is constitutional, that taxes cannot be avoided on religious or moral grounds, and that returns must be filed despite the possibility of self-incrimination, the IRS emphasized. Thus, continued reliance on arguments to the contrary is almost certain to lead to IRS action" (Vol. 60, No. 24, 4/1/77, CCH Tax Week Bulletin). My files contain all the published data to date on the war tax issue, as well as many cases in this area who have refused to pay their taxes with no biblical basis. Luke 2:1- 6 — Joseph and Mary went to their own city of Bethlehem to pay their tax because Joseph was of the house and lineage of David. We need to continue witnessing each day and help to make this world a better place to live. Let us work and pray with our leaders. We are receiving benefits from the state too. May the church and state, however, continue to be separate. We are bringing more government control on ourselves. Howard A. Bauman, 6641 Evelyn Drive, Middle- town, Ohio 45042 May 16 Time to take a stand Dear Editor: Much talk has been going on lately on the question of withholding taxes by church institutions. We realize the complexity of the matter along with the many differences of opinion and problems encountered with seeking to be true disciples of Christ and discerning the will of God in the matter of paying war taxes. The issue has been in the General Conference Mennonite Church for many years. After having considered the many problems and issues connected with the question of taxation for so long, we feel that enough has been said, and it's time for our church to take a definite stand on the matter. Some organizations and institutions such as the telephone companies are not required by law to collect the federal excise tax (which is given entirely to the military budget). How then can the church be used as a tax collector for the government? We believe that the church should not let itself be forced to withhold the federal income taxes from its workers' salaries. Daniel L. Sawatzky, Bryan Saner, Kenneth L. Gaeddert, Donald P. Gaeddert, Brent A. Koehn, and Terry Miller (students at Bethel College), North Newton, Kansas 67117 May 16 About letters: To encourage readers to express themselves on a variety of issues we try to use all letters submitted for publica- tion. Brevity is encouraged. Longer letters will be shortened. Unsigned correspondence will not be published, although we may withhold names for valid reasons in special situations. Editor 382 JUNE 7, 1977 Meditation 'he leadership crisis ^principal pastime of followers is to discuss their leaders. If these leaders tick, the subject is mat makes them tick. If they don't, the subject is why the works have broken down. Along with most institutions, the church is suffering a crisis in leadership. Yet what pjxiuces leaders? At times I wonder why some communities have produced more than their aire of church leaders. Were the circumstances so difficult and rigid that only the strong duld survive, or did spiritual leaders evoke others to follow in their footsteps? |Do leaders emerge when a crisis occurs? Or do persons who are leaders direct events so that t|: church forges ahead? At what point does an individual receive the gift of leadership from I Holy Spirit? IThe church needs giants again, not the kind the ten spies saw when they spied out the land lj" the Israelites, but giants who stand head and shoulders above others spiritually and who 1; able to shout the rallying cry for the kingdom of God. Today the church has many important persons, many extremely capable and well- oalified ones, but too few who say boldly with Jabez, "Oh, that thou wouldest bless me j(d enlarge my border" (1 Chronicles 4:10, RSV) and with the aging Caleb, "Give me t s mountain." Someone has suggested strong leaders are scarce because our society no longer knows what Ldership is. Who or what is a leader? The recent flurry over concepts such as authority, ders, chief shepherds, and so forth hasn't cleared the air as much as some hoped. Some *urch members want leaders to be forthright, standing against the majority fearlessly when icessary. Others prefer someone who is skilled in handling people, keeping conflict in the • urch to a minimum. Some people want a leader who will accept responsibility readily and move toward the ijtting edge of society. Others agree heartily, as long as they don't have to share the i iponsibility of being part of the cutting edge. Some want leaders who are able to share the (lotions, hurts, and burdens of those to whom they minister; others want leaders who mind jpir own business. A July 1974 Time essay points to several reasons leadership has become unattractive in our ijciety. First, institutions have changed in ways that leaders cannot always grasp. "Churches 1 ve been dramatically altered by internal disputes over questions of social activism, morals, I d even creed. Educators have grown uncertain about the social and intellectual purposes of i ucation." I As a result of such changes, leaders are made increasingly naked and vulnerable. People ijcome skeptical of them. If leaders don't know for sure where they're going, their followers |ll feel uncertain and pull back. The essay adds that some of the people with leadership potential aren't around because jey may have exhausted themselves during the protest movements of the sixties. I imagine !jme are now marching to the beat of a different drummer, maybe even beating a drum i ;ewhere. lj According to the Time writers, leadership is unattractive because of the tremendous and Implicated demands made on leaders. Few persons can reasonably accept such high jjpectations and remain whole. So they duck into some other type of work where the mands on them are less. | Years ago numerous graduates of high school were pushed into adulthood with the words | Longfellow's lines ringing in their ears: "Lives of great men, all remind us / We can make ijir lives sublime, / And departing leave behind us / Footprints in the sands of time." 'Today the words have a faintly sentimental, almost maudlin sound. Who wants to make lie sublime? Who wants to leave footprints in the sands of time? Most people have too much do now to think of leaving behind a reminder for the next generation. It Yet that's my point. Our generation probably wasn't concerned enough about providing | le models (footprints) for the generation which got turned off in the sixties. Unless we can 'jipress this generation that leaving footprints is more important than leaving large estates, e leadership crisis will only get worse. Katie Funk Wiebe Contents Living in the agony 370 Ben's boys 372 First Mennonite Church, Berne, Indiana 373 Mennonite family life 1940-77 374 News 375 Record 380 Books challenge you to grow 380 Two dreams 381 Letters 382 The leadership crisis 383 Who is my family? 384 CONTRIBUTORS Mark Olsen, Box 12236, Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania 19144, is a coeditor of The Other Side. His article is reprinted by permission. Larry Kehler, 440 Best Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba, is the pastor of the Charleswood Mennonite Church. R. Bruce Woods, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 671 14, is the director of family life education for the Commission on Education. Peter J. Ediger, 10102 West 64th Place, Arvada, Colorado, is copastor of the Arvada Mennonite Church. Katie Funk Wiebe, Hillsboro, Kansas, writes frequently for church periodicals. CREDITS Cover, RNS, Mennonite Radio and TV, and Ken Sauder, MCC; 371, Harold M. Lambert, 2801 West Cheltenham Avenue, Philadel- phia 19150; 372, Larry Kehler; 373, First Church, Berne, Indiana; 376, Ron Sawatsky, MCC; 379, Ken Isaak, MCC. Meiiiionfrc Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Telephone: (316) 283-5100 Editor Berme Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Win- nipeg. Manitoba R3P 0M4 Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Editorial assistant Susan Schu- macher Art director: John Hiebert Business manager Dietrich Rempel. Circulation sec- retary: Marilyn Kaufman Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L. Ramseyer, 488 West Elm Street, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas. Oregon 97338: Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117, Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indi- ana 46805; and Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstem, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P0M4 E MENNONITE 383 Who is my family? "Do you have a family?" The question is often asked when people have just met each other. The question usually means, "Do you have a spouse and children?" One hundred years ago the question might have been answered differently. Russian Mennonites moved to the prairies with aunts, uncles, cousins, and others in the church. My great-grandparents came to Kansas with brothers, sisters, their children, and mother. In these post-Industrial Revolution days, things are different. The age of the interchangeable part has meant the age of the interchangeable employee. The job often determines where people live and how often they move. While the family of yesterday often farmed and lived surrounded by relatives, the family of today struggles to find a city where both husband and wife can have satisfying jobs. The new definition of family often leaves out single adults because they have no nuclear family to whom to relate. But we do not have to go back to the farming community to find family again. Many people are forming intentional communities in which couples, children, and single adults live in the same household or the same neighborhood and relate to each other as brothers and sisters. Others "adopt" an older person nearby as a grandparent for their children. Or people form other networks of friendship and mutual help, recognizing that all of one's needs for relationship cannot be met within the boundaries of the nuclear family. These kinds of stable relationships are important for marrieds and singles, adults and children. But there is no perfect form of family any more than there is a perfect system of government. Some forms may be more consistent with the Christian gospel than others. But all forms of the family, like all forms of government, fall short of the perfect love which Jesus taught. There is one form of family which is to model Jesus' love above all others — the church. The early church after Pentecost resembled a family in many ways; its members ate together, shared possessions, prayed together in each other's homes. They came to regard each other as brothers and sisters. The church is a family in which no one need feel left out — those who have never married, those whose families have died or have left them, those who do not share the same beliefs as their biological families. "Lo, we have left our homes and followed you," Peter said to Jesus (Luke 18:28). Jesus answered, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive manifold more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life." That "manifold more" can be received in the church if the church is willing to take up its task of being the family of God. LB The MciiiionUc OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO ONE LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST mm 92:24 JUNE 14, 1977 ft r People who commute to a city to work or shop and leave by sunset should probably not be expected to know more about it than tourists do. Dale Suderman Suppose n city The city is neither the new Babylon nor the ne Jerusalem. It contains elements of both. Maybe it something like the blessing and the curse of the O, Testament. After a flurry of interest during the fifties ar feel sixties, Christians seem to be losing the yi concern for the city. Suburban areas a: pin more responsive to the Christian messaj (salf and the needs of the city seem simply tc pan overwhelming for the church. The pain of the city is its randomness, i breaking down of relationships into impe I sonality and individuality. The joy of the cii c is its impersonality and individuality so th; people are able to realize anew th potential and gifts. The tragedy of the city that many fail to create or find this nei identity. The seductiveness of the city is th it promises salvation for all and offers it only a few. Jacques Ellul's The City and Harvey Cox Secular City both promise more for the cii ;E;;1 than it can offer. It is neither the ne m\ Babylon nor the new Jerusalem. It contaii elements of both. Maybe it is something lit the blessing and the curse of the O Testament. A psychologist who was a major leader the East Harlem Protestant Parish in Ne York during the fifties recalled how he use to visit suburban churches to plead f( assistance in dealing with the then inner-ciij drug problem. Few took him seriously abo this seemingly alien problem. He smiled and said, "Now I work in suburban practice treating the children middle-class people who have drug proli|s lems. Maybe there is poetic justice after all The church — Mennonite and noi Mennonite — will pay the price for its prese indifference to urban areas. It is easy to be overwhelmed by tl statistics of the city. Many more apartmen are destroyed by fire in a month in Chicago, ghettos than Mennonites repair throug their home repair programs in a year. While we think that the late nineteentj|;.;: century was a period of mass migration North America, more immigrants a coming to America's cities now than at ar : > other time in history. The migration is fro the country and small towns more tha overseas. Chicago's black population has grown bj more than one million in the past fifteq years. The response of the congregations h: been to move out of the city, leaving tl center of the city with new storefro churches and huge buildings with only a fe people attending. The Mennonites in the city are facin urbanization in much the same way th; SB ll m h m K lie i li 386 JUNE 14, 19/ * 1 'her ethnic groups do. The first generation les to continue the pattern of the old mntry. The second generation overcom- :nsates and becomes superpatriotic Ameri- ins and Canadians in an effort to deny their igins. The third generation may become flective and spend its energy on folk stivals to celebrate its identity or make ime other effort at synthesis. Just as this pattern works nationally, so a >ndensed version seems to happen with any Mennonite urban congregations, ome are attempts to reproduce rural itterns. The urban life-style is based on iral values and concepts. The second ;neration tries to become urban — urbane hip — and deny its rural and ethnic ii;ritage. The third phase attempts to ask "ipme hard questions about what it means to Sl|; both an individual and collective Menno- "lite in the city. The pattern of upward "jfiobility has been as much a part of this roup as of other white ethnic groups. Along ith the upward-mobility pattern comes the love away from the city to more comfort- ble suburban or even rural communities. It I mst be said that this pattern does not apply I) non-German Mennonite churches in llhich, at times, persons may be attempting I) work out a Spanish or black heritage as jell as a Mennonite identity. Suburbanites seem to have many of the ime fears, prejudices, and stereotypes bout the city as do rural and small-town ersons. People who commute to a city to ork and leave by sunset should probably ot be expected to know more about it than jurists. The needs of the city are physical and Diritual. Rather than raise the argument bout evangelism and social action, we lould face the fact that in the city we have enerally done neither. We have sent money >r both social action and evangelism rograms, hoping that it would serve for us. it the same time, we have pursued our own iterests in other places. The city does not need more programs as luch as it needs people who are willing to ecome good neighbors and friends. "We on't ask the church for bigger churches or ne gifts. We ask the church for its presence 'ith us, beside us, as Christ among us. We sk the church to sacrifice with the people for Dcial change, for justice, and for love of sters and brothers. We ask for servant- ood," says Cesar Chavez. The critical ingredient is not our profes- sional skills in preaching, social action, or teaching. Rather it is for us to be good listeners in the restaurants and parks in our neighborhoods. This need will not be met unless it is done on a long-term basis by persons willing to make long-term commit- ments to the city. I have fantasized about what the church could be. My fantasies may be unrealistic. But just suppose the denominations and congregations worked for an 80 percent reduction in all existing budgets. This would effectively collapse most church programs as we now have them. It would unemploy all church professionals and end board meet- ings and conferences. In the silence we would be freed to talk to each other. Perhaps we would then realize that whatever mission the church had was now up to us. We would no longer need to earn as much money to support church programs. Suppose further that urban congregations agreed that all members had twelve months to move within a mile of the church so that we could talk to each other and so our talking to each other would become visible and known to those around us. Suppose that we agreed that our mission was not the money we gave or the number of congregational committees we served on or the number of volunteer hours we spent doing "good," but rather the number of times we listened and talked with people. Suppose. . . . 7& Roberta Mohr We took up a collection for her because all five kids came to Sunday school. It was the least we could do. She rinsed out a cup and filled it with coffee for me. "He was a good man; never drank much." (He always had a bottle of beer in his hand when / saw him!) "Never beat me and the kids." (I remember a time you cried because of all your bruises.) "Never ran around." (That's not what you said a few months ago.) "He was a good man; now he's gone. Guess I'll pack up and go to Chicago to my sister's. She wrote and told me to come. I got some money put aside." (What about all the doctor bills?) "My kids sure will miss your Sunday school. I ain't no unbeliever. I prays to God. He gives me the strength to carry on." (He's always ready to help when we call on him. It doesn't matter what color we are or what kind of a shack we live in or whether we never went inside a church in our whole life. He's always ready to help. Please, Father, help me to be more like you.) HE MENNONITE 387 Voluntary service Is.. Jan Lugibihl Voluntary service is a myriad of personal, individual things. It's a job in which I can feel fulfilled and can learn something. It's wondering, in the beginning, why anyone ever thought I could do this job, then finally beginning to think myself that I can do it and ending up loving it. It's feeling like a competent professional and becoming angry when people speak of VS people as anything less than that. It's hearing people call us "gifts from heaven" and feeling embarrassed. It's coming to a unit in a strange place full of people I've never met before and going through the first joyous time of getting acquainted. It's moving a few months later to pain and frustration when I wonder if we'll ever enjoy living together again and a year later looking at those same people I earlier had conflicts with, knowing they are special to me now and being aware that this feeling comes partly because of those things we worked through together. It's getting to know people in VS administration and volunteers in other places and feeling a part of some larger work that's happening in the world and somehow getting support from that. It's learning to eat vegetarian cooking because most others in the unit do, but still feeling the need for a hamburger-fix every now and then. It's becoming part of a local church and feeling accepted by its members as an individual, not just "one of the VS unit. It's learning that touching and being hugged and held is beautiful and healing and that becoming angry and even yelling at someone does not mean that person will disappear. It's the contentment of spending a long Sunday afternoon talking with one other unit member and the fun of going to a concert or a ballet all together. It's knowing that a lot of the time building community involves basic things like dishwashing and cleaning schedules seasoned by occasional flashes of insight that with these people I have found real, pure, loving community. It's the security of coming from a government job and realizing the church and VS are often places where alternative, effective forms of life-style and work are possible. It's a place to feel alternately creative and stifled, loved and alone, valuable and unsure that anything I am doing is helping anyone — even me. It's wondering whether, after my VS term is over, I can carry all of this on by myself. It's deep feelings of depression wondering if VS is not just an escape from the "real" world and trying to decide if I'm taking advantage of that and should leave. It's hearing another unit member say, if I left, things would be changed and unit life diminished and knowing I feel that way about every other unit member, too. VS is this and so much more, but ultimately, for me, it is a realization that I have found a home, a family, and the church. When I look at VS The following article was written by Dorsy Hill, a member of the Arvada Mennonite Church. Voluntary service people have been teachers of the Mennonite way for us. We first came into contact with the Arvada Mennonite Church three years ago. Two VS people were helping with worship at that point and we became involved in dialog with them. Issues were raised for us which we had not perceived as part of the Christian message: — simplicity in life-style: Were these people really willing to live on such a small income? What was that about? — service as a major Christian emphasis: Wasn't the belief system the critical emphasis? It had been in our experience. Was there more? — community living as a chosen way: Living in individual- istic suburbia for years had not prepared us for community thinking. Watching VS persons work at a community way of life, with serious efforts at communication and sharing, has deeply affected us over the past three years. We want to know more about that and live in community ways as we can. The theology we held has been expanded and rearranged in places partly because of involvement with VS workers. Pacifism, as part of the message of Jesus, is a clear position for several workers in this locale. The conscientious objector stance, part of the history of voluntary service, was vaguely familiar to us. But the presence of persons who are living out that position sharpens the image. We've had to take some new looks because of their commitments. — World hunger has come into view for us. I had met few people before who thought seriously about their own eating habits in relation to the food shortages in the rest of the world. Several VS workers have recently spearheaded a buying co-op here which provides good food at lower prices for a number of people. The modeling and informal, day-to-day teaching by the unit are life elements we value. We're grateful, not only for ourselves, but for our children. And I wonder about future paths when our twelve-year-old daughter asks, "Mom, how does a person get a job in VS?" THE MENNONITE seeks lo witness, leach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context ot Christian love and freedom under the guidance ot the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It is pub- lished weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton, Kansas 671 14. by the General Board ot the General Conference Mennonite Church Second-class postage paid at Newton. Kansas 67 11 4, and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions in United States and Canada. $8 00 one year, $15 50, two years, $23 00, Ihreu years, toreiqn. $8 50 per year Edito rial office 600 Shaftesbuty Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P0M4 Business office 722 Main Street Box 347 Newton, Kansas 67114 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 388 JUNE 14, 197 i Ml orkhom Mennonile Kfoluntor y Service Charles Neufeld Aort than seventy volunteers have served in vdarkham MVS. They work with day care, he mentally ill and mentally retarded, and vith youth. Markham, Illinois, unlike most suburbs vith their contemporary ranch-style bunga- ows, is an older city caught up in the urban prawl of Chicago. About 60 percent of its 7,000 population is black, the remainder ire of various European backgrounds. The Markham Community Mennonite hurch, begun in the late fifties, now has ieventy-five members, divided equally be- ween black and white. In 1 964 the congrega- ion invited MVS to assist the church with its nission to the community. The Community Day-Care Center pro- /ides care and education for sixty children of working parents. This program is housed in ;he sanctuary and Sunday school wing of the church. The program was begun with an Amish VS couple and a director (a member of the church). Many of the administrative functions at first were done by the pastor. Even today, this is the only day-care center in Markham. In 1971, Markham MVS helped to establish a sheltered workshop to provide on-the-job training for the mentally handi- capped. The goal is to provide working skills which can assist these people to reenter the community. The Markham workshop has grown to a staff of twenty and a satellite workshop now operates in Tinley Park. There is now also the community house, which provides training in domestic and other skills for persons who are living back in the community, but need further help with living skills. Seven MVS volunteers present- ly work in these programs. Youth work is a third area of involvement. David Orr of MVS relates closely to the Markham Youth Office, which works primarily with referrals from area schools. This office is located in the Mennonite church. David provides help for summer camping and other recreational programs. He has also achieved a first for MVS; he won a citywide election to the city park commis- sion. He regards this as a part of his commitment to Markham youth. The volunteers live in three houses — prosaically known as the brown, gray, and white houses. The "white house" designation sometimes makes for interesting telephone responses. In an effort to get stable telephone listings, the unit lists their names as Menno Simons, George Blaurock, and Hans Denck. Menno Simons was once requested on the phone by Members of the "white house" voluntary service unit in Markham, Illinois, include, from left, Rebecca Schaller, David Orr, Dana Maiani, Jon Jantz, Karen Graber, and Doreen Bergen. a salesman for aluminum siding. The sixteen volunteers meet weekly for supper and a unit meeting. April 12 minutes include a report about birthdays, plans for new involvements, a handbook for MVS, a report on use of unit vehicles (the sixteen people try to restrict their total driving to 1,000 miles per month), and plans for a downtown visit and a camping trip. The MVS unit faces numerous frustra- tions. Volunteers have just become integrat- ed and then their term is up. Personal service work demands long, exhausting hours. Living together means a compromise of privacy and individual rights. MVS alumni will usually regard unit life as both the high point and the low point of their service. Over the years, some volunteers have decided to stay. Marlene Suter came in the late sixties and is still providing leadership in the community. Rudy Steiner helped to begin the day-care center and is now employed at the sheltered workshop. Bonnie Neufeld stayed after her term expired and is now a member of the church council. Markham MVS has always maintained a close relationship to the congregation. The; help with Sunday school, music, and drama Several have become members of the church Paul Mares is on the church board. Karet Graber is the pianist, and Linda Chezun often does the children's story. Church members will voice a frustratioi that they just get to know the volunteers an< then they leave. But these same members ar also quick to state that MVS has mad possible much of their witness in tb Markham community. For this we al rejoice. MVS personnel Eleanor and Donald Kaufman People are our most important resource. Approximately 110 persons served in MVS during the year 1976. By expanding the number of VS units to twenty-three and by increasing the number of volunteers, the MVS staff hopes to reach a total of 150 volunteers by the end of 1977. Currently there are 136 persons in service. Females outnumber males two to one. This has been the normal proportion since the end of the U.S. military draft in July 1 973. Since then we have seen a confirmation of the prevailing pattern which channels women into service professions and volun- teerism while most men submit to our society's expectations by getting into earning positions. Last year the median age of persons placed in assignments was twenty-one: 20 percent were ages eighteen to nineteen; 62 percent were between the ages of twenty and twenty- five; 15 percent were twenty-six to twenty- nine; 6 percent were thirty to sixty-five. Although MVS attracts primarily younger persons, people in their forties to sixties are giving the program more consid- eration. As Walt Neufeld put it: "We hope this sets a precedent by which many other adults will take up the challenge of voluntary service." Canadian citizens made up 20 percent of the volunteers in service while the remaining 80 percent were U.S. citizens. The educational level of MVS workers is impressive: 67 percent of last year's volun- teers had some college education or were college graduates; 54 percent of the total were college graduates; 15 percent had done postgraduate work. Only 18 percent had high school education or less. These statistics reflect a growing emphasis in the MVS program which calls for mature persons with specific skills. Another significant trend has been to call for persons who are willing to serve at least two years. A number of MVS units now require two-year terms from those who join the unit. Over half of last year's volunteers committed themselves to two-year terms. MVS personnel come from a wide variety of backgrounds with 64 percent being of Mennonite background and the remaining 36 percent being from other denominations or unaffiliated. Most volunteers learn about MVS through direct recruitment on college and university campuses, through local congre- gations, and through church publications. Perhaps the major recruitment factor is satisfied VS workers — the witness and enthusiasm of MVS alumni who share their experiences with friends. 390 JUNE 14, 197 GC family life needs ?. Bruce Woods Carriage-divorce, rearing children, and oneliness were reported as the top family life leeds in a recent survey of General Confer- nce Mennonites. The respondents to this rommission on Education-sponsored sur- ey included four target groups: ( 1 ) pastors >f GC churches, (2) lay persons fifteen years )f age or older systematically selected from he mailing list of The Mennonite and from elected congregations, (3) college-age vlennonites systematically selected from the brum mailing list and from General Confer- nce college campuses, and (4) single Men- lonites who attended the 1975 and 1976 ingles' conferences sponsored by COE. A return of 674 questionnaries out of ,182 mailed out, a 57 percent response by he February 1 deadline, is a very good eturn by the standards of social research, rabies one and two give a profile of the >eople tested. Table three presents an >verview of the issues selected by the total ample group. The questionnaires listed these thirteen issues and asked the respondents to indicate whether these are problems in their congre- gations and communities. A space was provided to list other issues not listed. This space was seldom used. Statistically, thechi- square test was applied to test the hypothesis that the four groups would not differ in their responses. The results indicate significant differences among the groups. Mennonites still have a low divorce rate, but concern about the quality of marriage is high. Child rearing, loneliness, aging, alcoholism-drugs, single parenting, and remarriage after divorce, all are issues for at least one of every three persons tested. On all issues except two, the pastors far "outsee and outfeel" the other groups. The needs "loneliness" and "single parenting" were named most often by the singles' group. In a follow-up questionnaire to pastors about programs for people who are never married, widowed, or divorced, pastors indicated few such programs and offered their "apologies." Some resources for dealing with singleness are Dorothy Payne's Women Without Men, Hoover and Edwards' The Challenge of Being Single, and Helen Hosier's The Other Side of Divorce. Next week's article will consider the differences in response due to age, educa- tion, sex, and community. We will also look at who is the counselor when people seek help. ^ ON THE ^ 2 1. Pastors 2. Laity 3. Singles 4. College age TOTAL TABLE ONE 332 mailed 587 mailed 63 mailed 200 mailed 1,182 mailed 200 returned 305 returned 47 returned 122 returned 674 returned TABLE TWO Average Some Bachelor's Post-bachelor's age Male Female college degree degree 1. Pastors 43 94 6 15% 24% 54% 2. Laity 43 51 49 23% 22% 22% 3. Singles 47 9 91 19% 28% 23% 4. College age 20 43 57 84% 6% 3% TABLE THREE Identification of specific family life needs of persons in respondents' communities and churches (N = 674) Issue Number Percent Marital harmony-divorce 411 61.7 Rearing children properly 372 55.9 Loneliness 355 53.3 Aging family members 282 42.3 Health problems 263 39.5 Alcoholism-drugs 232 34.8 Single parenting 232 34.8 Remarriage after divorce 229 34.4 Vocational problems 179 26.9 Midlife crisis 163 24.5 Sexual life 149 22.4 Infidelity 94 14.1 Birth control 74 11.1 THE MENNONITE 391 News Youth sessions set for General Conference Youth are planning some separate sessions at the triennial convention of the General Conference July 28 to August 3 in Bluffton, Ohio. Although workshops and evening sessions will be together with the adults, youth who have completed grade nine or higher will have separate morning sessions from 9:00 to 11:30 at First Mennonite Church in Bluff- ton. Topics will center around decisions of youth. Friday morning's speakers will be Bob and Phyllis Carlson of Newton, Kansas, where Bob is chaplain at Prairie View Mental Health Center. Their topic is "Why Is Everybody Blushing? Ethics and Sexuality." Other speakers on Saturday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday will include: — Liz and Perry Yoder of North Newton, Kansas, on spiritual development. The Yoders are completing two years as traveling People's Teachers of the Word under Mennonite Voluntary Service. — Frank Epp, president of Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ontario, on "Is the Church a Family? Ethics and the Church." — Bruce Woods, family life education director for the General Conference's Com- mission on Education, Newton, Kansas, on "Is the Family out of Focus?" The topic will include conflict resolution, divorce, abor- tion, and communication in the family. — Peter Ediger, Charles Neufeld, and Dale Suderman, all on the staff of Menno- nite Voluntary Service, on the topic "Am I a Person in a World of People?" (being a loner, peer group pressure, conformity, singleness). Other special activities for youth at the General Conference sessions will include recreation most afternoons (including new games like Hagoo and Caterpillar), Out- Spokin' bike tours on Tuesday and Wednes- day afternoons, a late-night coffeehouse, a late-night film festival, and a youth choir. Those who want to sing in the youth choir, which will perform for the closing celebra- tion of the conference, may sign up at registration. Director will be Diane Schrock, music instructor at Bethany Christian High School, Goshen, Indiana. The youth planning committee is also responsible for a "Youth Night" presenta- tion for the whole conference on Saturday night. Youth may be lodged for $ 1 .00 per night in a local gymnasium. Food is available for a the Bluffton Colleg. sessions will b variety of prices on campus, where the main held. Three hundred to 500 youth are expectec for the conference Registration for youth is $15.50, whicl includes a conference T-shirt. Registration and a $5.00 deposit may be sent to Youtli Office, General Conference Mennonitij Church, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 and a conference T-shirt will be mailei before the conference. Adults are welcome to participate in tb late-night activities and in the recreatioi planned by the youth. Afternoon workshop are planned for both youth and adults mostly around the theme of the conference "Family in Focus." 1 family in focus, bluffton 77 New GC-MB agreement proposed for CBI A new working agreement regarding Colum- bia Bible Institute was adopted May 13 in a special session of the Conference of Menno- nites in British Columbia. Delegates voted overwhelmingly to sup- port a proposal for a new working agreement with the British Columbia Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches regarding the school in Clearbrook. At the February annual sessions, the Conferences of Mennonites in British Columbia had agreed to draft a resolution regarding the joint CBI venture. Conference members of the CBI board, the conference executive committee, and a study commis- sion presented the resolution to the special session. After prolonged discussion, it passed 236 to 1 7. The resolution calls basically for continu- ing the existing agreement. Although dele- gates expressed some concern over the proportion of GC to MB members on the board, they agreed to a four-to-eight ar- rangement. The resolution also seeks to strengthen the board's autonomy in administering the school. Board members are to elect their own chairperson, and president and vice- president are to be from different conferen- ces. Delegates expressed their confidence in the faculty and their agreement with CBI's theological position. While the resolution states only that faculty should agree with the CBI statement of faith, there was some concern over the small number of General Conference members on the staff — two in the coming year. After considerable discussion ranging from a need for equity and property to a call not to make property an issue, the delegates accepted the resolution as drafted: "The Conference of Mennonites in British Colum- bia declares its willingness to be involved in future CBI development, either on an independent basis or on a shared basis, with the Mennonite Brethren conference, to a maximum of $600,000. As an alternative, or in addition, to the acquisition of property we are open to a negotiated rental agree ment." The GC conference also declared it willingness to continue its share of thi operating subsidy on a per-student basis fo all General Conference students and for one third of non-Mennonite students. Delegates also recommended that al questions about the interconference rela tionship at CBI be dealt with by the tw< conference executive committees in consul tation with the CBI board. This proposal will now be submitted to th annual sessions of the Mennonite Brethrei conference this summer for its considera tion. While delegates expressed some pointe< concerns, there was a positive spirit V cooperate at CBI. The General Conference Mennonites an the Mennonite Brethren have been cooperat >: ing in Columbia Bible Institute for about fiv years. Ah in G. Ens \ y.i 392 JUNE 14, 197 The Mennonite Overseas Mission Edition encompass JUNE 14, 1977 Training rational ^Leaders Every ''Level n 1972 the Commission on Overseas Mission adopted "leadership training" as its num oer two priority for this decade. COM stated that its priority /goal is to "assist the Vlennonite churches related to COM to extend and improve national leadership train- ng, giving particular attention to lay leaders" (GPS Statement— June, 1972). flTie Purpose of Training Christian training, in its most basic .form, nurtures the disciples of the faith, pelping the person to grow in obedience. Intellectual awareness, and personal devo- ftion. Training is set within the mission of the people of God and seeks to prepare the individual to fill his role as a member. iThe Christian education task takes on ■new dimensions as children are born into Ithe Christian community. Training chil- j'dren from Christian homes so that they pill also become disciples is an important task. At another level the church must pro- vide training which equips teachers for the task of Christian nurture as well as the pastoral and preaching ministries. Every group must provide for its or- ganization and leadership. A local Chris- tian assembly needs identifiable direction. jjCentral to the life of the assembly is min- fcistry which stems from God's word and ^provides example and direction. This llministry is manifest in persons in whom the assembly discerns the Holy Spirit's Jfgifts of leadership. These persons need to idevelop skills in order to equip all of the ! disciples for the work of ministry. To carry out this purpose, COM has es- tablished the following educational pro- grams in its worldwide ministry: Overseas Churchmen Abroad Study- Service Program This program was in- augurated in 1972. To date we have had fifteen persons who have spent one year at AMBS in Elkhart. One Colombia pas- tor studied in Costa Rica and one Indian lay person in Japan. TEE (Theological Education by Ex- tension) in Lower South America Since the closing of the Montevideo seminary in 1973, Henry W. Dueck has been actively engaged in seminars, workshops, confer- ences, and retreats in a modified TEE program for Mennonite congregations in Uruguay and Paraguay. Advanced Training in Taiwan In Sep- tember, the Fellowship of Mennonite Churches in Taiwan decided to place one of their pastors in a Ph.D. program. This Taiwanese will eventually become an Anabaptist professor at the Taipei/Tainan seminaries in Taiwan. Most of our Men- nonite church leaders (both men and Shirley Hildebrand uses recordings to teach English Songs to her students at Taiwan Theological Seminary where she is instructor of church music. THE MENNONITE E-1 0s to m Young people's group which meets Saturday evenings in the home of Henry and Helen Dueck, Montevideo, Uruguay. Henry is coordinator of theological education, offering evening classes, seminars, and weekend retreats in Montevideo. Helen teaches Christian education of children in the seminary program. women) are trained in these two semin- aries. Visiting Professor Program COM has participated in sending two visiting pro- fessors (Drs. Henry Poettcker and Burton Yost) to Taiwan who taught church his- tory and Biblical studies. At present, an invitation is pending to send a Mennonite professor of Christian Education to the China Evangelical Seminary in Taiwan. COM, through the channel of Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission, will cooperate with the newly developed South African Theological College for Independent Churches. Scholarship assistance will be provided for several persons from Bots- wana. Anabaptist Study Center in Tokyo COM, the Elkhart Board, and the Men- nonites in Japan, will participate in es- tablishing an Anabaptist Study Center in Tokyo. The Center will enable church leadership to have access to Anabaptist books coupled with special seminar-type classes and courses. Bible Institute in Mexico Beginning in 1977, Mexico will initiate a three-year Bible school program to serve the German- speaking youth and adults. The program will be on two levels— advanced training for the more educated leadership and a basic level for the church laity. Theological Study Center in Asuncion The year 1977 should mark the opening of a new Theological Study Center in Asuncion, Paraguay. COM will cooperate with this new school for leadership train- ing with personnel and/or funds. Graduate School in Hong Kong The §iiidi China Graduate School of Theology in Hong Kong is in its second year. While 80% of the operating expenses for the school come from Chinese sources, COM has made contributions for their library development. COM is interested in giving assistance when appropriate. TEE Director in Taiwan Hugh Sprunger, COM missionary, has served for a number of years as Director of the TEE program for Taiwan. This program is based at the China Evangelical Semin- ary in Taipei. Union Biblical Seminary in India COM has long been directly related to UBS in Yavatmal with funds and person- nel. The relocation of the seminary to Pune is a new development for which COM has committed $100,000. Lubin and Tillie Jantzen have recently been as- signed to UBS. Personnel at Bible Institute in Colom- bia COM, through a new missionary couple, has entered into cooperation of j the Christian and Missionary Alliance Bible Institute in Armenia, Colombia. It is hoped that placing a Mennonite pro- fessor in the school will help attract po- tential church leaders for training. Women students at Theological Institute of Kinshasa, Zaire, an interdenominational seminary where Peter and Gladys Buller teach. It! While it is difficult to determine how nuch money is spent annually, directly lnd/or indirectly in formal/informal leadership training programs by COM, in estimate would be approximately one- fliird of the 1976 budget of $2,000,000. tudents in the library of Union Biblical eminary, Yavatmal, India. Testimonies Stimulate Seminar Participants Jishop Sunder Clarke and Rev. P. T. >iandapilla of Madras were the main peakers at a Christian workers' seminar leld at Union Biblical Seminary, Yavat- nal, India, in early February. Thirty-one vorkers from many parts of India, some rom as far as two thousand miles, as well is seminary students and faculty, partici- )ated in the ten-day event which concen- rated on the theme, "Mobilizing the hurch for Action." Lubin W. Jantzen, business manager of he seminary, reports as follows the testi- nonies of two visiting pastors which stim- ulated and encouraged the listeners: Hugh Sprunger with James Taylor, great-grandson of J. Hudson Taylor, founder of the China Inland Mission in 1865. Sprunger directs the Theological Education by Extension program of China Evangelical Seminary, which serves a number of churches and missions. "The first was born and raised as an orthodox Hindu Brahmin in a wealthy and influential family at the southern tip of India. He was particularly trained to defend his religious rituals and beliefs from the attack of any other religion. One evening he entered a Christian meet- ing for the specific purpose of arguing with the minister and disrupting the ser- vice. Instead of hearing tirades against Hinduism, as he had expected, he heard the message of One who can forgive sins and grant peace of heart to those who come to Him. His interest became so in- tense that before the meeting ended, he chose to leave his old religion and turn to Jesus Christ. Shocked and perturbed, his family opposed and persecuted him. Still he went ahead in due time to be baptized. His family attempted to persuade him to marry a Hindu girl, but he refused. After some time he informed his parents that he would like to marry a certain Christian lady. After tensions and persuasion, the wedding was finally arranged. The num- ber and calibre of Christian guests who came to the wedding utterly amazed the family. Though none of his family have joined him in his new faith, he now serves in an old congregation in Bombay, in which God has used him to rebuild and enliven that which was broken down. "The second guest grew up in a Chris- tian doctor's home in Orissa. After a good education, he began working in the admin- istrative branch of the State Government. His talent and sound work were rewarded with numerous promotions. At one point, he was called to a high position in a new steel factory which was being built. All the time he felt God was calling him to some other work, which finally brought him to a crisis similar to Jacob's at Bethel. God gained the victory. He resigned his lucrative position. But then what? For a time, nothing seemed to open up for him. Then he became the Secretary for the Bible Society in Orissa and served there a number of years. More recently God has used him to bring revival and new growth into various areas where he served as an evangelist. At the time of his visit here, he was at another critical choice for his life, awaiting God's leading. He feels a burden and sees a vision for new things in God's great harvest." THE MENNONITE E-3 Yavatmal Seminary Focuses on New Mission Era by Lubin W. Jantzen, treasurer and business manager Union Biblical Seminary Some churches in the West report that they are nearing the close of a mission era, especially in India. Not so at Union Bibli- cal Seminary in Yavatmal, near the heart of India. The first missionary conference ever, held here January 18-23, symbolizes the opening of a new mission era. The moto, "Jesus Christ is Lord," elaborately displayed in English on the seminary building and in Greek on the chapel stage curtain, challenged speakers and listeners. The planning and managing of the conference was the responsibility of a student committee. They called speakers, arranged prayer groups, prepared and distributed decision cards, and ar- ranged hospitality for guest speakers. Speakers included a British missionary who has worked among tribal groups and has recently surveyed numerous tribes in India who have never had a Christian wit- ness. His pictures opened many eyes to the need for the gospel and students who knew only their local environs suddenly saw a whole new world. A seminary alumnus from southern India reported on opening an evangelism work in Kashmir, India's northernmost state. Working among a 95% Muslim pop- ulation, he and his wife had to face much opposition and persecution. But they kept on and the Lord gave them fruit in new believers. By now there are twenty other missionaries working with them. This report gave students a new vision of how God could use them. An African from Ghana told of follow- ing God's call to him. Trained as a chem- ical engineer in London, Ghana's first, he worked in a lucrative position for Mobil Oil. He resigned from this to become active among Ghana's university youth. Later he became pastor in Nairobi, Kenya, where he drew many Kenyan students into his congregation. From there he was called to become executive secretary of the Continuation Committee of the Lausanne Congress on Evangelism, which he helped organize. In the past two decades new mission boards have been formed by India's nation- al Christian leaders. The India Evangelical Mission, Bangalore, has more than twenty- five missionaries in different parts of India. The Kashmir Evangelical Fellow- ship has nearly as many concentrated in Kashmir. The Friends Missionary Prayer Band, Madras, has a vision of sending 440 missionaries to northern India. These reports stir us who are here to intercessory prayer for the Church in India, for this and other seminaries, and for the missionary outreach. It also challenges the Church of the West to re- new its vision and concern for India's 650 million people, and to explore new ways to help them— together with our Asian and African coworkers— in a new mission era. Correction Fourth Decade the Best, December 14, 1976, page 6: The following corrections should be ob- served: Paragraph 1: Anna Liechty wrote (not translated) Bible stories, devotionals, and lessons in the Tshiluba language. Paragraph 2: In 1966-67 she taught unde llunga ex-Robert, who studied at Freema and Bluffton Colleges from 1961 to 1965 (not Mukanza llunga, who attended Men nonite Biblical Seminary). Bogota's Elderly Enjoy Retreat The Mennonite Church in Colombia opened a home for old people in Bogota in 1976 Its purpose is to provide for those elderly who have almost no resources. When possib they pay about fifteen dollars a month to live there. When they cannot pay, they are subsidized by the church and the mission. The home is under the capable administra- tion of Oliva de Bastides, a woman of deep compassion and spiritual insight. Rev. Antonio Arevalo, pastor of Central Mennonite Church of Bogota, Glendon Klaassen, and Gerald Stucky serve as chaplains. Since the residents of the home spend most of their time walled up in an apartment house in Bogota, they long for the wide open spaces of the country. During March of this year, for a period of three days, the old, the blind, the deaf, and the halt were taken to the retreat grounds in Cachipay to enjoy the beauty of nature. They rejoiced in the grace of God, who made it possible for them to receive this blessing. Gerald Stucky r, E-4 June 14, 197 Hospital Ward Becomes Baptistry iiy Sue Martens, Director of Nursing Services Mennonite Christian Hospital, Hwalien, Taiwan Mrs. Hsu's baptism • In spite of her terminal illness, Mrs. Hsu ■was opposed to anything that dealt with ■the Christian gospel, but we still made • friendly bedside visits. After she was dis- Hcharged, the occupational therapist and HBible woman, Mrs. Pan, and I decided to ■visit Mrs. Hsu. Upon seeing us, she cried ■out, "Lord, save me!" Within a short time she had to be re- ■admitted to the hospital. One day she ■ called for me and said, "I've just told my Ibed neighbors that I'm now a Christian. 1 1 want you to go see a friend of mine who i I is just like I was (not a Christian). Go tell ■per about Jesus." I told her I would. Mrs. Hsu's commitment was firm. She wished to be baptized in a church 'building, but her weak state did not allow .i that. And so her ward became the chapel fas a small group of staff and her physician ^gathered around her for this sacred event. Again she went home and we visited her there. Repeatedly she expressed the \ need for Christian fellowship. On several occasions a small group went to worship iwith her. It was not long until she went to the Place where worship and praise never cease. After having been away on a business trip and returning to the hospital about 4:30 p.m., it seemed that the best way to spend the rest of the day was to become acquaint- ed with the patients. One glance at Mr. Sun Sheng-fan, an emaciated twenty-four- year old man, told me he was very ill. Si- lently the supervisor and I stood at his bedside. To ask, "How are you?" hardly seemed appropriate. So I ventured, "Where is your greatest discomfort?" He motioned to his distended abdomen and said in a slow, weak voice, "It hurts all over here." After inquiring about his treatment, I edged out with, "I feel helpless standing here, Mr. Sun, but I wish so much that you could find comfort in God's love." Immediately he told me about Dr. Tien's explaining to him the night before who Jesus was. We asked if we might pray with him. Then I left, only to be called back after a few minutes. He said, "When I was a boy, before I went to school, an old minister in our village told us children stories about Jesus. But when school and other activities en- tered my life, I stopped all Christian ac- tivities. Now I want to come back, but will Jesus accept me?" I quoted Jesus: "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." Mr. Sun said he wanted to come. "I have faith in Christ. Is that alright?" After I had affirmed him, he dismissed me. About a week later he was baptized on confession of his faith in a simple cere- mony at his bedside. Again it was my privilege to be present. Daily he became weaker in body and stronger in faith. He told his family about his new life in Christ and said he wished they would accept it also. His family con- Mr. Sung being baptized in hospital bed. sented to his wish for a Christian funeral. That day soon followed. The fifteen min ute service was one of praise: "His body we see here, but his soul is experiencing eternal joy." Pastor Takeji Nomura Pastor Nomura Comes to "Hill of Blessing" Mr. Takeji Nomura, a Japanese pastor for- merly serving the Aburatsu Mennonite Church in Nichinan, is now helping George and Martha Janzen with their work in Fukuoka. The Mennonite church in Fukuoka was begun in late summer 1976 with six adults meeting in the Janzen home. Now, both George and Martha lead at least seven small groups that meet weekly. Janzens are working on plans for a combination of home and meeting place facilities. Fukuoka, meaning "hill of blessing," is the largest city on the island of Kyushu, where the General Conference Mennonite Church concentrates its mission effort in Japan. THE MENNONITE E-5 Rice and the Mennonite Presence On the slope of Mt. Maquiling, a verdant and defunct volcano in southern Luzon, the Philippines, is an American-style hous- ing area. Here live, in order of ascent, the V. Arnold Dycks of pluma moos tradition, the Harold Kauffmans, where it's shoofly pie, and the Elvis Heinrichs, who are prob- ably frying graeven (cracklings) and pota- toes. These families, writes Betty Mae Dyck, make up the "Mennonite presence" at the rice institute, located forty-five miles southeast of Manila. The institute was founded in 1960 as a cooperative venture of the Ford and Rockefeller Foundations, but is today being funded by a variety of government and private agencies around the world. A team of forty-five scientists from nine countries with a support staff of about 1,000 Filipinos work together to grow more and better rice to feed more and more people. The institute has virtual global responsibility for rice research. Entomologists Heinrichs and Dyck are working to control and manage the many insect pests which attack the rice plant. Kauffman, a pathologist, has recently ini- tiated the International Rice Testing Pro- gram in an attempt to spread rice tech- nology faster and produce more varieties of the grain. (He has also helped arrange for training of MCC agricultural personnel in Asian countries.) All three spend twenty percent of their time giving con- sulting services to various rice growing countries in the world. They deal with scientists and politicians, trying to help increase rice production. The following interview provides in- sight into the work, motivation, and life style of the Arnold Dycks, COM mission partners. "Partners in Mission" gives Mennonite Christians working with gov- ernment or international agencies abroad a continuing link with the mission board. The Dycks, who are self-supporting lay professionals, have been in the Philippines since 1970. What motivated you to take an overseas assignment in agricultural research? Arn: In university (McGill, Montreal) I Sunday night Bible study group in the Dyck home. Arnold Dyck (left) and Elvis Heinrichs study light trap experiment surrounded by rice paddies. Youth Farm, often brought missionaries to the Scarpe Sunday School which he and my mother taught for years. At I VCF Student Missionary Conventions we were challenged to use our academic cre- dentials to go where professional mission- aries usually can't go. How do you feel you are making a con- tribution to feeding the world's hungry people? In finding applications of basic scien- tific research to control pests easily, ef- fectively, and economically without de- stroying the environment. I have been primarily responsible for designing the Philippine insect pest control program, and have seen more rice produced as a result. How does being a Mennonite Christian affect your work and relationships? Work! My work is part of my worship of God, so I must be diligent, faithful, creative, disciplined and productive for His glory. I have a responsibility to give people job satisfaction, to get the best out of them, to remember their personal needs of affirmation and help, and to learn from others. I need to pray for them and seek to introduce them to Christ. Christians need to be encouraged was challenged to a ministry among stu- dents and professionals since I had myself been greatly helped by Christian student organizations. Visiting missionaries to my church, and my pastor father helped me see opportunities abroad. The Inter- Varsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) Urbana Missionary Conventions helped me visualize the opportunities of "non- professional" missionary work. Betty Mae: I wanted to be a missionary even before I became a Christian. Mr. Henry Friesen, Rosthern Mennonite E-6 June 14, 1977 \ll in a Day's ^Wages'' ; felt ill on this particular evening as I had P week. But I had made an appointment jo see three fellows in the village, mem- pers of the catechism class. There are jwenty-two in the class, I would have ihree sessions, and I wasn't up to it. But ince there are no telephones I could not [all it off, and I had not quite learned mow to "just not show up." So I went. I packed my notes and prayed to God |o prepare the evening for us. At the leart of our sessions is the discussion of [he question, "Are you a Christian?" I iiad given the assignment several weeks lind discipled. fflVow do you interact with the local ikhurch? We both teach Sunday School classes ind lead the "movement" for small Bible /!|;tudy groups. On several occasions I 'breach and speak to students on such sub- jects as scientific-Biblical relatedness, Inarriage, discipleship, and the Christian •professional. Local believers minister to us through i heir acceptance of us, their enthusiastic blind serious devotion to Bible study and 1,'vangelism, and their personal response to ri!3od in the details of their lives. \t\lhat benefits do you experience living abroad? >petty Mae: In our international Sunday Blight group of professors and students, me have learned the meaning of Jesus Inaving broken down the barriers between lbs. The tremendous appreciation the [Holy Spirit has given us for one another is I [a very precious benefit to me. Seeing the & deep spiritual needs in this country with [|;o few to minister to them has affected | pie deeply. [km: It has broadened my view of God's tjvorld. He has many people to love and \bare for besides me! It has widened my licceptance of people and increased my l ove for others. It has forced me to preater dependence on God because there ire fewer Christians here than at home. l^t present on a year's leave, the Dycks are I iving in Berkeley, California, where Arnold is jpoing further research and study. ago: the students were to prove to me on paper that they are or are not Christians. The first session was with Peter*, age twenty. He had written out his answer, making his point that he was a Christian but had problems— he was not obedient to his parents and was greatly troubled about his cigaret smoking. He had stated clearly that he believed God could help free him from the habit. I commented, "Why don't you ask Him to free you?" "I guess I'm not sure how seriously I want to be freed," was his reply as he remembered a previously broken vow. After we had discussed these and other things in life, he volunteered, when I asked if he had anything further to say or ask, "I want to quit smoking tonight." My heart rejoiced and after we had prayed he got his cigarets, laid them on the table before his parents and said he was quitting as of now. His parents were greatly pleased, although not too expres- sive (in keeping with their tradition). His brother John*, age seventeen, sit- ting by the table, saw this transaction at close range and sort of let his eyes pop. He was next in line to see me. I read his paper to him. He had answered the ques- tion negatively, giving his reasons for not being a Christian. I asked, "How do you expect to be baptized when you are not a Christian?" He replied, "I am one now. Writing that paper did something for me. I real- ized what I had written and who I was and that I wasn't happy. I accepted Christ as my Savior and want to be bap- tized." I referred to the catalog of sins he had mentioned. "I want to quit smoking to- night also," were his first words. My in- terest developed rapidly as I sensed afresh that the Holy Spirit was working in this house. This was decision night. My own faltering health went unnoticed. After prayer and further discussion, he got his pack and a half and placed them in the family cupboard. The next boy in line was sixteen-year- old Menno*. He had not prepared a written defense, but said simply, "I am New Pastor in Girardot In January, 1977, Jose Cante, a member of the Mennonite Church in Bogota, Colombia, was installed as pastor of a new congregation in Girardot. This city, approximately fifty miles southwest of Bogota, is the scene of one of the Menno- nite mission's urban efforts in church planting. It is in the tropical zone and the temperature makes one long for air condi- tioning. In one of the suburbs of govern- ment low-income housing, where people have very few economic resources and many homes know little of family stabili- ty, visitation was begun about four years ago. Little by little neighbors learned to know something of the meaning of the gospel and a worshiping fellowship was begun. In Cante the combination of a winsome personality and spiritual fervor make him an effective worker in this sit- uation. not a Christian but I want to be one." The angels in heaven rejoiced as he con- fessed his sin and welcomed Christ as his Savior. When asked if he needed to let go of anything he, too, mentioned the tobacco habit. He got his pack and placed it in the cupboard. What a night! I had not felt like keeping my appoint- ment, but what if I had not kept it? All this in a day's "wages," as a home had been freshly aired and new life had come into the family. Aaron J Epp, Cuauhte- moc, Mexico *l\lot actual names THE MENNONITE E-7 Printed in U.S.A. T IflC F(pw It Teels \p Be a ]\ew Missionary If I could take you inside me (where I'm at) and let you look out of my eyes at the part of the world that I see every day, you would better understand how a new missionary feels after several months in Colombia. At times it is not too different from how I felt when I started first grade, or when our family moved and we had to change schools, or when I played that first basketball game, or when I started to college, or when I saw my wife-to-be walk up the aisle at the church, or when our first baby was born, or when I preached my first sermon as pastor of a church. I guess it's not too different from any of these new beginnings. And yet it is different because there are additional variables, such as a new cul- ture and value system, a new language to be mastered (after thirty-four years of speaking only English), and the absence of a strong support group, such as family or church that made frequent and regular contact with us. And so I sometimes feel terribly lonely (surely nobody understands) ... or dis- couraged (maybe I can't do it) . . . or frustrated (how can I start when I don't understand the culture or language yet?) ... or angry (I wonder if COM or the Mesa Directiva really know what they're asking me to do, and on this budget) . . . or sad (the boys and my wife feel just like I do and I don't know what to say to them). But at other times I feel on top of it- settled (the house is finally in shape and routines are fairly well set), happy (to be alive and healthy), supported (by prayers, letters, and gifts from people back in the United States), encouraged (the people in the local Presbyterian church said they understood my second sermon in Spanish without too much difficulty . . . yes, I know that perhaps it was flattery, but who cares? . . . we'll not talk about the first sermon), excited about opportunities (I may start more than I'll be able to follow through if I'm not selective), grate- ful (some Colombian Mennonite students will be studying at the Bible institute in Armenia and so be available to help in the church planting assignment), and expec- tant (family and friends are planning to visit us in the near future). Well, that's how it feels— in part. But then I notice several beggar children who daily knock on our door and I consider their future. Or I meet a young mother with a small child who lives alone because her husband left her to live with another girl. The mother is without any kind of support and not even legally separated. I think of the old man who sleeps under the stars every night just two blocks away. Then there are hundreds of prostitutes, young and old, who linger under their red lights. A certain rich family thinks that the answer to life is found in wealth, power, and influence and many struggling Larry, Thad, Jane, and Greg ICC Lac i"i ,\ J 115 1 ire fa is pi middle class families in our neighborhood feel they are within reach of a better life. Hundreds of families light their candles December 8 in honor of the virgin Mary. The rural poor come to market Sunday morning to buy and sell. When I contem- plate all these situations, I begin to feel rather small for having thought so much about how I feel . . . really I know that I have it better in every way than almost everyone I know. Yet Christ knows what I'm made of (and isn't very surprised) and still loves me and wants to reach out to many of the people described above, if and when I can forget about myself and let Him love them through my life and words, as the Spirit enables. Thank you, Lord, for this opportunity; to begin again, to grow, and to follow You. Your new missionary, Larry Wilson} ho Armenia, Colombia Ml .>s till best Btd :„ ihdn *; ;iiv E-8 June 14, 197 Conversing recently in Vientiane, Laos, are, from left, United Nations High Commission on Refugees representative Martin Barber; Murray Hiebert, MCC representative in Laos; MCC delegation members Max Edigerand Don Sensenig; and Linda Hiebert, MCC representative in Laos. VICC representatives 0 leave Laos jjovernment officials in Vientiane, have sked Linda and Murray Hiebert, Menno- jiite Central Committee regional representa- tives, to leave the country by June 10. In a /lay 1 1 meeting with the deputy director of he Office for International Organizations, he Hieberts learned that their visas, whose enewal had been delayed for some time, vould be extended only until that date in irder for them to complete current projects nd prepare to leave. 1 According to the Hieberts, the deputy lirector told them that because of changes in he country the government finds it difficult jo maintain their stay. "There simply isn't a 'lace in the socialist system for private irganizations," they added. Hieberts hoped to complete a vegetable eed project now in process. They planned to pend several weeks before returning to North America in Bangkok, Thailand, to jnake sure that supplies are purchased and lent to their proper destination in Laos. ! Hieberts reported that government offi- I ials expressed appreciation for MCC's ssistance and awareness of its efforts to liromote normalization of relations between he United States and Laos. They would ! welcome occasional visits from representa- I ives and continued cooperation on projects, j he Hieberts said. I No further expenditures from the Laos jiudget will take place until a reassessment of he situation can take place, according to ACC Asia secretary Vern Preheim. Laos, a small Indochinese country with an 'stimated population of over three million, tas long boundaries with Vietnam on the ast and Thailand on the west. Since May 975 the country has been under the virtual |ontrol of the socialist movement called the I'athet Lao. In December 1975 the country jv'as proclaimed the Lao People's Democrat- : Republic. During the years of American involve- nent in Indochina, the Ho Chi Minh trail vas bombed regularly in an effort to prevent J rms and soldiers from North Vietnam to aid he leftist forces in Laos and South Vietnam. [«n estimated 2.75 million tons of bombs rere dropped on Laos during the fighting. | Hieberts, who have been MCC's represen- tatives in Vientiane since they left Vietnam in (April 1975, reported a severe food shortage (fnd economic crisis in Laos following the fvithdrawal of the American aid mission (here. The church also went through a period |if crisis due to the sudden departure of missionaries and most national leaders in jVlay of that year. ■ A number of food-related projects were priority for MCC in Laos in 1976. An animal husbandry center received $40,000 worth of equipment and supplies for the production of vaccines for oxen and cattle. One thousand families returning to the Plain of Jars, one of the most heavily bombed areas during the war, received tool kits containing hoes, shovels, axes, diggers, and machetes to begin farming. Other aid in 1976 included vegetable seeds worth $8,000 and equipment to a handicraft center in a joint project with the American Friends Service Committee ( AFSC) and the Canadian University Service Overseas (CUSO). Material aid supplies such as beef, blankets, cloth, sewing kits, and soap were also sent to Laos. The Hieberts maintained contacts with the Christian church, which has continued to hold meetings every week. Before their request for renewed visas was denied, the Hieberts reported, the Lao Government also refused permission to the Canadian University Service Overseas to replace its representative in the country. Evangelical growth Evangelicals rejoice that their churches are experiencing phenomenal growth at a time when many mainline denominations are struggling just to maintain their present membership levels. Now, however, even that assumption has been challenged by sociologists Reginald Bibby and Merlin Brinkerhoff of Weston, Ontario. Their findings are based on research conducted in a midwestern Canadian city with a population of 500,000. The communi- ty is said to be one of the major centers of evangelicalism in the country. Its more than eighty evangelical churches claim a member- ship of 30,000, and there are several denominational Bible schools in the area. The authors took a sample of twenty evangelical congregations, including six Baptist churches, five Pentecostal, three Nazarene, two Missionary, two Salvation may be "circulation" Army, one Christian and Missionary Al- liance, and one Plymouth Brethren. They studied the membership additions of these churches during 1966-70 to determine how new members were recruited. During this time, the churches had a membership increase of 1,532. Of these, 1,104(72 percent) came through "reaffiliation" (transfers) and 284 (18 percent) through birth (children of members); only 132 (9 percent) were "con- verts" from outside the churches. The two sociologists concluded that conservative churches are adding new members primarily through a "circulation process" whereby evangelicals simply transfer from one evangelical church to another. Mr. Bibby and Mr. Brinkerhoff suggested that evangelicals are no more successful in reaching "outsiders" than the mainline churches. rHE MENNONITE 393 Brazil volunteer imprisoned without charge An MCC volunteer was arrested without charge May 1 5 in Recife, Brazil, and held for three days before his release. Thomas Capuano of Altamont, New York, the MCC volunteer, was arrested along with Lawrence Rosenbaugh, an American Catholic priest, and held until the American consulate, notified that they were missing, was able to arrange for their release. The two men were pushing a handcart toward a marketplace about noon, intending to pick up sacks of fruit and vegetables for distribution among the poor, when two police officers accosted them. The police asked to see their documents, which were in order, and bombarded them with questions. "We informed them that we were members of foreign mission organizations; I identified myself as a member of Mennonite Central Committee, a Protestant mission organiza- tion, and Lawrence identified himself as a Catholic priest," Mr. Capuano said. "For no apparent reason, then, we were told we would be taken in and our documents checked. We were handcuffed and told to enter the car while the men parked our cart and belongings near the side of the road." Mr. Capuano and Mr. Rosenbaugh were taken to a police station that deals especially with robbers and thieves. The man behind the front desk wrote down their names, addresses, and telephone numbers; took their wallets and glasses; and told them their case would be resolved the following day. "As we stood before the desk, a very heavyset man with a gun in a case entered the room with various other men," Mr. Capuano recalled. "He hit me on the side of the head lightly with his gun barrel and said, 'Communists, eh?' Then he pushed me violently into the desk, poking his gun into my stomach. "Next he pushed Lawrence in the same way though even more violently into the opposite wall and said, 'Subversives, are you? This is a case for the Department of Public and Social Order.' " The men were taken to the jail, where they were ordered to strip naked, then were placed in an eleven-foot-by-sixteen-foot cell which already contained twenty-four male prisoners, also nude. Sweat, excrement, and mold gave the air a nauseating smell. The two men were threa- tened, then beaten for about twenty minutes by one of the prisoners with no attempt at intervention by any of the guards. "We learned from the prisoners that many had been in jail for twenty to thirty days and did not know when they would be released," Mr. Capuano said. "Many did not know the charges against them. All were held incom- Capuano municado, ourselves included, as our every request to telephone the U.S. consulate was consistently ignored, deferred, or outwardly denied." Before nightfall Mr. Capuano and Mr. Rosenbaugh were led into the hallway to take a shower during which they could hear guards slapping and punching other shower- ing prisoners, then taken to a new cell. This cell, measuring eleven feet by twenty-six feet, contained thirty-four prisoners. "The beat- ings of smaller prisoners by larger prisoners continued in this cell also, though we were not hurt again," Mr. Capuano remembered. No supper was served, and the prisoners were forced to lie down on the floor for the night even though space was inadequate. "Sleep was impossible since the heat, the smell, and the sweat were unbearable. It was so crowded that the legs and arms of other persons were all over us, and many people could not even stretch out their legs as there was not room. The most unfortunate prisoners had to lie over a hole in one corner of the room which served as the toilet because of the overcrowded conditions." By the fourth day of their detainment, it was clear that all prisoners were being subjected to a series of calculatedly demoral- izing inhumanities, the two men reported. "The daily diet consisted of a handful of dampened manioc flour placed in our hands and a one-inch piece of salted meat at midday, and approximately one ounce of bread in the evening, although the first night there was not even bread," Mr. Capuano said. "Those prisoners who had been in jail for long periods of time were emaciated and weak, their rib cages and collar bones protruding." Drinking water was available at most twice a day on an irregular basis. "The thirst and parched mouth and throat were agoniz- ing throughout our time in jail," Mr. Capuano recalled. Throughout their time in prison the two men heard the screams of prisoners beaten by the guards. On their fourth day there they watched guards beat and shove two adoles- cent boys, then force them to hold out their Jit 13; hands while their hands were smashed over '< and over with a board. The toilet, a hole in one corner of the cell, was cleaned once a day at most, and one day it was not cleaned at all, even though someone had to lie over it at night. On the fourth day Mr. Capuano encoun- tered a police investigator who happened to be at the front desk when he passed on the way to the showers. He again requested permission to call the American consulate, but the officer responded angrily, "Don't you know this is Brazil, not the United States? You got that? Brazil, not the United States." When Mr. Capuano, who had understood that a call to the consulate was a right, asked again, the officer responded brusquely with a string of profanity Finally, about noon on the fourth day of] their imprisonment, the two Americans were called to the front desk and asked for thei||ltl names and the names of their organizations. Twenty minutes later they were released with; valuables returned intact except for their re. a money. No explanation for either their ay imprisonment or release was given. "We feel the actual examination of Tom's and Lawrence's documents and even takingl& them in for further questioning was well ;.ki within the powers of the police," commented MCC Brazil director Randall Schertz. "However, the 'guilty until proven innocentl h syndrome and their imprisonment were ..t completely uncalled for." "Tom Capuano is a committed volunfc teer," said MCC Latin America secretar) tiki Gerald Shank. "He is in no way a political » agitator nor did he break any Brazilian laws. He is a deeply committed, compassionatd '».' Christian and is seriously trying to live oui % his Christian faith among the poor Brazil." The governor of Pernambuco, the state i which Recife is located, was upset by tb imprisonment of the two men. Not only did a he fire the prison officials involved, but hti it co also made a decree requiring the reporting o :i; arrests involving foreigners to high-leve authorities. The MCC unit in Recife pointed out in statement, however, that the real problem „ lies within the prison system itself, since thd two men were not treated any differential :< from the other prisoners. "We suffered foj i \, three days, then it was over," Mr. Capuanc [innii pointed out. "What is needed is the regaininj and protecting of the inalienable humaij b rights of those poor, suffering guys whos< unfortunate lives we glimpsed and who ar( still in jail without a trial, subjected to prisoi) t, conditions that easily match those of th v colonial era." h Of 394 JUNE 14, 197 Mission administrators meet for Council of International Ministries sessions. From left are Wilbert Shenk, James Bertsche, Vern Preheim, and Peter Dyck. pverseas administrators lear call for mutuality (Vorld missions in the current era call for "a limate of mutual trust, respect, and genuine : Christian love" among both messengers and • ij earers, a former editor of Practical Anthro- ■ \ology told inter-Mennonite overseas ad- linistrators in May. ( Charles Taber. former missionary in Central and West Africa now teaching at J/lilligan College in Tennessee, addressed the : lemiannual meeting of the Council of : International Ministries at Hillsboro, Kan- ' as. He was invited to speak on "Structures ■a ; nd Strategies for Interdependence in World ! Mission: Facing the Issues." i | "Only when the young churches are given > >reathing room, when the inherently oppres- sive presence of the mission is removed or I elaxed, can they find their true role in the [| tiinistry of the total body," Mr. Taber said. Nationals need to be encouraged to take :|he lead in determining both goals and nethods of operation, he emphasized. "We : jeed to realize that by definition they, not e we, are the experts; our expertise relates to a jwery different world and is often a hin- li 'ranee rather than a help when exported." 3' Decision making must be focused in the i jilace and on the persons who will be most i [lirectly involved, Mr. Taber said. :s : In practice, this means that, just as North i kmerican Christians do not expect overseas i: Christians to take unilateral initiatives with aJegard to churches in the United States and iipanada, so North Americans should not J presume to initiate programs in other parts ■If the world without reference to the local a 'ontext. * 1 Financial giving in a successful partner- s'! hip, Mr. Taber said, must "be truly without ii trings." m He said the only way this can happen "is ■or us to repent and grow out of our j; materialism, that materialism which leads us it}! o grossly overestimate the importance of the financial component of the operation (what ti we contribute) and to underestimate the J alue of the human component (what J iationals contribute)." 1 At the Council of International Ministries nlneeting, new membership was approved for tlhree inter-Mennonite service and training Agencies: Mennonite Economic Develop- ililrient Associates (MEDA), Mennonite Med- i(l;al Association, and the Overseas Mission M raining Center. itl During business sessions, the council iii.eard a progress report on planning for the i ;nth Mennonite World Conference. i|| Urbane Peachey of the MCC Peace iJiection submitted a draft guideline state- it? I lent dealing with the activities of I itelligence-gathering agencies in relation to missionaries. A final draft is to be submitted to the fall CIM meeting. Robert Ramseyer of the Overseas Mission Training Center in Elkhart, Indiana, re- viewed a policy concerning international students studying in North America. More work needs to be done on this question, the council agreed. Two work groups met prior to the CIM sessions. The Latin America Work Group A history of North American mission and service work in the General Conference Mennonite Church will be written for the General Conference's Commission on Home Ministries. At its May meeting, the CHM executive committee appointed Lois Barrett of Wichi- ta and Dale Suderman of Newton, Kansas, to spend part-time from October 1977 to September 1979 researching and writing the history book. The paperback book is to trace the development of General Conference mis- sions and services in the United States and continued its discussion of leadership train- ing. The South Africa Task Force heard reports from Ed and Irene Weaver, who recently returned from two years among the independent churches of Botswana and Lesotho; Ray Brubacher and Wilmer Hei- sey, who reported on Rhodesia and the Transkei; and participants in the conference on the Church and Southern Africa last March. Canada over the past 100 years. It will pay particular attention to Indian ministries, city churches, voluntary service, and various community ministries. The book is expected to be ready for distribution by 1980. Mr. Suderman is currently an associate director of Mennonite Voluntary Service for the commission. Ms. Barrett is completing six years as associate editor of The Menno- nite and editor of General Conference News Service. An advisory committee will be appointed to consult with the writers. North American history projected by Home Ministries i'HE MENNONITE 395 Words ffi deeds Several bouquets of flowers decorated the front of the meeting place of the First Church, Calgary, Alberta, recently. The flowers were part of a project of a girls' Sunday school class. During a lesson on talents (Matthew 25:14-29), teacher Bob Heyde had given each of his six pupils a dollar to invest. At first, each one launched out individually, making a small gain. But when they shared their experiences, they decided to pool their resources into the more profitable of these ventures. The result was flower making, and even parents became involved as the orders grew. Another project was the raffle of a fruit basket. Five weeks later, the $6.00 investment had grown to almost $300. "At this point," said corres- pondent Irene Klassen, "the girls decided to invest in God's kingdom." The girls chose to give the money toward baby clothes at a hospital in Taiwan. The Alberta Conference rejuvenated its annual song festival this spring, hosted by the Coaldale Church. Last year the provin- cial song festival was not held. This year choirs from ten churches participated, and about one thousand people attended. Next year a song and arts festival will be hosted May 26-28 by the First Church in Calgary. Facilities for a Mennonite archives at Rosthern (Saskatchewan) Junior College are now ready, according to C. Blake Friesen, president of the Mennonite Histori- cal Society of Saskatchewan and Alberta. The society is inviting anyone who has historically significant letters, diaries, pic- tures, maps, or other materials to give these to the archives or on deposit. Materials of local and provincial interest may be sent to Bernie Thiessen, Rosthern Junior College, or Ted Regehr, Department of History, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. Materials of wider national interest are being collected by the archives at the Mennonite Brethren Bible College and Canadian Mennonite Bible College in Winnipeg. The Rosthern archives also has an interest in the records of Mennonite businesses and in the records of individual congregations. Project Equality has published a new Buyer's Guide listing 2,500 suppliers of goods and services who are committed to equal employ- ment opportunity. Project Equality is a U.S. interfaith program aimed at increasing employment opportunities for minorities and women. The General Conference Men- nonite Church is a member of Project Equality. Suppliers listed range from local office supply stores to forty-five of the major Sunflowers, soybeans, potatoes inspected IE: i III In Bangladesh, Noakhali deputy commissioner Giajuddin M. Chowdury, left, and MCi agriculture extensionist Siraj Uddowala inspect potatoes a farmer has just harvested nea Raja Rampur. "Bangladesh needs more educated people who are not afraid to get their hand 1 dirty," Chowdury said of Uddowala. Uddowala has been helping about ten farmers in t village of Raja Rampur to cultivate potatoes, sunflowers, and soybeans during the winte months when rice is not grown. Extensionists like Uddowala work with MCC volunteers the five-year project in the Noakhali District of Bangladesh. h ^ m ■ industrial companies on the Fortune 500 list. Companies listed file an annual one-page report on the status of their work force and indicate a willingness to have Project Equality staff members visit their facilities for on-site reviews. The Buyer's Guide is available from 4049 Pennsylvania, Kansas City, Missouri 641 1 1. Mennonites accept money from lottery A $250,000 grant from Wintario earnings is being accepted by Fairview Home in Cambridge, Ontario, to help finance con- struction and furnishing for a center for elderly persons. However, delegates to a special meeting in Kitchener April 30 decided that those persons who can't in good conscience accept lottery grants will be given opportunity to contribute to the project directly. An amount equal to what is raised by this means will be returned to Wintario coffers. Fairview Home has its own charter, but its delegate body is the same as that for the Mennonite Conference of Ontario (Menno- nite Church) minus ordained ministers. The home is involved in a $4 million expansion program. i* fa Media council disbands at Kansas City meeting The Mennonite Media Council, an informal organization of professional communicator and students, dissolved itself May 6 Kansas City, Missouri. The organization's general meeting wa preceded by sectional meetings for print drama, film, and radio-television. The council voted to elect the Inter Mennonite Media Group (primarily denom inational radio-television staff) as its ow and then to be absorbed by IMMG eventual ly. In the meantime, Waldo Neufeld Winnipeg assured the council that IMM(i would welcome the former members into hi • fold with care for the original purpose c | Mennonite Media Council. Among the reasons listed for disbandin the council was the existence of sue! organizations as the Inter-Mennonite Medi fcii Group and Meetinghouse, a joint plannin project for Mennonite denominational per odicals. Print communicators (including new services as well as periodicals) decided i their section meeting to meet again jus before the Mennonite World Conference July 1978 in Wichita. ts. I'll 396 JUNE 14, 19; \{ Etecord j mmmmKmmmmmmmmm Yorkers R. Toews has resigned as president of iblumbia Bible Institute, Clearbrook, Brit- i Columbia, after serving in that position r eight years. He was involved in the Merger of Bethel Bible Institute and Menno- | jjte Brethren Bible Institute in 1970. The : tint school. Associated Mennonite Bible institutes, was later renamed Columbia Bible Institute. ji Ralph Weber, and Walter E. Regier of | 'ewton, Kansas, and Hartzel Schmidt, ! orth Newton, have been reelected for i| ree-year terms to the board of directors of ; jjthel Deaconess Hospital, Newton. VudiovisiiaLs Aative North Americans: A Search for a \pst Inheritance is the title of a new thirty- f'Ur-minute color filmstrip with cassette ( pe soundtrack from Mennonite Central ommittee. The filmstrip takes an introduc- iry look at issues and problems facing jitive North Americans today. These elude self-government, treaties, reserva- ons, land rights, natural resources, welfare, ijcbholism, educational systems, and native i ligion. The filmstrip is produced by Ron ; iwatsky in cooperation with MCC (Cana- i) Native Concerns department and MCC i.S. Ministries. It is available in Canada and lorn the MCC provincial offices and in the Jnited States from MCC, 21 South 12th Street, Akron, Pennsylvania 17501; MCC ; jligional offices; and the church conference ja'fices' film libraries. ^Published i me Christian Witness to the State, by John it toward Yoder, has been reprinted in i lightly revised form by Faith and Life Press, ewton, Kansas. The ninety-page book. No. Jj in the Institute of Mennonite Studies ■pries, was first published in 1964. It dHJiisiders such topics as "The Ground for the Jritness to the State," "The Form of the i| jhurch's Witness," "The Criteria of Political idgment," "The Classic Options," and :i Misuse of the Church-World Dichotomy." | (he book is available for $1.95 (paperback) p'jirough Faith and Life Press, Box 347, if j ewton, Kansas 671 14, or local bookstores. Jr. Yoder, Elkhart, Indiana, is a theology professor at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, and at the University of Notre Dame. Ministers Truman H. Brunk, Jr., has accepted the pastorate of the Akron (Pennsylvania) Church effective September 1. Virgil Gerber has resigned as associate pastor of First Church, Bluffton, Ohio. He will be enrolled in graduate study in social work at the University of Southern Missis- sippi, Hattiesburg. Raymond Wallace has accepted the call to serve as pastor of the Mennonite- Presbyterian congregation in Donnellson, Iowa, beginning June 19. Letter Our churches and the elderly Dear Editor; Anne Neufeld Rupp wrote an informative, challenging, and true article, "The faceless generation" (May 10). We hear this time and time again via the various media; children neglect their parents and society as a whole disregards its senior citizens. It is always about the retired and the aged, as if they were small children who couldn't speak for themselves or a commodity that one talks about. What about the voice of the elderly themselves; couldn't we hear from them? I believe there would be many happy and joyous voices among the just com- plaints. Mrs. Rupp's writing is always good and to the point, including the articles in Builder. However, let us substitute the congregation for society and look at our churches. How do we regard "aged wisdom" in our congrega- tions? Do the middle-aged and retired members in our churches get the feeling of uselessness as far as the church is concerned? The church usually reflects the attitudes of the society. The trend is to push older people out of the active group of the church. I know of a large church where there is one person over the age of fifty on the church council, besides the minister. The youth have to be represented whether members or not. There seems to be an organization or interest group for every age, but for people in their fifties and sixties Calendar June 16-19 — Northern District Confer- ence annual sessions, Huron, South Dakota July 3-6 — Single adults' retreat for the single, widowed, separated, or divorced, Laurelville Mennonite Church Center, Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania July 23-27 — Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Toronto July 28-August 3 — General Conference triennial sessions, Bluffton, Ohio September 11-16 — Camp curriculum workshop. Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp, Divide, Colorado October 21-23 — Western District Confer- ence annual sessions, Buhler High School, Buhler, Kansas and up, there is nothing. I think our aeltere Geschwister feel left out and their vast experience and "aged wisdom" is disre- garded. Of course, society should change its attitude. But the church should be first in this venture of respecting and honoring our elderly. Helen Wiens, 9851 Herbert Road, Richmond, British Columbia May 20 Director-staff openings: Swan Lake Christian Camp, Viborg, South Dakota (Northern District Conference retreat grounds). Staff involvement includes responsibility for camp operation (maintenance, cooking, rentals, development) and the year-round retreating program. Contact: LeRoy Epp Retreat Committee Chairman Marion, South Dakota 57043 (605) 925-7635 Elim Bible Institute invites applications from persons interested in intensive biblical and practical Christian training within a small school setting. Information about programs, residence, and financial aids is available at: Elim Bible Institute Altona, Manitoba R0G 0B0. Sponsored by Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba HE MENNONITE 397 Discussion MCC needs to be careful The Canadian International Development Agency ( CIDA ) has offered to contract with MCC its agricultural aid to Bangladesh. This offer came because MCC work has im- pressed the government of Bangladesh to the point that they asked CI DA to model its aid there after the MCC pattern. This offer means money, possibly many millions of dollars. MCC would have a chance to demonstrate model development work on a large scale. In the following article, Allen Harder, a former MCC volunteer in Zaire and present- ly a student at the University of Manitoba, believes that before MCC accepts this offer, it must look carefully at the implications. The Genesis account of Joseph in Pharaoh's court ends on an optimistic note — Joseph finds favor with Pharaoh, he is put in charge of Pharaoh's storehouses, and the tragedy of famine is averted. And after much soul- searching, Joseph's father, Jacob, also moves his clan into the land of plenty. But CONFERENCE BOOKSTORES Your key to good reading Faith and Life Bookstore 159 West Main Street, Berne, Indiana 46711 Phone: (219) 589-2135 Faith and Life Bookstore Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Phone: (316) 283-2210 Fellowship Bookcenter 302 Kennedy, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2M6 Phone: (204) 943-1521 several generations later in Exodus, Moses cries to Pharaoh, "Let my people go." The benevolence of Pharaoh turned into slavery and dislocation. It took the tragedy of ten plagues and the loss of Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea to finally restore to Israel her freedom to be the people of God. The Old Testament is full of stories of the failure of unholy alliances. The New Testa- ment speaks of being unequally yoked. The question is not whether MCC can handle a relationship with CIDA or not — no doubt there is, as in Joseph's case, enough business and political prowess to keep MCC "pure." The question is whether it is compatible with our Christian concerns with wealth, power, brotherhood, and prophetic witness. A close association between MCC and CIDA can not leave primary MCC priorities and institutional structure unaffected. To take only one aspect, the infusion of money, millions of dollars, has broad ramifications. The Gospels have much to say about the relationship between wealth, power, and responsibility. In all of Jesus' encounters with wealth, he says things like "Sell all and follow me," or "It is harder for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven." Jesus does not associate wealth with success. A most erroneous common assumption is that more money provides more opportuni- ties to be successful. Sadly enough, the contrary is more often true. The temptation is to rely on the power of money in buying personnel, technology, and favor with Inter-Mennonite chaplain for the Univer- sity of Western Ontario, London, Cana- da Half-time position to begin fall or winter of 1977 Minimum qualifications: MA degree Could be combined with teaching responsi- bilities, doctoral studies, or other chaplaincy work. Send application and resume to: Nelson Scheifle Box 104 Ailsa Craig, Ontario NOM 1A0 Go people. Peter Batchelor, a rural development consultant in Africa, claims that develop- ment projects with smaller budgets tend to be more successful because they rely on dedication and ingenuity. Development is not based on business efficiency, even though it may be aided by it. Investing large amounts of money in a project may mean guarding the investment with more money and then perpetuating the project because of the vested interest in it. lb have seen numerous development projects as well as mission endeavors carried on largely for the sake of those people running them. It often happens that they are not responsible to the ones being served or to the constituen^ cy who is sending them. Allegiance, however, tends to follow theftst source of its authority and power. The more power MCC receives from CIDA, the more vested interest is at stake, and the greater the distance MCC and the church (both overseas and here) will become. Irresponsible power is unresponsive power. The question at this point is not whether MCC should change or not, but how and on[ what basis. Changing priorities and style on] development to accommodate CIDA, rathei * than changing in order to become closer to M, those whom MCC serves, goes contrary tc every notion of development. There is " already enough accommodation and com- ^ promise in world organizations such as ^ OXFAM, World Neighbors, and Rex '« Cross — to mention a few — without MCC losing its unique contribution. Changes Pi which would lead MCC in the direction o! ^ becoming responsible only to itself must be ¥ avoided, even at the "expense" of losing some opportunities. To become a liberator, MCC needs to kk move instead in the direction of allowing th< '« powerless, the slaves, and the hungry tc ^ become full partners instead of playinj si I games with the already too powerful. Then is much greater risk involved when those ii need of liberation are invited to change ufli than if the powerful are asked to set ou priorities. This greater risk demands faith it Christ and the church while the lesser risl seeks the assurance of guarantee. Moreover it is contradictory to try to be liberators o the one hand and oppressors on the othei Third world people can tell us that the tw are separated by a very fine line. Let us tak our cues for effective service first of all fror those whom we seek to serve. 398 JUNE 14, 197 Meditation :ruits of the Spirit jut the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, nd self-control. There is no law against such things as these (Galatians 5:22-23). But the fruit of the Spirit is love. God is love. See it shine in the face of a small child, ugging the mother and whispering, "I love you." I Joy is the falling spring rain after a long drought. Joy is serving Christ. Joy is the eyes of a few bride and groom, making their first home. tH Peace with yourself, your neighbors, peace with God. Peace is felt when your family nthers around a roaring, crackling fire, while the storm howls outside. I Patience with life and your children. Patience is Dad teaching his teenager to drive the car. • 'atience is untying a knot. Patience is waiting for prayers to be answered. '■■ I Kindness — Be ye kind one to another (Ephesians 4:32). It can be shown in so many ways, a iandshake, an arm around the shoulder, a smile, or the things unsaid that might cause pain. '■■ ij Goodness is seen in God's children, in spite of the evil in the existing world. Goodness is : ittle children's untainted lives. Goodness is neighbors and friends. ! Faithfulness of a great God. Faithfulness is your marriage partner and faith in the future, ij Humility — Humble yourselves before God (James 4:10). Let this be a loving part of your ■■ Jersonality. He [Christ] was humble and walked the path of obedience to death. I Self-control is seen in the self-controlled young athlete training for track, basketball, or ii jaseball. It can be seen in the young student studying for a big test, the older person listening, d i But the fruit of the Spirit produces. . . . « i) Against such there is no law, 1 In such you find no flaw. ■ God's perfect law of love and peace M Makes the Christian's joy and faith increase. Dorothy Baumgartner ^/lishpat ometimes when the Old Testament prophets and Jesus Christ spoke about the kingdom of iod, they used a Hebrew word pronounced mish-pat. As with many words of foreign origin, lere is no accurate English translation which preserves all the shades of the original leaning. 1, Its verb-root has meanings ranging from "to judge" to "to plead." This is to say that the lebrew word in question had not only the element of judgment, but also the element of grace, n our English translation, this word becomes simply "judgment," with the "pleading" (Mlement being lost. Still, it is interesting to note that in our judicial language, one may be «i|djudged either guilty or innocent. UI We should be deeply moved to praise and thanksgiving in that we know that God's l| udgment is not meant to ostracize us, but to draw us to him. The Apostle pointed out that we I low have a "great high priest" sitting at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 4: 14-16) to Ilead our cause. That great high priest is the Son of God himself — Jesus Christ — to whom is , liven the judgment of the worlds. The very one to whom the power of judgment is given is the ill ne on whom we can fall for mercy — who will plead our cause before the one great God, Most l|ligh. Are we then to fear the hell of which the Bible speaks? Surely — but more important, we ijpust learn to trust the mercy in the "judgment" of God. i(i Jack L. Mace 01 y ii t s) ti ii i Contents Suppose a city 386 The new widow 387 Voluntary service is 388 When I look at VS 388 Markham MVS 389 MVS personnel 390 GC family life needs 391 News 392 Record 397 Letter 397 MCC needs to be careful 398 Fruits of the Spirit 399 Mishpat 399 MVS goes to the hells 400 Decision making in the congregation 400 CONTRIBUTORS This issue was prepared with assistance from the Mennonite Voluntary Service staff, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114: Peter J. Ediger, director; Dale Suderman and Charles Neufeld, associate directors; and Eleanor and Don Kaufman, personnel coor- dinators. Roberta Mohr is a free-lance writer, Route 2, Bluffton, Ohio 45817. Jan Lugibihl is a member of the Arvada MVS unit No. 1 and serves as director of the Jeffco Action Center, Lakewood, Colorado R Bruce Woods is the director of family life education for the General Conference. Meditation writers are Dorothy Baum- gartner, Versailles, Missouri, and Jack L. Mace, Hutchinson, Kansas 67501 CREDITS Cover, RNS, Bluffton College, Armin Rei- chert, MCC, Fresno, California, Chamber of Commerce; 386, RNS, Fresno Chamber; 389, Charles Neufeld. MVS; 393, Harold Jantz, MCC; 394, Richard Sauder, MCC; 395, Verney Unruh, 396, Gerhard Neufeld, MCC Mcniionilc Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone (204) 888-6781 Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Telephone (316) 283-5100 Editor Bernie Wiebe. 600 Shaftesbury, Win- nipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4 Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114, Editorial assistant: Susan Schu- macher Art director: John Hiebert Business manager Dietrich Rempel. Circulation sec- retary: Marilyn Kaufman Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L Ramseyer. 488 West Elm Street, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338, Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117; Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 $ "HE MENNONITE 399 Mennonite Voluntary Service goes to the hells Peter J. Ediger MVS is seeking to follow Jesus in going to some of the hells of the world with the love of God. MVS is trying to go into some of the hells of people's loneliness to bring the love of God by listening and standing with persons in the stresses of life. MVS is trying to go into some of the hells of poor housing to bring the love of God by repairing roofs and firming foundations. MVS is trying to go into some of the hells of childhood to bring the love of God with day-care ministries. MVS is trying to go into some of the hells of poverty and oppression to bring the love of God with varied advocacy programs. MVS is trying to go into some of the hells of environmental rape to bring the love of God with research and education towards better care for God's creation. MVS is trying to go into some of the hells of consumerism, materialism, and militarism to bring the love of God with a nonviolent and simple life- style. MVS is trying to go into the cynicism and unfaith to bring the love of God with words and the Word becoming flesh in new ways. The heaven to which our Lord invites us leads us straight into the hells of the world. When we seek to save ourselves from the hurts and the hells of the world, we lose our true selves. When we are willing to lose ourselves in the hurts and hells of the world for Jesus' sake, then we find our true life. People in MVS are in many different places in their journeys into the hells around them. We are sometimes afraid, sometimes unsure of who we are and what we're doing and why, sometimes unclear as to how to incarnate the love of God. Mennonite Voluntary Service needs the support of the congregations. We need people support, people to invest themselves in MVS for a year or preferably more. We need prayer support, prayer for all of us involved with MVS — for our openness to the Spirit's leading in the many varied ministries and into the new calls for service coming to us. We need pocketbook support. While MVS units generally are financially self-sufficient, we need money for orientation, retreats, training programs, as well as for new units. Currently we are in the process of opening units in Chicago, Illinois; Lansdale, Pennsylvania; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and St. Louis, Missouri, and exploring formation of more units in Canada, the formation of an itinerant drama ministry group, and another teaching ministry unit, as in the "People's Teachers of the Word" with Perry and Liz Yoder. MVS goes to the hells of this earth. By the grace of God, we're trying. Decision making in the congregation Some church leaders have long been frustrated by the ballot vote. An issue is up for discussion at a congregational meeting, only a few comments are made, and the ballot is called for. And the results are a surprise to the leaders. Pastors have discovered from a ballot vote that their services are terminated without prior warning counsel. The church council finds out that their actions and directions are voted down without personal comments prior to the vote. It is time to take a serious look at the place of ballot voting in our churches. We have used this method because it would not put dissenters "on the spot" especially when issues were new and sensitive. It also provides for easy tabulation of actual votes. Today it seems to be used for hiding. People are unwilling to deal personally with problems that they have about the church or the pastor. When a question comes before the congregation, they are sure to call for a ballot. The problem with a ballot is its secretive nature. When used to keep from focusing too much on a few who are unable to agree with the larger group, then that can be a blessing. When used by a majority to keep from speaking to the issues, then it becomes a curse. Even when a ballot vote passes favorably on an issue, it is easy to neglect further discussion. In the Christian fellowship, we are committed to seek the truth in love. That requires us to speak our convictions to each other. It may well be that people call for a ballot because they feel that the rest won't listen. That is probably part of the problem. If our congregations are to grow, then we will have to learn more about a healthy caring and sharing with each other in the spirit of Christ. This need could be focused by calling a moratorium on the ballot vote for the time being. BW anr> Discipline \n tine cbciRcb ■seen U psl ices The church is essentially a community in which members communicate God's forgive- ness to one another. Through forgiving relationships among his people, God makes visible his forgiveness in the world. As we realize the role of forgiveness we begin to understand the New Testament meaning of discipline. Discipline in the church is the necessary continuation of the evangelizing process carried out within a forgiving community. Forgiveness The New Testament demonstrates that the message of forgiveness must find expression between particular people in specific times and places. Forgiveness becomes concrete among men and women who need to be reconciled among themselves and with God. The passages which refer to binding and loosing (Matthew 16:18-19; 18: 15-20) are the only passages in the Gospels where the word church (ecclesia) is used by Jesus. This probably indicates that the church was understood basically as the community in which binding and loosing occur. The parallel passage in John 20:21-25 speaks of forgiving and retaining sins. Where this process does not take place the church has not been realized according to the fullest intention of Jesus. In carrying out these actions, the church does so as God's representative. This is the only situation in which the church is explicitly authorized to act in God's behalf. In reality the "rule of Christ," as the passage in Matthew 18:15-20 has been traditionally called, is placed in the context of an entire chapter which speaks of forgiveness: importance of repentance and simplicity as conditions for receiving for- giveness (1-4), importance of avoiding offenses which may cause the fall of a brother (5-11), concern of God that all Itits John Driver John Driver has been working as part of the Mennonite Board of Missions (Elkhart, Indiana) Latin team since 1951. Earlier, he served with MCC and Mennonite Relief Committee in Puerto Rico in 1945- 48 and Bonita in 1947-48. He then served as a missionary in Puerto Rico in 1951-66 and in Uruguay in 1967-74. This article is an edited version of chapter 3 from his book Com- munity and Commitment. should experience forgiveness (12- 14), "rule of Christ" ( 1 5-20), importance of willingness to forgive without limits (21 -22), importance of forgiving in order to experience forgive- ness (23-25). The only petition in the Lord's Prayer which carries a condition is the one asking for forgiveness (Matthew 6: 12): "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." This is also the only phrase in that prayer which requires additional comment, emphasizing again that God's forgiveness is limited to those who forgive their brothers and sisters (Matthew 6:14-15). We find this condition repeated a number of times in the New Testament (Matthew 18:35; Mark 11:25; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 3:13). ,||ioilt person is incapable of receiving God, forgiveness and even unable to offer a vali m act of worship without first being reconcile >ja with brothers or sisters through forgivenei fc (Matthew 5:23-24). " " n. The same instructions (given in Matthcfeji 18:15-20) concerning forgiveness in th aerp Christian community are reiterated in th m Epistles: "Brethren, if a man is overtaken i m any trespass, you who are spiritual shoul m restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Look t « yourself, lest you, too, be tempted. Bear or Kip another's burdens, and so fulfill the law (ja Christ" (Galatians 6:1-2). "My brethren, B| any one among you wanders from the trut h and someone brings him back, let him kno that whoever brings back a sinner from th error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins" (Jame r 5:19-20). (The last phrase is undoubtedly citation from Proverbs 10:12: "Love covei all offenses." See also 2 Timothy 2:24-25. In the context of this forgiving or restorir activity of the church, Christ (or the Ho Spirit) is present where men and wome meet together in his name. Christ himself wi be among the "two or three gathered" for tl purpose of restoring some member of tl body (Matthew 18:19-20). To exercise tl function of forgiving or retaining sins, Jest gave the Holy Spirit to his disciples (Joh 20:22-23). Other passages (John 14:26 ar 16: 12-14) also point out that the church ca count on the presence of the Spirit in tl community's process of moral discernmei which is always a part of binding ar loosing. This brief review of New Testame passages concerning forgiveness and restor tion underscores that forgiveness is n< secondary or marginal to the essenti activity of the church. Where forgivi persons exercise discipline the church liv 402 JUNE 21, 19 \iscipline I The New Testament does not use disci- tine strictly to refer to the process of moral scernment through which members can be prgiven and restored in the community of hrist. In our use of the term, we refer to that Irocess called "binding and loosing" in the Jew Testament rather than to what the word »jis come to mean through the accumulation I' meanings related to the exercise of . :clesiastical discipline in the church's I story. While the terms binding and loosing jere apparently clear to Jesus' hearers, their l eaning is hidden to twentieth-century (jaders. I To bind meant to withhold pardon, to tain (sins) and, therefore, to exclude from je fellowship of the community. To loose i eant to absolve, to pardon, to forgive ins). But binding and loosing also carried (iiother meaning. To bind meant to forbid, r to make obligatory, or to order a certain (purse of moral behavior. To loose meant to Isrmit, or to leave a person free to make an j hical choice among various alternatives. I This was the way these terms were used by lie Jewish rabbis of Jesus' time. In their iterpretations of the law of Israel they Bound or loosed (forbade or permitted) ;rtain moral alternatives, depending on the nature of each case. When Jesus used these rms he was, in effect, granting to his isciples the moral authority which until pen had been the prerogative only of the reat teachers of Israel. This dimension of le meaning of binding and loosing is ipphasized in Matthew 16:19. | Both sets of meanings are present in ilatthew 18:15-20. Restoration through |:pentance and forgiveness is the principal 'heme of verses 15-17, where second person singular verb forms describe interpersonal relationships. But verses 18-20 treat the question of moral discernment. Plural verbs suggest authorization to make certain moral decisions in the church and may well have a broader scope than the immediate case of discipline under consideration. Although they appear to be two distinct matters, they The church is essentially a commu- nity in which members communi- cate God's forgiveness to one anoth- er. are closely related in the Christian communi- ty- 1. The process of restoring brothers and sisters through repentance and forgiveness presupposes a common moral basis. The ethical norms by which sin is recognized are known and shared mutually, thus providing criteria for evaluating offense. 2. The process of conversation aimed at restoration is the best way to clarify, to test, and then either to confirm or to change community ethics. This process leads to a new experience in discernment of God's will and is the path to restoration and reconcilia- tion among brothers and sisters. So forgiveness and moral discernment are not different meanings of binding and loosing, but rather two sides of the same coin. Discipline from a Gospel perspective includes the process of moral discernment with a view to making ethical decisions in the community, as well as the personal dimen- sion of forgiveness and restoration through brotherly address and repentance. To exercise discipline without the accom- panying process of moral discernment is to run the risk of becoming legalistic, inflexible, and mechanical. On the other hand, moral discernment without reference to the person- al dimension of brotherly counsel, forgive- ness, and restoration will become cold, impersonal, and academic. Purpose of discipline determines form The purpose of discipline in the Gospel perspective will always be the restoration and reconciliation of the offending member and will determine the forms in which discipline is exercised in the community. 1. The path to reconciliation is always personal and should be taken in the spirit of humility (Galatians 6:1-2). What is really important in the instructions given in Matthew 18:15-17 is not that there will always be a process involving three steps, but rather that the first steps always be personal — "between you and him alone" and "take one or two brothers along with you." Taking this procedure seriously goes a long way toward eliminating situations in which gossip and character defamation prosper. Besides promoting direct relation- ships and mutual confidence, this approach guards against an impersonal, puritanical moralism. Through serious and mutual conversation, the Lord's will for his disciples will be made known. Any norm unable to survive such confrontation in the presence of the Spirit no longer serves the best interests of the community. On the other hand, this form of exercising discipline avoids the pitfall of leaving each individual at liberty to make ethical choices alone. Ultimately the member is answerable to the community for the moral decisions which he makes. Discipline in the Gospel perspective is sufficiently flexible to consider each case in its context without becoming permissive. 2. In accord with the communitarian nature of the church, the entire congregation shares responsibility for discipline. The initiative belongs to any brother who becomes conscious of an offense (Matthew 18:15). The words "against you" are not found in the better manuscripts of the New Testament nor do we find this limitation in Luke 17:3, Galatians 6: 1-2, or James 5: 19-20. It is his obligation as a brother, rather than the feeling that he has been sinned against, that causes one member of the community to approach another who may have sinned. On the other hand, Matthew 5:23-25 assigns the initiative to the person who has committed the offense, just as soon as he becomes conscious of it. So the initiative for restoring sound interpersonal relationships within the com- munity becomes the responsibility of all — the offended, the offender, or any brother or sister who may know of the offense. There are no indications in the New Testament that responsibility for initiative belongs particu- larly to the set-apart ministry. 3. The restoration and reconciliation of the offending brother is the only legitimate purpose for the exercise of discipline. Of course, other reasons are adduced: concern for church purity, desire to protect the reputation of the church before the world, wish to bear witness to the high demands of God's righteousness through the vindication of his justice, attempt to safeguard the church against the danger of relativizing or losing its high standards. Although these concerns are real, they are secondary; the New Testament does not emphasize them. There is a sense, however, in which the sin of an unrepentant member may become a "leaven" which affects the entire body (1 Corinthians 5). The persistent disobedience of individuals within the church which goes unchallenged by the community may be- come a collective fault shared by the entire body. Moral discernment without refer- ence to the personal dimension of brotherly counsel, forgiveness, and restoration will become cold, imper- sonal, and academic. Authority for discipline Jesus scandalized the Jews by claiming for himself a unique relationship with the Father. However, Jesus went on to declare to his disciples, "As the Father has sent me, even so I send you" (John 20:21). But even more offensive to the Jews was Jesus' claim to be able to forgive men their sins (Mark 2:7; Luke 7:48-50). However, this is precisely the task with which Jesus later charged his disciples. He granted to them (and to us as well) the same power to forgive sins that he has claimed for himself. This is the scandal which shook up the Pharisees and which generally shakes up Protestants, too, as they begin to grasp its significance. Reacting to abuses inherent in the traditional Roman Catholic penitential practice, Protestants have declared for centuries that "God alone can forgive sins" and that believers receive assurance of their forgiveness not from the lips of another person, but from a voice speaking in the I.S depths of their own souls. The way in which iunde this long-standing debate between Catholics and Protestants has been formulated makes it difficult for us to believe that men and our women can be authorized in God's new mpia community to make binding and loosing ferson decisions that God will honor. terna For the Jews it was a Christological >proa scandal — God has elected to forgive and idcrs restore people through the person Jesus. Foi tmbt us it is an ecclesiological scandal — God has iniiei elected to forgive and restore persons in and it bi through his new community. The incarna- mmi tion has always been a scandal: the form tmbt which God has chosen to do his work among 1 A humankind has been through the carpentei odes' of Nazareth who commissioned a group oi :issi ordinary people — fishermen and tax om ; collectors — to forgive sins and to restore it sc people to wholeness. am a This in no sense means that the church «r may use its authority arbitrarily. For this ;d task the church receives the power of the p Holy Spirit (John 20:21-23). To make torn decisions in ethical matters the church maj ifa count on the Spirit who will guide into trutl ullt and will reveal the meaning of Jesus' words lanb and deeds (John 14:26; 16:12-14). Th| Ever fundamental work of the Holy Spirit m%& guiding the church in its task of morale discernment. Prophecy, witness, inner con' n fro viction, and enablement to follow Jesus an ho ai all important, but subordinate, aspects o: stora its activity. J p Modern Protestants have often under ad stood the promise of Christ's presence when J. 0 two or three are gathered in his name to refei to the efficacy of prayer or to the spiritua presence of Christ in the gathered congregak tion. But according to its original context it Matthew 18:19-20, the presence of Chris? himself among his disciples is promised foi the divinely authorized process of morai discernment to make real forgiveness a restoration. It is surely no accident that the commis sion to bind and loose in Matthew 16followi immediately after Peter's confession tha Jesus is the Messiah. The authorization is th seal of divine approval conferred upon thei4L,i confession. For that reason men and womer ||10s in this community are authorized to speak t( ( $, one another words of moral counsel xm forgiveness, and restoration in God's name in\t Jill, ten Deformations and misunderstandings 1 1 The radical essence of the New Testamen understanding of discipline has not beet ^ appreciated generally because of deforma \lVl[j tions and misunderstandings which sut ffl to a 404 JUNE 21, 197 unded it in church history. The list which Hows is representative. 1 . Sometimes we refrain from taking part our brother's or sister's struggle against nptation, alleging acceptance, respect for rsonal differences, love. If the only ernative were a traditional puritanical proach to discipline, such respect may be iderstandable, but abandoning the ember to personal struggles, guilt, uncer- Inties, and misguided moral decisions is it brotherly love in any sense. In the mmunity of Christ, love never abandons a ember. 2. Another excuse stems from false odesty. "Who am I to tell my brother that is sinning because I, too, am certainly far )m perfect?" To justify nonintervention te sometimes hears the example of the am and the mote (or the log and speck, as a wer translation puts it). But when Jesus ed this example his conclusion was tposite. A person with a beam should cognize that it is there, and then take it out that he can see well enough to remove the lall foreign body from the eye of another latthew 7:3-5). Even if it is true that we are all sinners, sus does not base our obligation to forgive id to reconcile on the supposed absence of 1 from our experience. He says that those io are called to mediate forgiveness and storation are precisely those who have perienced forgiveness themselves (Mat- ew 6:12). 3. Occasionally we appeal to the excuse of aturity. "If my brother has sinned, I have rtainly not taken offense. With my lotional stability I'm able to overlook his ults. There's no need to bother him or hers because of it." Such an excuse comes sm an inadequate interpretation of the irase "if your brother sins against you." ur motivation for helping a member dare )t be our personal sense of having been fended, but rather, our obligation to the rson as a fellow member. Paul reminds us at it is precisely the more mature ("you io are spiritual") who should take the itiative in the restoration of one who is ining (Galatians 6: 1 ). 4. Sometimes we excuse nonintervention cause the member may become to us as a entile and a tax collector should he resist ir efforts to restore him. A modern spirit of lerance among us rebels at such exclusi- im. This objection arises out of a misun- rstanding of what "let him be to you as a entile and tax collector" really means. !:cording to the spirit of the New Testa- ent, this implies that we will shower upon |e person the same kind of love and concern hich the community showed before he nfessed Jesus Christ as Lord. It is the only 'iy left to love responsibly. Recovery leads to thanksgiving The price we are paying for neglect of this essential function of the church is incalcula- bly high. Our disobedience means that we are no longer the church in which the Holy Spirit is at work in the way Christ promised. Congregational life becomes increasingly formal and its true significance escapes as an illusion. We do not really get to those issues In accord with the communitarian nature of the church, the entire congregation shares responsibility for discipline. concerning our common life in Christ which basically matter. We are not able to discern together with clarity the will of God in order to repent and forgive and restore one another with authority. The absence of this essential function of the Holy Spirit from the church causes us to emphasize other functions and manifesta- tions of the Holy Spirit's presence in the body of Christ. Allthough these are good and edifying and appropriate and necessary, they are not equally indispensable for the church's life. These secondary activities of the Spirit include such things as Christian education and social services. In some congregations one finds a certain concentra- tion on some of the more exciting, visible, and even ecstatic manifestations of the work of the Holy Spirit in the community. But in both cases, this somewhat exclusive concen- tration on part of the Spirit's ministry indicates that the real center around which the community of the Spirit is constituted has been lost. Recovery of this central function of the Holy Spirit in the church would permit us to receive and exercise with thanksgiving the rich gamut of spiritual gifts. Matthew R. Brown "One thing I know, that though I was blind, now I see" (John 9:25). Shake my eye Until it sees The order In your hand. Let it stand. Let it stand, With its roots Move the con- crete of my heart. Let me start. Let me start. Dear Jesus, now To praise you With a fitting ring. Let me sing. Let me sing You, Daystar, To the eyes That will not read. Plant your seed. Plant your seed — // will grow, Deeper trust, A deeper root. Spread its fruit. Spread its fruit In our lives Till we all With one desire Seek your fire. Seek your fire In my life: With your light Until I die, Shake my eye. iHE MENNONITE 405 News Discipline and divorce: One church's story ff< Lois Barrett Church discipline related to divorce — a "tremendous spiritual experience"? That's how one of the board members of the Grace Mennonite Church in Enid, Oklahoma, described the disciplining proc- ess of one couple in the congregation who were divorced a couple of years ago. But the healing that resulted from the process was not accidental; it happened because of the care and concern of a board, the pastor, the congregation, and the couple themselves. Within a month after he became pastor of the Grace Church, Wilfred Ulrich was visited by John and Linda (not their real names), who had already filed for divorce. "They both were open, hurting, and prepared to talk," remembered Wilfred. "Both were anxious to maintain their Christian commitment and relationship to the church. "A pastor, out of compassion and convic- tion, tries reconciliation," he said. "My first effort was to patch it up. But there comes a point where a pastor becomes aware that the marriage can't be put back together. Linda felt the marriage had died and we had to accept the fact of divorce." Shortly before the divorce was final, Wilfred suggested that they share what was happening in their lives with the church board — the deacons, trustees, and officers of the church — about nine people. "Wilfred spent some time with us first, preparing us mentally and spiritually," said one of the board members. "He helped us see that discipline can be positive. We shared together and prayed together. Then Linda met with us first." "I wanted to talk with the church board as soon as I had made the decision," said Linda. "I felt like I was naked emotionally. There was some fear, but not overwhelming fear. I told the board I felt sad for making them go through it with me." Some of her family had suggested that Linda might offer to resign her position as junior Sunday school superintendent and allow the board to make a decision about what to do with her position. "But I didn't do that," she said. "I felt it would be unfair for them to be making a decision there on things I had spent a long time deciding. I just said, '1 know this may cause problems, and I'm open to suggestions.' " The board listened carefully, she said, without being judgmental. A number of them were crying. "It was a very emotional experience," said one deacon, his eyes getting moist. "It still is for me. I saw her reaching out for love and understanding and help — and asking for help for John. As a Christian, I had no other alternative than to give that help. We gave her some words of assurance, then joined hands around the table, and Pastor Ulrich led us in prayer." Linda left, and John came in a few minutes later. "He didn't attack her," said the deacon. "He told us that in the church he had found people who cared about him for the first time in his life. Before this, several of us had been working with John and Linda for a year and a half. I had spent some time just talking to him. "I felt consensus was there that if both wanted to stay in the church, the church would accept and care about them. "John went out into the hall after the meeting. I went out there, too, and we spent some time out in the hall just weeping together. I looked around and five other fellows had followed us out there, too. "It was a tremendous spiritual experience. We all grew in our faith and in our sensitivity and caring for each other," he said. There were repentance and confession on the part of both Linda and John during the meeting, said Wilfred. "The board really reached out in a loving way to both persons. It was a healing thing." The next spring at the church's semiannu- al meeting, Linda was a little apprehensive whether she would be reelected junior Sunday school superintendent. "Wilfred said something about the divorce and his own personal feeling," said Linda. "I stood up and expressed appreciation for the support from the church." When the votes were counted, Linda had been easily reelected. "I didn't feel any judgmental attitudes from the congregation," Linda recalled. "It was more people's asking, 'How are you, Linda? I'm concerned for you.' There was some curiosity about how I was going to change. 1 felt watched. They [the other members of the congregation] felt uncom- fortable because it was a new situation. J hey had never before been through a divorce situation in which both parties were acting fore feci -.ore; In Ft responsibly. By April, I felt I was the same Linda who had grown up in Grace Menno- nite Church." "The church has really given the forgive- ness that was asked for," said a deacon. "Many of the older people expressed sorrow, but there was no animosity or derogatory remarks. There are a few people who maybe wouldn't go along 100 percent, but there has never been anything said." No one pulled their children out of Sunday school because of it. The bitterest reaction has been from people in some other Oklahoma Mennonite congregations that have resisted sending their children to camps in which Linda was working. John kept attending Grace Church for a few months, but then transferred his mem- bership to a Mennonite Brethren church. It was just too hard for him to sit in the choir and look at Linda every Sunday, some of the board members speculated. What made this instance of church discipline a healing experience in a church k that hadn't had to deal with this kind of situation before? "The Christian attitude on the part of thejbclc two people involved," said the pastor. "HerePfJ !■ were two people who wanted help and feu wanted help from the church. The church in id turn said, 'We will help you.' It was exciting for me to work with nine men on the board Wl who were so Christian." "The attitude of the church," said Linda. "We feel we are a community. Some of them had worked with problems with both of us They were involved." "I'm not sure another case would work the same way," offered a board member. "Both Linda and John were willing to come to the board and asked forgiveness from God and the church. They were willing because we are all pretty good friends. I'm not sure we could do it again. "We had some real mixed feelings about bringing it to the board," he said. "But afterward we were glad we had done it. It was E a painful thing, but it was a growing $ experience for the board. "In the past, we were no different from other Mennonite churches — dealing with the sins of the flesh more severely than the sins of the spirit. This case was both. It made each one on the board search his own life for hi I::,/ Ik Jon (tti fb jtan I! hi, lice x Alt! kl 406 JUNE 21, 1977 |M| ngs that had gone wrong. We realized ne of us were exempt from sin just because attended church or had the right kind of mes. 'A lesson we need to learn from it is that ople need to know each other better before ;y get married," he said. "And we have to i over the feeling that divorce is the forgiveable sin. Some things have a worse ect on a family than separation. I have an nt who lived through a bad marriage her than divorce. A divorce happens in ople's minds before on the piece of paper. ''It was almost like a funeral," he said, ut while a part of a person dies in a /orce, a part goes on. "Not all the things that happened were bad," he added. "Even in these kinds of things, God has a purpose which will be evident some day. Part of it already has been made evident." The next step is putting the past behind. Linda, in asking that her name not be used in this article, was saying, I don't want to be seen in the conference as "the divorcee" for the rest of my life. "Don't put divorced people in a special category," said Pastor Ulrich, "but reach out to them as persons." "It's almost as if the divorce never happened," said a board member. "My view of forgiveness — the way Christ forgave — is that it is total and permanent, forgive that way, too." I have to ^Focus 'oung offender finds forgiveness in church [lando Redekopp of Winnipeg wrote this erpretive article while employed by MCC ( fender Ministries. The article appeared iu in Manitoba Watch. jjveral months ago a young man eighteen jars old committed an indictable offense — | :ft of $1,000— but was not sent to jail. Why? Largely because he had the support ( a community, helping him learn responsi- Jity. In February Tom (not his real name) was irking at a department store. One day as he »fs closing up, he walked by the safe and t;d the door, more out of curiosity than cminal intent. To his surprise, the safe i ened and revealed stacks of loose cash. The temptation was too strong. Tom took i landful of bills, stashed them in his pocket, i d walked out. But soon Tom realized he had stolen a lot uples: Roger and Char Bueckert of 'aldheim, Saskatchewan, for long-term acement, and native Cree Alfred and vonne McLeod of Fort Qu'Appelle, iskatchewan, for the summer. Native linistries of the Conference of Mennonites Canada has agreed to help support the lurch financially in these ventures. The reduction of the American presence in sia makes the existence of democratic ;stitutions there more authentic than reviously, said Eastern Mennonite Board iministrator Don Jacobs after a month- mg trip to Eastern Board missions in Asia, 'e saw Australia and Japan assuming the )le the United States once filled in Asia. Mr. icobs said the withdrawal of U.S. influence : Asia caused a moment of hesitation by lonmainland Asian countries' but they are ow proceeding with cautious optimism, ccording to Mr. Jacobs, the decrease of .merican presence in the Far East allows .merican missionary societies to develop a |iore normal, nonthreatening relationship ) the people. faking music with children will be the focus f a workshop September 17 at the Bethel hurch, Winnipeg. Resource person Bettie 1. Norman, assistant professor of music at ioshen (Indiana) College, will lead sessions n fitting children's music into the congrega- on and techniques for making music with hildren. Other sessions will concentrate on jpertoire and conducting. More informa- on is available from M. Neufeld, 152 iarrington Avenue, Winnipeg, Manito- a R2M 2B2. Il Brethren- Mennonite Gay Caucus was jmong several groups represented at a ionference on "Gay and Christian" in May t the Kirkridge (Pennsylvania) Retreat Renter, according to Christianity Today. !'he participants included men and women, lack and white, married and single, gay and Straight, liberal and fundamental from more jhan a dozen denominations in the United I 'tates and Canada. Speakers included Jesuit 1 riest John J. McNeill, author of The Church and the Homosexual; Nancy Krody, coordinator of the United Church of Christ Gay Caucus; and Malcolm Boyd, Episcopal clergyman and author. MCC, Church World Service, and Catholic Relief Service have been participating in a flood recovery project in eastern and central Bolivia for the past several months. About 20,000 people were affected by the flood. Nine hundred families were left homeless, and about 7,500 acres of crops were destroyed. MCC has been part of a rehabili- tation program in which local relief commit- tees are distributing seed, supplemental food, and medicine. "Abnormal weather conditions during April causing widespread destruction and the upcoming monsoon season have caused the Government of Bangladesh to request the voluntary agencies to be prepared for a possible disaster," said MCC Bangladesh director Paul Myers in Dacca. It has been raining steadily since April 1, he reported. Normally the heavy monsoon rains do not begin until mid-June. A Tri-State Festival of Missions is planned June 16-18, 1978, at Bluffton (Ohio) College. The festival will be multidenominational and will include churches in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan. Keynote speaker will be John R. W. Stott, rector emeritus of All Souls Church, London, England. Other weekend speakers will be Donald Jacobs, executive secretary of Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions, Salunga, Pennsylvania; Paul Smith, People's Church, Toronto; and Robert Hess, professor of religion and history, Malone College, Canton, Ohio. Deprogramming and the Unification Church were discussed recently by Kathleen Knight of Fort Wayne, Indiana, at a community meeting held at the First Mennonite Church meetinghouse in Berne, Indiana. The meeting on cults was sponsored by the Berne Ministerial Association. Ms. Knight's parents had had her depro- grammed. "Deprogramming," she said, "was merely getting those lured into the move- ment by coercion and deceit back to the place where they can make their own decisions." One hundred fifty-four graduates received diplomas at Bluffton (Ohio) College com- mencement services May 29. Speaker was Ralph Locher, a Bluffton alumnus and member of the Supreme Court of Ohio. HE MENNONITE 409 More resolutions offered for General Conference Resolutions on energy, offender ministries, and biennial sessions of the General Confer- ence will be among those matters considered at the triennial sessions of the General Conference Mennonite Church July 28 to August 3 in Bluffton, Ohio. A comprehensive resolution on Christian stewardship of energy resources has been written by a task force of people across the conference concerned about these issues. The resolution advocates better stewardship of energy, simpler life-styles, more use of renewable sources of energy such as wind and sun, tax credits to help the transition to such forms of energy, abandonment of all fast breeder nuclear reactors and fuel reprocessing facilities, and a moratorium on construction of the proposed Mackenzie Valley natural gas pipeline pending a just settlement of native land claims and protec- tion of the environment in the Northwest Territories. An offender ministries resolution asks adoption of a statement on the offender which was accepted at this spring's Central District Conference. The resolution also requests preparation of a study guide of the offender and exploration by Mennonite Central Committee of alternatives to prison systems. The 229-line Central District statement discusses the history of treatment The Commission on Education is seeking a General Editor with: — journalistic skills —training to edit theological, bibli- cal curriculum — creative writing abilities — administrative proficiency — desire to work in inter-Mennonite settings. The starting date is as early as September 1, 1977, and not later than January 1, 1978. Contact: John Gaeddert, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114, or call (316) 283-5100. An equal opportunity employer M/F of the offender, reasoning behind incarcera- tion, and biblical dimensions of the church's relationship to the criminal justice system. It suggests that the church should play a major role in overcoming the offender's problem of isolation and abandonment. Growing out of a conference in May of representatives of dually aligned congrega- tions is a resolution urging that the General Conference meet every two years rather than every three years. More frequent meetings are needed for greater dialog among congre- gations, the resolution says, and moving to biennial sessions would give the opportunity for joint sessions with the General Assembly of the Mennonite Church, which meets every two years. Another resolution on governmental oppression and Christian witness may also be made available by the Commission on Overseas Mission before the conference sessions. A packet of ten resolutions, including the complete texts of the three above and those listed in the June 7 issue of The Mennonite, was mailed to all General Conference congregations earlier this month. Borderland MDS unit formed Twenty-eight Minnesota and Ontario con- gregations in the Rainy River area have formed a new Mennonite Disaster Service unit called the Borderland Unit because Director-staff openings: Swan Lake Christian Camp, Viborg, South Dakota (Northern District Conference retreat grounds). Staff involvement includes responsibility for camp operation (maintenance, cooking, rentals, development) and the year-round retreating program. Contact: LeRoy Epp Retreat Committee Chairman Marion, South Dakota 57043 (605) 925-7635 Inter-Mennonite chaplain for the Univer- sity of Western Ontario, London, Cana- da Half-time position to begin fall or winter of 1977 Minimum qualifications: MA degree Could be combined with teaching responsi- bilities, doctoral studies, or other chaplaincy work. Send application and resume to: Nelson Scheifle Box 104 Ailsa Craig, Ontario N0M 1A0 most of the churches are located close to the international border. Noah Hege of Little Fork, Minnesota, chairman of the new unit, says the churches will be relating primarily to MCC (Manito- ba) because of proximity. The unit includes six U.S. churches, four Ontario churches along the border, and! eighteen "outposts" of the Northern Light Gospel Mission in Northwestern Ontario. While some churches have not appointed contact persons for MDS, there is general support. Foundation Series orders coming in Orders are due by June 23 for the first i quarter of the Foundation Series, the new Christian education curriculum for nursery through grade eight. The Foundation Series isjointly published by the General Conference Mennonite Church, the Brethren in Christ Church, and the Mennonite Church, with the Church of the Brethren as a cooperating user. General Conference staff is predicting high use of the materials in this conference. In addition to the classroom materials which will become available this summer for the fall quarter, teacher training materials, which are also a part of the Foundation Series, will be available in the fall. John Gaeddert, executive secretary of the General Conference's Commission on Edu- cation, said each church is being asked to organize its own workshop to train teachers to use the Foundation Series. "This is the key to the success of the curriculum," he said. People designated as regional Foundation Series communicators may help the church to organize the workshop. The workshop may be a weekend retreat, one night a week for seven weeks, or some other format. il If mini sloi tain tMi I'll re li loi as K U tots, le ha: * Help wanted Curriculum directors and supervisory persons with specific training in early childhood education are needed in child-care centers in Hutchinson and Liberal, Kansas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Bea- trice, Nebraska; St. Louis, Missouri; and Markham, Illinois. One- and two-year positions available for men and women. Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 410 JUNE 21, 1977 ecord trman W. Enns, a member of the Hamil- n (Ontario) Church, was born April 7, 30, and died June 6. He was vice-chairman the Conference of Mennonites in Canada d a member of the board of Mennonite blical Seminary. Baptized into the Spring- pin (Manitoba) Church, Mr. Enns graduat- in 1955 from the University of Manitoba d in 1962 from Mennonite Biblical Iminary. He served from 1962 to 1974 as stor of the Hamilton Church. He then Jcame chaplain and teaching supervisor at e McMaster Medical Center. Calendar Workers July 23-27 — Conference of Mennonites in anada, Toronto July 28-August 3 — General Conference iennial sessions, Bluffton, Ohio Canadian June 26 — COM missionary get- quainted rally, Canadian Mennonite Bible □liege, Winnipeg, Manitoba ■yris Habegger, North Newton, Kansas, ill terminate September 20 as executive litor for the Commission on Education, eneral Conference Mennonite Church, ince 1972 he has edited the Youth Bible ntinue sharing that with the congregation. The pastoral ministry is exciting because it frees me to discover more where people are hurting and how to resolve hurts. Pastors are in one of the few professions that have an open invitation into the homes of people. This gives us the privilege of developing significant relationships. We can also respond to needs as people share them; they wouldn't do that in any other setting. There is always the possibility of discovering potential difficulties of which the people themselves may be unaware. Our congregations are committed to meeting the needs of people in our communi- ties. It, therefore, becomes my opportunity to give leadership to discovering those needs and implementing programs to meet them. I also am privileged to observe a congregation feeling good because they have brought happiness to people. Opportunities in the pastoral ministry are limited only by my awareness of needs and imagination to meet those needs. There are risks in the pastoral ministry. You may be rejected by people because they really don't want to hear what the Bible is saying to us today. Program suggestions may be turned down by the congregation. If I have tied my identity too closely to that program, then I personally experience rejection. The possibility of having to move always looms before the pastor and his family. Unless the pastor is in control of his job, there is always the risk of working too many hours at the expense of himself (health, alertness to think, etc.), his family, and his church. While there are risks in the pastoral ministry, yet for me, the positive experiences far outweigh the negative ones. I plan to continue in the pastoral ministry — in some form — for the rest of my life. Floyd Quenzer, pastor. Mennonite Community Church. Fresno. California disciples iive today for overseas missions, home ministries, Christian education, seminary. Our 1977 goal is $3,179,883. GENERAL CONFERENCE MENNONITE CHURCH Box 347 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard Newton, Kansas 67114 Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4 People to whom we go for help R. Bruce Woods The 674 participants in our survey of the General Conference were asked to select one best resource to help them in a time of need on thirteen selected family problems. The questionnaire offered six alternatives: a pastor, a doctor, a mental health profession- al (MHP), a friend, other, and self. Table one provides a summary of the resources selected most often by the total group. Three out of four persons listed the pastor as their best counseling resource on the issue of remarriage after divorce. On a separate questionnaire sent only to Mennonite pastors, many of them mentioned issues related to human sexuality, divorce, and remarriage, as issues they feel unprepared and uncomfortable to handle. This suggests a need for continuing pastoral training in these areas. The doctor received 42 percent of "best choice" on sexual life counseling. Many physicians like to avoid this issue. They can respond to the biological question, but the emotional-psychological dimensions of sex- uality are often an unknown to them. The college-age group chose doctors only once out of four; all others chose them one out of every two. There is obviously no clear resource in this area. Yet, sex researchers, like Masters and Johnson, report sexual dysfunction as a major issue in over half of all divorces. It is clear that we need to train both pastors and lay persons in this area. The results for single parenting and rearing children properly seem to indicate a void in counseling resources. Possibly our respondents are saying that it would be a sign of failure to seek help from anyone else than a friend who understands. As a family life professional, I have observed that parenting strikes fear into the hearts of most parents because we do not know how to prepare children for our "future-shocked" world. The results indicate that friends may be the only resource for Mennonite families with this need. Churches need to pick up on this area. The new STEP (systematic training for effective parenting) program and other ivat P las Her ach ' quality, low-cost parenting courses can be readily adapted to congregational and community needs. The four subgroups tested (pastors, laity, singles, and college-age General Conference Mennonites), agreed on best choices on the issues of birth control and aging. On the other eleven issues, the groups do not agree on their preferences. A full report will be available to interested persons at the General Conference sessions in Bluffton. One observer noted that the mental health professional receives our confidence on only one issue. She (a social worker) commented, "It looks as if Mennonites want to provide quality mental health resources for others, but are too intimidated to use them for their own needs." Age, sex, education, community size, and church involvement made little difference in people's choices. Next week's article will name those issues which the 674 respondents indicated should be dealt with educationally in our churches. lie re Yes W III impl Nov II hi 'whi 1) Are i\ In lay! Sin The P:, # ON THE ^ 3 TABLE ONE Summary of counseling resources chosen most likely by 674 General Conference Mennonites Issue Health-related problems Birth control practices Remarriage after divorce Marital harmony and divorce Loneliness Infidelity Sexual life Vocational discouragement Alcoholism and drugs Aging family members Functioning as single parent Midlife crisis Rearing children properly Source Number Doctor Doctor Pastor Pastor Friend Pastor Doctor Friend MHP Pastor Friend Pastor Friend 560 552 444 392 378 304 250 238 235 220 201 152 149 Percent 91.2 92.5 76.6 62.9 60.4 55.2 42.7 41.8 39.2 37.9 35.1 26.5 25.1 No response 60 77 94 51 48 123 88 105 75 93 102 101 80 lor vi |k ■ K SOI Ltd ] m (L Real m 414 JUNE 21, 1971 U 1/ Meditation had my chance want a separation," she said just after we sat down for supper. When my wife's statement ;gan to sink in two years ago last February, I almost fell off my chair. The tears began but le asked me not to cry. Her request continued to sink deeper. Wouldn't two people in love want to get closer to ich other? Separation? Maybe a time apart would help her to see things in a better light. By April, my son and I :lped her move to her own apartment. Three days later she filed for divorce. She has hardly spoken to me since; she says she needs i be independent. Many people and I prayed that it wasn't so. We had exchanged those sacred vows before a 3St of witnesses twenty-one years ago. In June the divorce was granted. She stated that there was no love and no communication. Before she left, I begged her, "Give me another chance. I didn't know you were unhappy." fie replied, "You've already had twenty-one years." j Yes, I had known her for twenty-five years. In July, I would have celebrated the twenty- cond anniversary with the most wonderful woman in the world. But it never happened. She ft. I had not given her what she needed. I apparently had not accepted her and given her my )mplete life in love. Now she is gone. It has caused me to evaluate my commitment to Jesus Christ. I can now understand a little : what it will be like when Jesus says to some (after twenty-one, fifty, sixty-five, or however any years you have known him), "I never knew you, depart from me." Are you one who claims to live in fellowship with Christ? Have you really given yourself to m? Do you freely and openly review your relationship? If not, then you, too, may be caught by surprise one day. Some followers of Jesus are ways using excuses, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father" ( Matthew 8:21). Other things it in our way. The relationship with Christ, like the marriage relationship, requires a total commitment, aul says in Romans 12: 1-2, "Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to od, which is your spiritual worship. ... Be transformed by the renewal of your mind." I had my chance in marriage. We couldn't work it out. We all have our chance with Jesus Christ and his kingdom. I want to give 100 percent of lyself to making that one work. How about you? Name withheld by request Js cannot come to where you are or you to me ike ships in fog 'e sound our signals of distress nd pass each other by ever quite seeing ike lone travelers 'e call across a canyon in empty echoes ever quite hearing ow did this channel row so deep and wide between us Small things begin as trickles Then swell to torrents And carve a chasm We reach but do not touch Across the span Who will show us how to build a bridge Erlene Unruh Contents Forgiveness and discipline 402 Shake my eye 405 News 406 Record 411 Letters 411 I chose the ministry 413 People to whom we go for help 414 I had my chance 415 Us 415 Piety and morality 416 A diversity of gifts 416 CONTRIBUTIONS Today's poets are Matthew R. Brown, 4502 Concord Street, Midland, Michigan 48640, and Erlene Unruh, Route 2, Box 56A, Newton, Kansas 67114. R. Bruce Woods works part-time as director of family life education for the General Conference. "I had my chance" was written by a Mennonite husband out of his actual expe- rience. CREDITS Cover, Gerald Loewen, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba: 403, Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba; 408, RNS; 409, Hospital, Bloomington, Illinois; The article by John Driver is adapted by permission from Community and Commitment, 1976, Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania 15683. The Mennonite Editorial office; 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard. Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Telephone: (316) 283-5100 Editor: Berme Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Win- nipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schu- macher, Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circulation sec- retary: Marilyn Kaufman Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L Ramseyer, 488 West Elm Street, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz. Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117; Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indi- ana 46805, and Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P0M4. E MENNONITE 415 Piety and morality Our society is more concerned about religious experience than a few years ago, pollster George Gallup told religious editors at their recent convention. But those people his organization surveyed are less concerned about moral issues. Eastern religions. Transcendental Meditation, evangelicalism, the charismatic movement, the human potential movement, the emphasis on small groups and communities — all bid us look inward, and that's good. We need a feeling of belonging and being loved by a small group ol people. We need to sense the transcendent working in our lives. We need to pause to evaluate, to meditate, and possibly to decide to change directions. We need to get in touch with our feelings and learn how to communi- cate them to others. We need to learn the value of silence. We need the stability and the drama of religious ritual. But the other side of the inward journey is the outward journey. We need not only ritual, but right action; not only prayer, but prophecy; not only silence, but servanthood. The church which prays and sings together should also be the church that A diversity of gifts The district, area, and provincial conferences of the General Conference are remarkably diverse. They range from the 145-congregation Confer- ence of Mennonites in Canada with its five provincial conferences and multiple staffing to the thirty-six-congregation Eastern District Confer- ence with no staff, most of its members living within a hundred miles of each other. Each conference has set up its own structure— which may or may not resemble any other conference structure. The diversity has caused some problems (for example, the U.S. tendency to take national issues to the binational General Confer- ence), but diversity also means opportunity for creativity and for flexibility to local needs. Thus I felt some discomfort at the announcement in the June 7 Pacific District edition of The Mennonite that the Pacific District Conference was disciples each other and discerns the moral action. The salvation of Zacchaeus (Luke 19) followed both his being accepted as a friend by Jesus and his decision to give half of his goods to the poor and to return to those whom he had defrauded four times what he had taken from them. Elijah left the still small voice in the wilderness to prophesy to King Ahab. The church which confines itself to the sanctuary and to organized worship is loved by almost all governments. The church which rises from ritual to raise moral issues of war, poverty, consumerism, social disintegration, and injustice will seldom be popular. The church which seeks to do something to change those conditions will be even more threaten- ing to the principalities and powers of the world. A revival of interest in religious experience should be viewed with approval. But our prayers should be said not only in our closets with closed eyes, but outside our own walls with open eyes, looking straight in the eye those within our churches and those without, raising the moral issues of our day. LB considering (1) establishing a ministerial commit- tee (because the General Conference committee on the ministry will be made up of one representative from each district ministerial committee), (2) changing the name of the Christian service committee to "peace and social concerns" commit- tee ("its duties will be more in line with the General Conference and other districts"), and (3) hiring two part-time conference ministers (almost every conference within the General Conference now has a conference minister or wants one). Now, none of these changes are bad in and of themselves, and they all may be needed desperately. But does the General Conference really need such uniformity of structure? Or can we still be comfortable with less institutionalization and more building of regional structures around regional and local needs? LB over*' liis ijravc I have the urge to place a flag on the grave of my father. Flags are usually placed on the graves of people who have given military service to their countries. My father had a deep, quiet love for his country. But he was no war hero, quite the contrary. Because of his Christian convic- tions, he was court-martialed and sentenced to fifteen years at Fort Leavenworth. John T. Neufeld died at Chicago in 1961 at the age of sixty-six. He was born at Inman, Kansas, to Abraham P. and Helena Toews Neufeld, one among seven sons and a daughter. The early patchwork quilt in his life consisted of West Eagle grade school, Bethel Academy, and carpentry work in his home area and on Indian mission stations. This was stitched together by strong Christian beliefs and practices at home and in the Bethel Mennonite Church near In- man. There was no alternative service available to conscientious objectors during World War I. Some families and some young men migrated to Canada. Some entered the military but were promised that they would not have to drill or train for killing if this was contrary to their convictions. Others fought and some died in the war. My father did not believe that Christians should kill — even their enemies. When he joined the military and was requested to carry arms, he, and others with similar convictions, refused. This led to a court- martial and the sentence to Leavenworth. World War I came to an end and John Neufeld, along with the other conscientious objectors, was released after serving only six months in prison. I discovered years later at college, through one of my professors at Bluffton, that my father had been an example of patience when rifle butts were used to urge on the conscientious objector! ^ as they worked fields and gardens. Fathj spoke about his experience only whei Mother served spaghetti. Evidently he hac developed an intense dislike for this disl because of its oversupply at Fort Leaven i worth. The John T. Neufeld family poses for a twenty-fifth-anniversary portrait, author is lower left. >uring my adolescent years when others tc their hero stories, I would occasionally trto impress my peers by telling them that ml father had been in prison! i.t the age of twenty-five, John Neufeld eiplled at the Chicago Technical College. H| worshiped at the Mennonite Bible IVjsion (now Grace Mennonite Church). At thj church he met Catherine Wiens, the ol :st daughter of the pastor-missionaries IV and Mrs. A. F. Wiens. Five daughters of tr Wiens family married men who came to dcago for training and dedicated their 1b s to missionary and pastoral work. i 1936, after years of assistance in S'iday school and youth work, my father w ordained by my Grandfather Wiens. Oit the following twenty-three years, he c«jibined carpentry, architecture, even se ng eggs during the Depression years, l the pastoral ministry at the same one rch. His particular gifts included a quiet, rough witness of the Word, prayer, love, concern. His concern led him to teach )dworking with vacation Bible school. : day a rowdy youngster was curtailed l toy handcuffs and a lesson about Paul Silas in prison. It must have reminded ;er of his own experience in prison, ometimes much to this writer's chagrin, house and yard became the neighbor- id playground. There were no swings or es at the school. Most of the Brighton k lawns had "keep-off-the-grass" signs them. Sand, instead of grass, dominated yard. Swings, a playhouse, sports items, space were available, provided that toy s were deposited outside the fence. When came again, this, of course, did not keep games from our imagination! /e did not buy war bonds or stamps. #ever, a flag blew boldly on a pole in our ty front yard. m one occasion, I had to take a book of ilian Public Service (CPS) stamps to 3ol and explain to the teacher why I could buy war stamps. Classrooms had quotas contests. My teacher kindly understood, leJh to the point of having me tell the story tl he whole class. I was glad that one of my ci sins was a "smoke jumper" (parachutist ffl fighter) under the CPS program. It was rare exciting to tell about that than about ding outhouses, which some of my other sins were doing. ^hen World War II was coming to an , John T. Neufeld was working in the cago office of the American Leprosy isions. He then became the business lager of Mennonite Biblical Seminary 16-56). He helped to settle the seminary Woodlawn Avenue among the old isions and apartment buildings. Father ;cially enjoyed the open grilled elevator 614 — that is, until one day my brother For twenty-three years, he combined carpentry, architecture, even selling eggs during the Depression years, with the pastoral ministry at the same one church. Above was the interior of Mennonite Bible Mission (now Grace Mennonite Church, Chicago), where John T. Neufeld served as pastor for twenty-three rears. got stuck between the first and second floors. My father's love for Chicago was obvious. He loved the museums, the buildings, the lake shores, and the opportunities for witness. Many students and voluntary service workers were introduced to Chicago through his slide presentation "The History of the Mennonite Churches in Chicago." He was deeply saddened when he saw youth led astray through drugs, alcohol, racial strife, and other vices. When the opportunity came, father bought an old, three-story building which housed a club of dubious reputation. He rebuilt the house and converted the base- ment into a retirement home for his last years. It was another way to solve several problems at once, with help from others and from the Lord. He died in 1961. John T. Neufeld didn't have all the answers. He left much work for younger people and a new era. Others would use new ways to spread the gospel and to create peace. He was quiet, sometimes stubborn, but always caring. My father bears no famous name, did not leave a big church, has no great reputation. He always relied on God. I have an urge to place a flag (and perhaps some bright flowers) on his grave in that cemetery just outside Chicago. It would be MENNONITE 419 Qcieeec sepaR a bistomcaL peRspe< Adolf Ens A provincial election in Canada last No- vember sent shock waves across the country and beyond its borders. The Parti Quebe- cois, under the leadership of Rene Levesque, defeated the Liberal government of Robert Bourassa, winning sixty-nine of 1 10 seats in the legislature with about 41 percent of the popular vote. The consternation came from the fact that Mr. Levesque's movement had, since its founding ten years earlier, been committed to national independence for the largely French province of Quebec. The headlines asked questions like: "Will Quebec secede?" or "Is Canada to be destroyed?" Six months have now elapsed since the election, and the press has begun to respond in more thoughtful ways. Actually, the problem of Quebec separatism or national- ism did not arise with the election last November, nor with the creation of the Parti Quebecois. The strong sense of French national or cultural identity distinct from that of the dominant society of Anglophone North America dates back at least to the British conquest of New France in 1 760. And the problem of regional separatism in Canada has been part of its history since the nation was founded in 1867. Canadien nationalism: The racial issue Rivalry between the French and the English in North America has a long history. Just twenty years after the founding of the first French settlement in Quebec in 1608, it was captured by the British and held for several years. The struggle continued for another 1 50 years until the Treaty of Paris in 1 763 finally ceded New France to the British. But the hostilities built up in this time did not disappear with the conquest. Lord Durham, sent to investigate the problems of the Canadian colonies after their rebellions in 1837, reported that he had found "two nations warring in the bosom of a single state." Andre Siegfried published a book in 1906 entitled The Race Question in Canada. "A conquered race," he wrote, "the French suffer more than is commonly supposed from the attitude of the victors." He saw the Canadian racial situation as "one of those deep and lasting antipathies against which all efforts of conciliators are in vain." As the nation was beginning to celebrate iii centennial. Premier Jean Lesage of (|ebec publicly expressed the continuing ujrry of his people about their place in cifederation. "The French Canadians," he sd in Charlottetown, where the first cliference leading to confederation had q:n held a hundred years earlier, "do not t we the feeling that they belong to Canada t the same extent that their English- s:aking fellow countrymen do." |3ne major component of Canada's resent dilemma, focused in the Quebec s mratist movement, is thus racial in nature. 7gional separatism: The constitu- mal issue \ second one lies in the nature of nfederation. The Canadian constitution s worked out in an atmosphere that had jit seen the United States, and other iterations on the North American conti- i nt, come out of a disastrous four-year civil |ir. In dividing governmental powers Itween the provinces and the national tpital of the proposed Canadian federation, I : scales were deliberately tipped in favor of jp federal government. Regionalism, provincial rights move- if:nts, and even separatism have conse- $\ ently been an ever-present part of Canadi- I! history. In Nova Scotia, on the Atlantic, If Liberal party won the 1886 election on an Iti-confederation platform. Until the 1920s I at section of the country continued to have I strong separatist element. The prairies live a long history of controversy with | tawa. In Quebec, the strong sense of I ench Canadian nationalism has usually iidergirded the provincial dissatisfaction (jth the central government, i In recent times the strains on confedera- : m have increased. As health, education, id welfare programs have expanded, the jovinces (which have constitutional re- : onsibility in this area) have acquired much lore influence and been shouldered with iuch more financial responsibility. Ottawa Ls been forced to provide financial assis- I nee for these programs that are clearly pder provincial jurisdiction. That has i tided to give the federal government [creased fiscal influence in areas that the institution assigned to the provinces. I For the nine provinces whose basic ! ientation is "English," the tensions pro- ceed by this overlap have not been | onounced. French-speaking Quebec, how- er, has seen this as an unacceptable {trusion by Ottawa into provincial affairs, br Quebec, it is threatening to have an nglophone central government extending its influence into areas of education and welfare. The Catholic church There is a third factor to consider. Immediately after the British conquest of New France, the new rulers took care to make certain concessions to the new subjects to cultivate their loyalty. The most crucial level of leadership to win over was that of the Roman Catholic church. Thus, Britain allowed a Canadian to be ordained Catholic bishop of Quebec in 1766, while the Anglicans were not permitted a Canadian bishop until almost thirty years later. Other concessions made along the way by the colonial administration gave the Roman Catholic church in the British colony of Canada much more freedom and a much more privileged status than it had in Britain itself (where full emancipation of Catholics did not take place until 1829). The church hierarchy responded with a steady, firm loyalty. As long, therefore, as a conservative Catholic church was the dominant voice in French Canadian leadership circles, even the combined factors of Canadien nationalism and provincial aspirations never led to outright separatist movements. But the Catholic church itself underwent profound changes under the leadership of the late Pope John XXIII. The second Vatican Council, which met in Rome in 1962-65, set in motion a series of changes within the church which can only be described as revolutionary. Conservative bishops and archbishops, in Quebec as elsewhere, were no longer the undisputed leaders of the Catholic population. In Quebec this change was accentuated by a parallel lay revolution. The quiet revolution When Premier Maurice Duplessis died in 1959, an era came to a close. His Union Nationale party had dominated Quebec since the Depression years with an increas- ingly conservative regime. Its successor, the young, vigorous progressive Liberal govern- ment of Jean Lesage (whose cabinet included Rene Levesque) set out in 1960 to transform Quebec into a fully modern state within a single generation. In the 1962 elections, the Liberals made effective use of the slogan "maitres chez nous" (approximately, "masters in our own house"). The federal government under Liberal Prime Minister L. B. Pearson responded to Quebec's new aspirations by launching the Royal Commission on Bilin- gualism and Biculturalism in 1963 to "recommend what steps should be taken to develop the Canadian confederation on the basis of equal partnership between the two founding races. . . ." In the 1966 elections Daniel Johnson led the Union Nationale party to victory, outdoing the Liberals with the campaign which called for "equality or independence" for Quebec. But the rapid pace of change had produced resistance among many, both within Quebec and outside its borders. For them, a decade of raised hopes and their slow fulfillment proved frustrating. Some extrem- ists of the separatist Front de Liberation du Quebec began a terrorist campaign, culmi- nating in the kidnapping and assassination of a provincial cabinet minister and the invoking of the drastic War Measures Act by the federal government in Ottawa. Clearly, the church was no longer the body which set the tone or tempo of Quebec's political life. What now? First of all, it should be noted that the election of the Parti Quebecois to power does not mean that Quebec will separate from Canada. Mr. Levesque has promised that a referendum will first be held to allow the people to express their stand on separation. At present it would appear that fewer than 30 percent of Quebecers would vote for independence in such a referendum, even though 4 1 percent voted for the party in the last election. Canadians should therefore not brace themselves for a struggle, should not divide into camps (federalist and separatist, French and English, Quebec and Canada), because they will continue to live side by side, and most likely within the same nation. Rather, Canadian political leaders, federal and provincial, need to cooperate in reworking the constitution to make it serve Canada equitably in its second century. Most Mennonites are neither English nor French in origin. They have at various times in their history in Canada shared with the French the feeling of suppression by the English majority. They have a sense of unique identity, separate from that of the Anglo-Canadian one, just as the French of Quebec do. They have known the values of preserving their own language and culture. Out of this understanding of the French Canadian situation, they can mediate as a third party in the present dispute. In doing so, they will need to watch themselves not to be too quickly judgmental when Quebec uses political methods which are foreign to Mennonite experience. E MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It is oub- hed weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton, Kansas 671 14, by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonite Church Second-class stage paid at Newton Kansas 67114 andaladditionalmailingottices Subscriptions in United States and Canada, $8 00, one year, $1 550, two years, $23 00. three years, foreign. $8 50 per year Edito- loffice 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard Winnipeg Canada R3P0M4 Business office 722 Main Street. Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 347. Newton, Kansas 67114 HE MENNONITE 421 News forks irGe teniy-s fered I isions < Mission, heavy-handed governments examined^ iio. The question of how the church should respond to governments in which noncon- formist citizens are imprisoned or tortured "has generally been considered outside the missionary mandate," said Urbane Peachey, Mennonite Central Committee Middle East secretary. He was one of several Mennonites who attended a working conference on "Christian Mission Under Authoritarian Govern- ments" May 3-6. Some 150 people met in Ventnor, New Jersey, at the Overseas Ministries Study Center (OMSC) for the ecumenical confer- ence. OMSC was originally established in 1923 for missionaries on furlough, but it has broadened into a study center where mission-related concerns are discussed by church and mission leaders. AIMM changes ransom policy The policy against payment of ransom for kidnapped missionaries was rescinded re- cently at the spring meeting of Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission. The AIMM board voted to rescind its action of October 25, 1976, which took a hard, public line against payment of ransom under any circumstances. Instead, the board voted that "our opposition to the concept of payment of missionary ransom on the basis of principle be reaffirmed." But the board should "deal with the matter of ransom demand when and if it arises on the basis of the options open to us in consultation with the constituent group or groups involved." Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission is a cooperative mission venture of the General Conference Mennonite Church, Evangelical Mennonite Church, Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church, Evangelical Mennonite Conference, and Mennonite Brethren Church (for southern Africa only). The General Conference's Commission on Overseas Mission adopted a policy last February of negotiating according to the situation if a missionary were kidnapped. The commission preferred not to say it would refuse to negotiate any ransom, but chose to leave the matter open. The AIMM board had second thoughts since its fall meeting. "If we made a flat no, it could have sounded like a threat to whoever read it," said AIMM staff member Art Janz, "which we don't care to do." "It was significant that North American missionaries along with representatives of overseas churches really focused [on this question] in an almost unprecedented way," Mr. Peachey said. The main reason why missionaries and others should look at these issues, he said, is that knowing how to deal with heavy- handed governments is a vital issue for sister and brother Christians living under authori- tarian governments. Because they have experienced imprisonment and torture, Christians in countries such as Chile, South Korea, or the Philippines need the support of Christians in North America. Whether in Communist countries or rightist dictatorships, "we as Christians feel powerless and guilty," said John Howard Yoder, a Mennonite theologian who was one of twenty speakers. What should North American missionar- ies and other Christians be doing for their brothers and sisters? In the discussions at the conference "the overwhelming response was first of all to pray for them," said Peter Dyck, MCC Europe and North Africa director, who attended the conference. "But that should be a first step, with others to follow." Because there is both lack of information and misinformation about Communist countries and right-wing dictatorships, conference participants emphasized the necessity of being informed. Christians in North America have not been forced to face these issues of restriction on freedom of speech and geographical movement, noted William T. Snyder, MCC executive secretary, who attended the conference. As a result, John Howard Yoder said, westerners tend to think of these regimes as something to which they must adjust, forgetting that it is a basic problem. In the past many of these governments such as those in Africa had a western base. "Since World War II we've seen many countries grow and attain independence," Mr. Snyder said. These new authoritarian governments, frequently hostile to western missionaries, are spreading. Misinformation has created a western view which sees Christians underauthoritar- ian governments as suffering clusters of people searching for a breath of free democratic air. Such a view has produced the idea that westerners should do all in their power to free people held under authoritar- ian governments. Although there are definite restrictions in socialist countries, westerners need to see the creativity of churches as well as their suffering, said Paul A. Wee in one of five case studies prepared for the conference. Mr, Wee was a former representative of Ameri- can Lutherans in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Besides regular worship services and Christian education, he found churches in the GDR have mission groups which visit the lonely and aged and counsel families. Although misinformation has created an unnecessarily bleak picture of life in some countries, lack of information has prevented westerners from seeing the true seriousness of situations in countries where the press is controlled by the government. "The long tradition of suffering in Korea has given rise to the saying that, once a person becomes a Christian, one is liable to die," Urbane Peachy said. "In some cases not much can be done by North Americans living in an authoritarian regime," said Gerald Shank, MCC secretary for Latin America, who also attended the conference. This brings the responsibility back to the U.S. Government which finan- cially supports such countries as South Korea, Philippines, and Iran. The people who support the U.S. Government are responsible, Mr. Shank said, to be informed about how their money is used. OIK1' eir wc Work: idav.i ily 29- jllege Three lich Dt3"> are:;/ Binelei it Fan unctic s, arria |i l tops sues, >l urri ItOll 3iun Zaire relief supplies arrive Shipments of blankets, milk, and meat were arriving the first part of June in Zaire for distribution to persons who became refugees during the civil war in the country's southern Shaba Province. "We do not have any volunteers in the southern part of Zaire near where the fighting was," commented Mennonite Cen- tral Committee Zaire representative Phil Rich, "but we have heard from a missionary and from several Zairian church leaders that the needs are great." James Davis, MCC volunteer with Zaire tmi Protestant Relief Agency (ZPRA), was to « travel to Shaba and, together with the Methodist Church there, look into the needs and plan how these resources made available by North American Mennonites and Brethren in Christ could best help to alleviate them. ft, Hdi oca tt i 422 JUNE 28, 1977 w W orkshops announced Ir General Conference I /enty-seven workshops a day will be i'ered to conferencegoers at the triennial s sions of the General Conference Menno- i e Church July 28 to August 3 in Bluffton, i lio. Most of the workshops will deal with the |-:me of the conference, "Family in Focus." I t boards and commissions will also pnsor workshops on different issues in hir work. Workshops are scheduled at 1:30 p.m. on 1 iday, Saturday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, .jly 29-30 and August 2-3 on the Bluffton l|)llege campus. IThree topics will be discussed in groups juich will meet for all four sessions: ' ffective Parenting," "Divorce and Remar- ij.ge," and "Singleness in the Church." Other family-related workshops will be seated two or four times: "Christian jLrenting," "Divorce and Remarriage," 1 ingleness in the Church," "Television and ib Family," "Male-Female Roles," "Family jinctions in a Rapidly Changing Culture," ' ,'ommunicating the Faith in the Family," ''hristian Approaches to Sexuality," "Re- lonsible Life-Styles for Christian Fami- ', s," "Abortion," "Single Parenting," "Sex 'utside of Marriage," "Making Good arriages Better," "Life Enrichment as We jjrow Older," "Developmentally Disabled," 'reparation for Marriage," "The Family rter the Children Are Gone," and "After igh School— What Then?" Commission- and board-sponsored work- ops will include "World Hunger, Food sues, and Population Control: What Can e Do?" "Christian Missions Working rider Authoritarian Regimes," "The Com- ission on Overseas Mission: A Binational Separate U.S. and Canadian Mission )ard?" "Meeting the Pastoral Shortage irough Gift Discernment," "Keeping Our istoral Leaders Alive and Growing," Church Planting," "Energy Issues," "War ixes," "Evangelism: What Kind of Train- g Is Needed?" "Day Care, Housing, Rental Health, Advocacy, Community ministries, and Mennonite Voluntary Ser- ce," "Indian Ministries: Who Are the New jiaders?" "How Does Good Planning in the ocal Church Get Done?" "Christian Ser- |ce: Are We Maintaining the Status Quo or forking for Peace and Justice?" The (ommission on Education will be sponsor- jg learning centers in which participants jm talk to staff about current projects, j eluding the Foundation Series curriculum, !id projected activities. ! Registration for the conference begins at ] )on, Thursday, July 28, in Burky Gymnasi- |n, Bluffton College. Belete Kabangu Kazadi Belete added to speakers' list A Canadian college professor and an Ethiopian Bible Society executive will be among the speakers at the triennial sessions of the General Conference Mennonite Church July 28 to August 3 in Bluffton, Ohio. J. Winfield Fretz, professor of sociology at Conrad Grebel College and the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, will give two addresses on the theme of the confer- ence, "Family in Focus." His academic speciality is in the sociology of the family. He is a graduate of Bluffton College and the University of Chicago. He taught sociology at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, in 1942-63. He served as president of Conrad Grebel College from 1963 to 1973. Mr. Fretz will speak at 7:00 p.m., Sunday. July 31, in the Kinghorn Center, Ohio Northern University, Ada, and at 7:30 p.m., Monday, August 1, in Founders Hall on the Bluffton College campus. Ato Million Belete, Ethiopian-born presi- dent of the Mennonite World Conference, will address the closing celebration of the conference at 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, August 3, in Founders Hall. Mr. Belete now serves as regional secre- tary of the Africa Region of the United Bible Societies, with offices in Nairobi, Kenya. He was the first African to fill that position. Other speakers will include Elmer Neu- feld, dean at Bluffton College and president of the General Conference Mennonite Church. He will give the Sunday morning sermon at 10:30 a.m. in the Kinghorn Center at Ohio Northern University. Two Zairian pastors, Kazadi Muadianvita and Kabangu Lubasi, will also be present to speak during the reporting time of the Commission on Overseas Mission at 9:00 a.m., Monday, August 1. The conference sessions will include commission and board reports, worship, business, and workshops. Some separate sessions are planned for youth, women's and men's organizations, and U.S. delegates. The conference will open at 6:30 p.m., Thursday, July 28, and close at 9:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 3. All sessions will be at Bluffton College except on Sunday, when they will be held at Ohio Northern Universi- ty- More information on registration or schedule is available from Conference Information, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Probation hostel closed in Winnipeg A hostel in Winnipeg for men on probation operated by Mennonite Central Committee (Manitoba) has been temporarily closed for lack of staff, and a second hostel at 900 Grosvenor Avenue may close at the end of June. Vern Ratzlaff, director for MCC (Manito- ba), said only one of the applicants for staff positions had indicated "a continuing commitment to peer relationships on a live- in basis" which is basic to the operation of the hostels. The hostels, opened in 1971, originally followed the group home model, with an older houseparent couple as staff, but recently there had been a shift to the "peer image" approach to staffing. That is, staff are young men about the same age as the clients, and they live with the residents to be available around the clock. Mr. Ratzlaff said MCC (Manitoba) was still committed to the probation hostel concept and would continue to rent the two houses in the hope that staff become avail- able. HE MENNONITE 423 Words & deeds Daniel Peters, General Conference Menno- nite missionary in Mexico, was ordained as elder May 19 in the Mennonite Church of Burwalde (Swift Current area) near Cuauh- temoc, Chihuahua. At its last meeting, the Mennonite Church of Mexico voted to have the three area churches be autonomous, which necessitated the ordination. The three area churches (Burwalde, Steinreich, and Quinta Lupita) do many things jointly, including retreats, schools, summer Bible school, workshops, youth activities, fire insurance, song festivals, and harvest festi- vals. Daniel and his wife, Elma, have served in Mexico for more than twenty years as teachers and pastor. They come from the Blumenorter Mennonite Church, Gretna, Manitoba. About seventy-five people were expected June 22-28 in Winnipeg for a missionary retreat for the Commission on Overseas Mission of the General Conference. In- cluded were missionaries on furlough, missionary candidates, commission staff, and three commission members. Theme of the retreat, held at Canadian Mennonite Bible College, was "Coping with Change." This involves change overseas, on furlough, in personal relationships, and in retirement, reassignment, or termination. Resource persons were to include David Schroeder, Bernie Wiebe, Rudy Regehr, Gerald Loew- en, Henry Gerbrandt, and Jake Harms, all of Winnipeg. Junior choirs from the Calgary, Alberta, Mennonite churches joined June 5 for a spring concert. More than seventy children, ranging in age from ten to fifteen, participat- ed. This was a follow-up of a workshop held in Calgary last year. Several hundred people gathered at Camp Koinonia in Manitoba May 15fora mission festival. Included were representatives of the General Conference Commission on Over- seas Mission, Canadian Conference, Mani- toba Conference, Manitoba camps, and Mennonite Central Committee. The sound of a gong sent groups moving from one resource center to another. The day included a barbecue. A Families for Justice weekend workshop is being planned August 19-21 at Roxbury Camp, west of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This is one of a series of Discipleship Workshops sponsored by Evangelicals for Social Action. The workshop, coordinated by Ron Sider of Philadelphia, will examine the biblical demands for justice in the global Colombians start hog project A hog-raising project got under way recently in Bebedo, Colombia, with the help of MENCOLDES, the inter- Mennonite economic development and service agency in Colombia. The pigs were transported by truck and launch (shown above) to Bebedo ira March by MENCOLDES staff and four professors from the National University oh Medellin. Colombian volunteer Misael Prieto spent a month and a half in Bebedo helping tha farmers build pigpens. community. Mennonite Central Committee recently placed on the ESA staff Weldon and Marg Nisly of Elkhart, Indiana. Weldon graduated this spring from Goshen Biblical Seminary. Other resource people are Jerry and Lynette Meek, Judy Alexander, Arbu- tus Sider, and Bev and Charlie Lord. More information is available before July 9 from Families for Justice, 3 1 2 West Logan Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19144. The Evangelical Mennonite Mission Confer- ence is planning its eighteenth annual convention June 30 to July 3 in Winnipeg. John Regehr, teacher at Mennonite Brethren Bible College, will speak on Christian education. The Evangelical Mennonite Conference broke ground May 24 for a new headquar- ters building in Steinbach, Manitoba. Since 1972, offices have been housed in a tempo- rary building on the grounds of Steinbach Bible Institute. Previously, offices were in small, rented quarters. Housed in the new administration building will be the offices of the Board of Missions and the Board of Education and Publication, plus a modera- tor's office, although the EMC does not have a full-time paid moderator. The conference has about 4,500 members, about 90 percent in Canada. Members of the Charleswood Mennonite Church in Winnipeg and the Koostatak United Church on the Fisher River Reserve! had a joint service May 8 on the reserve. The Koostatak choir sang several songs in Cree and the Charleswood youth group sang two songs. "I have had an opportunity of relating' to some Indian people in a real friendly, warm way," said one Charleswood member. "With this comes the knowledge that this potential is there in other situations." The Mu-Cha Mennonite church in Taipei, Taiwan, had its first baptismal service April 10. The four baptized were Mr. and Mrs. Tsai and Michael and Mark Sprunger, sons of missionaries Hugh and Janet Sprunger. The Mu-Cha Church was founded as a chapel in October 1975. Ontario Mennonites and Brethren in Christ raised $150,000 for MCC's worldwide programs at their annual relief sale in New Hamburg May 28. The total was less than last year. "Items donated for sale were up to last year, although buying was not as brisk," said MCC (Ontario) director Ray Schlcgel. ■0:. (It! iici[ ( p, kildi "Si on ton ii rai ttbb m Ut ki nuk tJn is f tag Vet k\ litt h to 424 JUNE 28, 1977 I general Doard Vhen we were children, Dad would say, "Aufs Wort gehorchen!" 'Obey immediately!") He expected no time lag between his arental command and our obedience. Today I cherish the isciplined orientation our parents instilled in us. I believe this can e paralleled to our heavenly Father's expectations for His hildren. The Hebrew word for "obey" and "hear" is one: shema. "But this command I gave them, 'Obey my voice, and I will be our GOD, and you shall be my people; and walk in all the way that command you, that it may be well with you.' But they did not obey r incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the tubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not orward" (Jeremiah 7:23, 24). Our Lord Jesus repeatedly stressed he importance of being hearers and doers of the Word. My burden for the people of God, and for our General Conference particularly, is that we be an obedient people. Surely we /ould agree that we hear and have heard the Word. The command if Jeremiah 7 relates to our entire fellowship. As one small part of his people, elected by the people, we the General Board, have truggled to be obedient. Yet, I sense that the level of our openness in truly hearing and 'beying God's voice in the sometimes heavy agenda items has aried. Indeed, discernment and waiting on His Spirit have lappened. At other times, other pressures and priorities have irevailed. tajor Actions What, then, have been the major actions of this body of sixteen epresentatives? What does it really mean to be mandated to rovide long-range views in conference programming? How do sixteen very diverse (geographically and vocationally) persons determine major policies for 60,000 General Conference Menno- nites in Canada and the United States — especially when the board meets only twice annually? To help facilitate these functions, the executive secretaries of the commissions and business manager report developments and trends. The six-person executive committee meets regularly prior to board sessions, held in Newton, Kansas, in Rosemont and Washington, Illinois, and at triennial sessions. Canada-United States relations continued to be high on the agenda. Given an emerging Canadian national consciousness, it is understandable that church structures are also affected. District presidents discerned that no block of time for specifically U.S.- related concerns should be set aside ahead of the Bluffton conference, but that caucusing should happen as necessary. College/ conference concerns received attention for two days. Seminary and college presidents, Commission on Education and Department of Higher Education was strengthened. Systematic visits to the three hundred congregations have been undertaken by board and commission members. Ministers trained in nonconference schools are being invited to General Conference central offices for three-day visits. Financial and budget considerations take up General Board time. Each February, consultations are held with the Division of Administration to determine overall budgets. From 1975 to 1977 the budget grew from $2,657,725 to $3,179,883, the bulk of which (about 65.5%) is received by the Commission on Overseas Mission. During the triennium, the war tax question has become an agenda item. Can a church agency continue to serve as an arm of the 'HE MENNONITE D-1 federal government for tax collection? Cornelia Lehn, a conference employee, became convinced after much discernment that she could not allow her money to be used for "something as diabolical as war." Therefore she requested that the conference office not withhold from her paycheck that portion of the income tax (about 50%) that goes for war. Even though Marlin Miller, president of Goshen Biblical Seminary, led the board in biblical studies on the subject, and in spite of the fact that many hours have been spent in agonizing over the question, her request has not been granted. One result of the struggle is that the Commission on Home Ministries has been asked to prepare a study process on civil disobedience and tax refusal, geared to helping congregations grow. The suggestion is that congregations prepare for this agenda item which is certain to emerge at the Bluffton triennial sessions. Other action included: -supporting the call for discovering gifts of each member via "Discover 450," initiated by the personnel secretaries. -supporting the Umsiedler in Germany through the Conference of Mennonites in Canada working with Mennonite Central Committee. -setting dates and budget for the 1977 triennial sessions in Bluffton. -requesting the Commission on Education to further consider the issues of family, marriage, divorce, and discipline. -grappling with personnel questions, especially as related to separation, divorce, and remarriage. -processing Schowalter Foundation, Mennonite Mutual Aid, and other grant requests. -encouraging continued appointment by Women in Mission of representatives to each program commission and the seminary board. -accepting the Division of Administration's recommendation regarding remodeling and financing of conference offices for an expenditure of nearly $300,000. -expressing appreciation for the editorial services of Larry Kehler, P. B. Wiens, and Lois Barrett, who resigned. Appointments The following appointments were made during the triennium: -Jacob T. Friesen as Ministerial Leadership Services director. -Marvin Kehler to the Division of Administration. -Stanley Bohn, Andrew Shelly, and Delbert Gratz to the Germantown Corporation. -Don Klippenstein and Laverna Klippenstein to the committee on The Mennonite. (general Secretary SINCE 1974 North America What has happened in North America since 1974? Nixon has resigned in disgrace. Ford carried on for a while, and now evanglical Jimmy Carter sits in the White House. Alberta continues to boom, and the Parti Quebecois won elections in Quebec. The energy crisis was new in 1974; it is older and much more serious in 1977 after a record cold winter and shutdowns of industry and il vet -Charles Neufeld to MCC U.S. Ministries, later replaced b Richard Friesen. -Henry Fast as member-at-large to CHM. -Edwin Regier and Ruth Dyck to Bethel Hospital Board [sir; Newton. -Ted Stuckey as business manager and treasurer of Division Administration. -Youth representatives Don Flaming, Greg Franz, Tom Harder Mark Neufeld, Sylvia Peters, Sue Ann Sprunger, and Patsy War it'- to the Bluffton conference program committee. -Diane Zimmerman Umble as communications coordinator. -Kenneth Bauman, Walter Franz, and Dorothy Nickel Friesen t the Department of Higher Education. -James Gingerich and Anne Neufeld Rupp (replacing Mariai Franz) to the committee on the ministry. -Dorothea Janzen (replacing Floyd Bartel) to the Mennoni Biblical Seminary Board. -Lynn Liechty (replacing Peter Ediger) to Commission on Horn Ministries. -Siegfried Bartel, Harold Regier, Esther Rinner, Hedy Sa- wadsky, Ted Stuckey, and Erland Waltner to a salary study tas force. -Peter Ratzlaff and Fred Unruh (Canadian), Lotus Troye (Central), Horace Kratz (Eastern), Elmer Friesen (Northern Lauren Friesen (Pacific), and Frank Keller (Western) to thi nominating committee. -Jacob Giesbrecht and Musa P. Nand to full power of attorney ii India. -Anna Juhnke, Paul Isaac, and Dale Schrag (replacing Elme Ediger) to the News Service reference council. -Elmer Neufeld, Stan Bohn, James Waltner, and Edward Enns t< a structural negotiations committee with Conference of Menno nites in Canada. The following were appointed as fraternal delegates: Edward Enns, 1975 Mennonite Brethren Conference; Elmer Neufeld, 197M[ and 1977 Mennonite General Assembly; Erland Waltner, 197p Church of the Brethren Conference; William T. Snyder, 197: World Council of Churches Assembly, Nairobi, Kenya. Executive secretary reappointments were made: Palmer Becker Commission on Home Ministries; John Gaeddert, Commission oi Education; Howard Habegger, Commission on Overseas Mission) and Heinz Janzen, general secretary. Conference papers appointments: Bernie Wiebe, The MennoniU editor; Ingrid Janzen, Der Bote acting editor (replacing P. B, Wiens); Gerhard Ens, Der Bote editor. Hedy M. Sawadsk) tract ■ id The i jousl r.i (Me ttowii »lmi Bcati enr.i1 iiiadi I.C mes nfei insi re il ii IT ore c And son: lest f< m 6Sf[ m75 f 75 colleges. The Vietnam fiasco was still fresh in 1974; by now President Carter has pardoned draft resisters and set up machinery to upgrade discharges. The armaments industry, with North American orders cut back, is making a killing overseas. The news spotlight has shifted from Asia to Africa, now seething with unr est. More attention is given to domestic matters such as the breakup of marriages, child abuse, unwed mothers, abortion, and provocative sex in magazines and television. A growing apprehen- sion exists over the power of the mass media to manipulate, not i Ibei fell let in i D-2 JUNE 28, 1977 ly through advertising, but also through managed news verage. Institutional power through money, technology, infor- ition banks, and rapid communication creates unease and trust among individual citizens. Faster and faster change racts, repels, and hypnotizes us. Our affluent life-style charms us d yet creates nostalgia for the simpler good old days. But people : also seeking for quality of life beyond mere accumulation. e Church The missionary expansion resolutions of 1974 have been taken iously in North America and overseas, as reported elsewhere, •neral Conference Mennonites have contributed record sums to : Mennonite Central Committee for alleviating world hunger, lowing up the resolution on world hunger. The war tax olution of 1974 has been followed by extensive research, ucation, and debate. The calls to recognize the unique Canadian snnonite identity have continued, resulting in the beginning of nadian-General Conference restructure talks. Apart from formal conference action, a number of trends are :n: 1. Church institutions are growing: mental hospitals, colleges, mes for the aged, MCC, district/ area conferences, and General inference. Why? This is part of a general trend in North America institutionalize: grocery stores, gasoline distribution, health re, education, and entertainment. With more powerful secular ititutions, Christians feel the need to develop strong alternative uctures to stand against the power of the former. 2. The quest for quality of church life demands specialized staff, )re complex programs, and enormous input. For instance, the iundation Series required dozens of meetings, hundreds of rsons, thousands of miles traveled, and millions of dollars. The est for quality also affects local congregations. More and more is manded of both pastors and members. Catechism is becoming lger and more intensive. Outreach programs demand more and jre time, money, and persons. Charismatics basically are seeking r quality in prayer and worship, beyond mere ritual. Greater mplexity and diversity mean more and more meetings and an ormous demand on church leaders and pastors. 3. At the same time, a desire for simplicity affects all of us. This mes both as a conservative cry of "back to the Bible" and a radical lewal departure from traditional conference structures into use churches. A pressing for one doctrine or one social issue to the neglect of hers is symptomatic of this desire to get rid of endless new mands on time, money, and energy. Such a narrowing of concern :en fails to consider the complexity of life, the wholeness of the spel, or the infinitely varied needs and desires of the 60,000 ;mbers of the General Conference Mennonite Church. 4. We are talking less about merger and cooperating more with aer Mennonites, as evidenced by The Foundation Series, new Dups joining the Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission, more joint ace and social concerns projects. 5. The focus is on persons. General Conference attention in the 50s seemed to be on recapturing and refining our Anabaptist :ology. Issues were at the forefront in the sixties: race, peace, aital punishment, poverty, hunger. Now conference programs : becoming more person oriented. COE has staff in career unseling, family relations, and male/female roles. CHM has a ge program of voluntary service person-to-person ministries, an abler of congregational goal setting, and a shift to a personalized :us in peace education. Overseas mission is sensitive to national urch aspirations rather than pushing programs or issues, inisterial leadership emphasizes supportive ministries to pastors d their families rather than merely filling pulpits. Our mmunication efforts are moving from print and picture to E MENNONITE D-3 VISIONS FOR 1977-80 AND BEYOND i1 HI i (vis ill)'. personal contacts by staff, board, and commission members. 6. God is at work among us, sometimes through the Genera Board and its secretary, sometimes through agencies, missionaries volunteers, and editors. At other times, God makes wonderfu things happen in local congregations apart from conference actio^ jawei (Sometimes He intervenes in spite of us.) "Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do ii more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to him be glory in th church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and eve) Amen" (Ephesians 3:20, 21). leiei' jr.. :;r auai Ik 1. We need a base of faith in which to root our relationships, ou action, and our organizations. While we must love people in thei kaleidoscope variety, we must maintain integrity about those thing Jesus has revealed to us in the Scriptures. I affirm the work of ou commissions and seminary, which challenge us to have a souni theological base for our life and work. We need to keep our Lori Jesus Christ at the center of our church life, avoiding the tendencj to be lopsided. A number of congregations are working on a new confession of faith. Such a study process is a means of Christia education, perhaps even more important than the final stateme itself. If we are to reach out in evangelism, we need a clear Christia identity to communicate. 2. Having a common center in Jesus Christ, we can deal with tlj immense variety of pieties, activities, and cultural expressio among us. While the U.S. -Canada differences in theology, culturi and temperament are significant, the distinctions within eac country are even greater. We must learn to appreciate the variety i our midst, keeping in conversation with each other, striving ti maintain our own integrity under Christ. 3. We need new and flexible relations with the Conference Mennonites in Canada. In our fast-moving world, no agreeme can ever remain fixed and permanent. We need "planne renegotiation" constantly in many areas of conference life, witho feeling uncomfortable about it. 7 hrisi i: IV,; »pli Alberta British Columbia Manitoba Ontario Saskatchewan 7967 1,428 2,768 5,121 3,877 4,147 GENERAL CONFERENCE MENNONITE CHURCH Membership Statistics 1967-1976 1968 1,415 2,154 6,957 3,928 4,359 1969 1,434 2,709 7,059 4,471 4,343 7970 1,424 2,822 7,111 4,526 4,392 7977 1,441 3,089 7,149 4,544 4,320 7972 1,462 3,160 7,107 4,589 4,283 7973 1,497 3,234 7,136 4,655 4,387 7974 1,521 3,328 7,100 4,768 4,466 7975 1,538 3,077 7,886 4,820 4,524 7976 1,551 3,350 8,187 4,866 4,667 year Net Increase (Decrease) 123 582 3,066 989 520 17,341 18,813 20,016 20,275 20,543 20,601 20,909 21.183 21,845 22,621 5,280 Central District Eastern District Northern District Pacific District Western District 8,404 4,612 6,042 3,297 13,883 8,442 4,579 6,097 3,323 13,896 8,388 4,132 6,088 3,365 13,640 8,366 4,139 6,040 3,371 13,620 8,800 4,109 6,132 3,421 13,852 8,673 4,206 6,081 3,416 13,753 8,914 4,462 6,058 3,251 13,798 8,643 4,503 5,560 3,262 13,566 8,822 4,392 5,598 3,173 13,688 8,899 4,633 5,629 3,254 13,982 495 21 (413) (43) 99 36,238 36,337 35,613 35,536 36,314 36,129 36,483 35,534 35,673 36,397 159 South America 2,366 2,366 2,367 2,367 2,367 2,520 2.544 2,296 2,191 2,237 (129) 55,945 57,516 57,996 58,178 59,224 59,250 59,936 59,013 59,709 61,255 5,310 D-4 JUNE 28, 1977 4. We need praise and prayer. One prominent Mennonite says at we are borderline humanists in our emphasis on practical rvice. While keeping our service emphasis, we need to undergird it th exuberant praise to God and prayer for His guidance and >wer for service. We expect this of our missionaries and pastors, ow about ourselves? 5. We need to make disciples. The Church Growth conference st fall generated a lot of resistance from some delegates. :emingly, they feared we would lose something through angelistic outreach. Nevertheless, the words of our Lord remain: Vll authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go erefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the ime of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching em to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with iu always, to the close of the age" (Matthew 28:18-20). The early Christians were missionaries. Our Anabaptist forebears were vigorous evangelists. The General Conference was born in a wave of missionary interest. We are concerned about the "all things" of Jesus' teaching, not wanting a crippled gospel. We are concerned about the total needs of persons. This includes not only meeting material need, but introducing persons to the living Christ who alone can make us whole. Jesus focused his attention mostly on twelve men, mostly in the confines of Palestine. So also we need to hear the Spirit directing us to those specific places and persons for concentrated witness and service. Then let us by God's power "make disciples." What are your visions for the General Conference for the next year, triennium, decade? Heinz Janzen General Secretary Ministerial Leadership §ervices ifts to Equip God's People "Each one of us has received a special gift in proportion to what hrist has given. ... It was he who 'gave gifts to mankind'; ... He d this to prepare all God's people for the work of Christian rvice, in order to build up the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:7, 1 1, !)■ We need to recover the New Testament view of the church as the ople of God ministering to each other and the world. The term mstoral ministry" as generally used is not biblical. Pastors are not "in the ministry." The people of God are in the ministry. Pastors are to equip God's people for ministry. Pastors cannot do the people's ministry for them. People, not pastors, make pastoral visits. If the pastor is present, he/she is accompanying persons who need to be equipped for ministry. Spiritual gifts necessary to minister to the needs of people are present, waiting to be called forth. Failure to exercise these God-given gifts has led to our present unbiblical and unrealistic use of pastoral leadership. Pastors are busy doing the people's rightful ministry. Since we are all shaped by the same \v'-.. HE MENNONITE D-5 'FULL-TIME PASTOR SUPPORT SURVEY Congregation Number of attitudes and traditions, it is not surprising that as pastors we are willing to do the people's ministry and see it as "our busy schedule." Until we recover more of the New Testament church's view of ministry, calling forth gifts of leadership and training pastors to be equippers of God's people for ministry will be difficult and frustrating. Growth teaming for Pastors In October 1976, the district ministerial committees and conference ministers engaged in a Pastor Care Consultation. In November 1976, the directional goals for pastoral leadership were set forth by the General Conference committee on the ministry: 1. Every pastor is encouraged to participate in a minimum of three weeks of study and growth experience and professional development within a three-year period. Area of needs would be determined in consultation with regional leadership. Plans are being developed to implement this goal. Time and finances need to be negotiated between pastor, congregation, district/ provincial conferences, and General Conference. 2. Pastors are encouraged to complete one unit of clinical pastoral education to strengthen their ministry. Certified CPE programs are available within driving distance of many communi- ties. 3. Marriage enrichment workshops for pastors and spouses are recommended for each region. 4. A suggested base salary for every full-time pastor is not less than $9,500 in the U.S. and $9,800 for Canada for 1977, plus housing and business expenses, with subsequent annual cost of living adjustments. Figuring minimum cost of housing as $2,400 in the U.S. and $3,600 in Canada and minimum business expenses (travel, books, etc.) $1,200, the pastor's total minimum salary would be $13,200 in the U.S. and $14,600 in Canada. Experience, ability of church to pay, and varying needs of pastor's family need to be given special consideration. The pastor's salary survey compiled in 1977 gives some indication of present levels of support: size churches Mean Median Range I United States 0-99 25 $14,460 $14,580 $10,275-24,328 100-199 27 14,181 13,474 10,991-20,51 200-299 21 14,543 14,812 10,332-18,71 300-plus 39 16,166 15,837 11,150-24,31 Canada 0-99 15 13,430 13,240 10,875-19,61 100-199 18 14,967 14,683 10,1 50-1 8,9| 200-299 14 16,531 16,337 10,600-19,9- 300 plus 25 17,250 17,255 13,450-20,3- *Full-time in this calculation is $10,000 or more total church suppa ^ annually. This may include base salary, housing, fees, gifts, c ^ allowance, pension, social security, utilities, medical insuranc expenses to attend conferences, continuing education allowanc books allowance, and an entertainment allowance. anc 0' n Kve Pastors and congregations are being urged to plan for adequa were retirement of 10 percent of salary (base salary and housinj orde Churches with parsonages may place 1 percent of pastor's sala to into the pastor equity fund for retirement housing. Una Jl Men Hbs m iPf; h It men h Who Is the Pastor's Pastor? tan ii yeai Me; In ir si District and provinces are giving priority to pastoring pastor Conference ministers in the U.S. are giving top priority to the nee( ^ of the pastor as a person. The Central District has had over half the pastors participating in the Pastor-Peer-Partner program Clusters of pastors within driving distance of each other meet f( one day each month for a carefully planned sequence of individu and group experiences developing skills in team building, leadii groups, sharing verbatim, dealing one-to-one with person growth, and setting work goals. Openness, sharing, and caring an jj, important elements in Pastor-Peer-Partner programs. Who Will Be Our Next Pastor? Forty to sixty congregations, approximately 20 percent of o churches, make decisions on new leadership each year. A lar percent go through the process of extending or terminating pasto leadership. The time and energy expended in calling, extending, ( terminating pastoral leadership is staggering! Therefore, it i essential that the process be a growth-renewal experience rathe than disruptive and dehumanizing. Annual evaluation for tota church leadership, including the pastor, under appropriate guidance is proving useful and stabilizing. V We are in need of adequately trained pastoral leadership. Of th 1 * pastors called to serve General Conference Mennonite churches i the last triennium forty-one grew up in non-Mennonite homes an were trained in non-Mennonite institutions. This is the greate! single source of new pastoral leadership. We praise God for thes gifts! However, this places a heavy responsibility on us to orient an share with this leadership the vision and witness which we belief God is making through our family of Mennonite churches. k God's Hand Reaching In The local congregation is God's hand reaching in to identity gift of leadership. The General Conference at Bluffton will challenj the local church to be God's hand reaching in to its own ranks to fl leadership responsibilities. Jacob T. Friesi D-6 JUNE 28, 19WEv Der^Bote Der Bote is the German-language weekly paper published by the jeneral Conference Mennonite Church. It was established in 1924 n Rosthern, Saskatchewan, where it was edited and printed for jver forty years. Originally, as its name indicated, Der Immigranten- Bote ("The emigrants' Messenger") served as a link between Mennonite mmigrants who arrived in Canada from Russia in the 1920s. A few /ears later the name of the paper was changed to Der Bote ("The VIessenger"). It began to serve all German-speaking Mennonites in ^orth America, as well as those in South America and Europe. In 1968, the editorial office of Der Bote moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and the paper has also been printed and mailed in saskatoon since that time. The 1974-77 triennium has brought ups ind downs for Der Bote. Circulation Grows The high point came in the wake of the unprecedented wave of everal thousand Mennonite immigrants (called Umsiedler) who vere permitted to leave the Soviet Union in the last few years in )rder to resettle in West Germany. Due to a special subscription Irive, Der Bote gained about 500 new subscribers among the Umsiedler. The introduction of the Every Home Plan by the Conference of vlennonites in Canada resulted in a further increase of ubscriptions — about 400 in Canada. These two major increases )rought the total subscriptions over the 9,000 mark — the highest in nore than a decade. Sew Editor The second more pronounced change during the present riennium was the retirement of Peter B. Wiens, who edited Der ^ Bote for thirteen years. Gerhard Ens of Gretna, Manitoba, has been ippointed as his successor. It has been my privilege to work for more than a decade for Der Bote and thus to be part of the ongoing activity of the General Conference and of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada as ervants of God. The loyalty of the many readers, in spite of a liversity of opinions, and their faith have been an encouragement ind challenge to me in all these years. At times, I have been of "little aith" regarding the future of Der Bote. I am glad that the mblication of Der Bote appears to be assured for years to come. Ingrid Janzen j [\ews Service ""Jews Service provides news articles about the General Conference o both church and secular periodicals. Each week a selection of lews about conference programs, happenings in local congrega- ions, and people in the General Conference is mailed. These irticles go to General Conference publications like The Mennonite, Der Bote, and Window to Mission; to district and area conference mblications; to inter-Mennonite newspapers like Mennonite Weekly Review and Mennonite Reporter, to magazines of other Vlennonite conferences; to other church publications; and to some ;ecular newspapers in areas with a high Mennonite population. In iddition, selected articles are sent to hometown newspapers of new nissionaries or voluntary service workers and to other newspapers n areas where Mennonite news is happening. During the past Sally Kosdorf doing paste-up job for Der Bote. Rev. J. J. Thiessen reading Der Bote. ft H Der Bote coming off the printing press. triennium, between 800 and 900 news articles have been written and mailed by Lois Barrett, half-time editor of News Service, or by writers across the continent whom she has contacted. Some photographs also accompany these articles. Up-to-date Information News Service is a way of providing people within the General Conference with up-to-date information about what is happening with conference programs — the kind of information that doesn't come in an annual report or in a printed brochure. It uses the news sources that people read regularly and have grown to trust to give them accurate and objective reports. News Service is also a way of letting people outside the General 13 "HE MENNONITE D-7 Conference know what God is doing in our midst. As inter- Mennonite relationships grow, other Mennonite publications use more and more news from our conference as well as their own. And as General Conference Mennonites serve others in the world, non- Mennonite publications as well want information on what Mennonites are doing. In more than one instance, an article sent to a daily newspaper about a new worker going into Mennonite Voluntary Service led that newspaper to send a reporter to do a major article on the work of Mennonite volunteers in that city. News Service Policy Of major importance to News Service during the past triennium was the General Board's adoption in February 1975 of a written policy statement for News Service. This statement affirmed the role of News Service in covering a broad spectrum of General Conference news and in presenting the news honestly — both the successes and the failures. At the same time, the General Board set up a three-member reference council for News Service made up of persons from the central Kansas area. This council meets twice a year for evaluation of News Service; it is also available for meeting on short notice to arbitrate any disagreements between News The l^ennonite At the 1971 triennial conference in Fresno, one of the concerns reported by The Mennonite was the conflict of high commitment to a print medium in the electronic age. This conflict continues. Electronic gadgets (tapes, video, CB, calculators, TV, radio, records, cameras) are becoming more sophisticated and more prevalent. However, some shifts are also becoming evident. There has been a resurgence of the print media. General Conference has grown in understanding and using the electronic media. Today's print media are learning how to incorporate some of the "cool" dimensions of multilevel versus linear communication. The aim of today's communication is encounter and involvement (being cool). Electronic media do this with stereo, quad, special effects in audio and video. Print media can do some of the same through creative use of photographs, artwork, layout, style, and language. At the same time, we need the continuity and permanence of print. The present editor of The Mennonite was the director for Faith and Life Radio and Television up to the 1971 conference. The circulation for The Mennonite has increased slightly over the last triennium. This is largely because of the start of a Canadian Every Home Plan. We now have just over 2,500 subscribers in 4 Lois Barrett attending Council of Commissions. Service staff and other conference staff over what news should be released. Since its establishment, this council has never had to ba called in for arbitration, but it has provided good feedback to staff on past and future news releases. Lois Barrett (CO Ittei Hie bra at c liter lit irch isii> nidi Canada, plus another 800 free subscriptions to Canadian students. Our total circulation this past winter was 17,000. Larry Kehler terminated his editor responsibilities in AugusB] 1976. The present staff is Bernie Wiebe, editor; Lois BarrettJ associate editor, (half-time); Susan Schumacher, editorial assis tant; Myrna Iwig, part-time stenographer; and John Hiebert, a: director (services bought through Mennonite Press). There will b several changes this summer, with Lois Barrett and Myrna Iwi both terminating. The escalating costs of paper, publication, and postage havi forced the subscription price of $9.00 (presently $8.00) and an EHIl price of $7.00 (presently $6.50). At these prices, the Genera] Conference subsidy should remain constant. The direct price t readers is still one of the best magazine buys on the market. Meetinghouse, the attempt at dialogue and sharing on certain feature and news articles, has been a growing experience Cooperating in this are The Mennonite, Der Bote, Mennoniti Reporter, Christian Leader, MB Herald, Gospel Herald, EMC Messenger, and Evangelical Visitor. The dialogue via letters and articles submitted for discussio continues at a lively pace. We are also impressed with congrega' tions who are using The Mennonite as an elective for Sunday schoo classes or other discussion groups. Several congregations are usin; The Mennonite as a handout to visitors in the church and t newcomers to the community. We carry only conference or related advertising and our space i usually full. The Mennonite carries as a regular insert the Westen District News, Window to Mission, Central District Reporter, Pacific Messenger, Encompass, the MCC annual report and1 irregular inserts for the Conference of Mennonites in Canada and MCC (Canada). Our commitment is to work at making The Mennonite speak to General Conference people "where you are at," realizing that thisj will mean a wide spectrum of features and news. At the same time we want to continually hold up before us "the high calling of God i Jesus Christ" for our congregations, families, and individuals Bernie Wieb»\ IK; D-8 JUNE 28. 197 Communications mmunications Link Telephone calls and letters come requesting a "brochure on wardship," "an extra copy of last month's Leadership," formation on the triennial sessions." People ask, "Whom do I iitact to reserve a film?" These are the kinds of requests that the mmunications office is happy to respond to. The role of the communications office is to provide a vital annel for information sharing of activities of conference ngregations, of developments in the conference programs, and of concerns and convictions of General Conference Mennonites tttered across North America. ^ordination Function The communications office has been organized in the present rm since 1975. The communications coordinator coordinates formation and fund-raising mailing done by the commissions. le coordinator also facilitates planning for ads, brochures, sters, and audiovisuals for commissions and for the conference a whole. Bulletin inserts and Leadership, a resource newsletter r church leaders, are produced in the communications office. sits to congregations by board and staff members are also ordinated through this office. The Ministers' Get Acquainted Seminars are a joint service of mmunications and ministerial leadership services. In September 1975 and 1976 and May of 1977, seminars were held offering an portunity for pastors to become acquainted with other pastors, d to become acquainted with conference programs, staff, and sources. Since September of 1975, forty-eight pastors and twelve ouses have participated in the three-day seminars. aluation The question is continually asked, how can we best communi- te what is happening across the General Conference? The formation pieces continue to be evaluated for effectiveness. Your eas and evaluations are welcome. Share with us what information necessary and what information form is useful to you. Diane Umble Minister's get-acquainted seminar. Division of (^Administration ie past triennium was a year of financial growth. Part of the creases in receipts merely kept up with inflation, but there was so real growth. The excellent increase in giving in 1973 carried 'er to 1974. Receipts in 1975 were lower than in 1974. Receipts in »76 were $130,000 higher than in 1975 but were less than 100 rcent of budget for the first time since 1970. Detailed figures are as follows: jar 174 175 76 Budget 2,436,481 2,657,725 2,999,889 8,094,095 Received 2,816,029 2,798,743 2,929,467 8,544,239 Percent of budget received 115.6% 105.3 97.7 105.6% Budget increase 1973-1976 39% increase Budget receipts 1973-1976 33% increase Cost-of-living index (U.S.) 1973-1976 26% increase Trust Funds The Trust Funds of the General Conference Mennonite Church is operated as a separate accounting entity under the jurisdiction of the Division of Administration. The major funds making up trust funds are the Permanent Endowment Fund, Gift Annuity Fund, Emergency Reserve Trust Fund, and Bequest Fund. The Permanent Endowment Fund contains monies that are invested and the income used according to the expressed wishes of the donor. The corpus of the fund remains intact. Income has been HE MENNONITE D-9 ./lit Be iiircl designated for such diverse projects as support of tuberculofli sufferers, a ministerial scholarship fund, and provision for tht Schowalter Memorial Addresses at conference sessions. addition, some portions of the monies from the permanent fund are Mi designated to be applied to current commission budgets. The total amount in the Permanent Endowment Fund is $175,217. The Gift Annuity Fund is the balance of monies which have been donated to General Conference Mennonite Church on an annuity basis. Semiannual annuity payments are made to individuals at a rate based on their life expectancy. At the individual's death, the [s. original amount donated is distributed to General Conference programs according to the wishes of the annuitant as stipulated in the gift annuity agreement. The total amount in the Gift Annuity Fund shrank from|L; $ 1 87,038 at the end of 1 973 to $ 1 74, 1 7 1 at the end of 1 976. A la gift annuity was received early in 1977. Gift annuities provide excellent vehicle for a person to make a contribution and at tl same time receive periodic income for the remainder of his or hf life. The income to the annuitant is partially tax exempt. The Emergency Reserve Trust Fund is composed of 10percentM,dc| the budget of the three program commissions. This provides) cushion against an emergency such as the need to evacu missionaries or an economic crisis that would greatly reducejL current contributions. During the triennium the fund increa: from $196,785 to $273,408. The Bequest Fund is the result of an action taken by the Genei Board to receive bequests of $10,000 or more. Distribution to tht|ori|t designated program, commission, or the seminary is to be made ten equal amounts over a ten-year period. This procedure evens the flow of funds to program commissions from large gifts, there aiding the process of budgeting. The Bequest Fund grew fn $398,795 at the end of 1973 to $542,143 at the end of 1976. O $70,000 was distributed to program from the Bequest Fund in 19 This amount is in addition to $38,500 in smaller bequests that w«M| contributed directly to the 1976 budget. More and more individual^ , are seeing that conference institutions are included in their estatt|jwo planning. Stewardship Since 1975 promotional coordination has been in the hands Diane Umble, communications coordinator, serving under t] General Board. Formerly the Division of Administration ha< staff person involved in stewardship. The primary fund-raising responsibility is carried out by s and board members in congregational contacts throughout year. This contact provides two-way discussion about Gene^y Conference programs and needs. Mennonite Foundation Goshen and Mennonite Foundation of Canada provide help estate planning and deferred giving to the General Conferei constituency as well as to other Mennonite groups. ■er S inn la fore Actr Remodeling On Sunday, June 19, the remodeled building at 716-718 M. Street was dedicated at an open house ceremony. The building acquired from Mrs. Elva Krehbiel Leisy during the previ triennium on a gift annuity basis. We are very grateful for i increased space and improved working conditions that i remodeled facility gives us. In addition, space has been provided myy: any future expansion of General Conference central office st^^ The Commission on Education, Faith and Life Press, Wome: Mission, Schowalter Foundation, and the Mennonite Wol Conference office are all located in the new facility. The funds the remodeling project, totaling $300,000, were borrowed fi General Conference Trust Funds and will be repaid via Sr^ operating budgets over a fifteen-year period. mhh D-10 JUNE 28. 197T- wsions The General Conference Church has two pension plans for its urch workers. Canadian workers are enrolled in the Conference Mennonites in Canada's Pension Plan with Excelsior Life surance Company. United States workers are enrolled in the ineral Conference Pension Plan which is underwritten by esbyterian Minister's Fund. The General Conference Pension Plan has undergone a major vision during the triennium. The change has incorporated a new x-sheltered annuity contract for the purpose of accumulating tirement income. This annuity contract guarantees minimum inual interest earnings of 4 percent with actual interest earnings ojected at IV2 percent annually. In addition to the annuity mtract, a reducing term insurance contract is available to embers desiring life insurance protection. The combination of the x-sheltered annuity and reducing term insurance contracts ovide the same coverage with a greater rate of return than the der Retirement Income Endowment contract. A revised pension indbook reflecting the changes has been distributed to ministers id church boards. Staff of the conference offices and missionaries are automatically (rolled in the plan when eligible. The participation of ministers in e plan is voluntary, with enrollment occurring when a mutual ;reement is reached between the church and minister to irticipate. Approximately 60 percent of the eligible ministers are irolled in the Canadian plan and 35 percent in the General onference plan. The Division of Administration continues to urge lat each church make the minister's pension allowance a priority m in their budget. In doing so, we are encouraging you to follow le example set forth by Paul in 2 Corinthians 9 — by providing auntifully for the person God has called to serve among you. During the last triennium, a Supplemental Retirement Fund was tablished through appropriations from COM and CHM's .irestricted cash balances, $200,000 and $50,000 respectively. This ind is being used to make monthly payments to COM and CHM issionaries whose combined pension and Social Security income below $333 per month for a single person and $500 per month for couple. Sidney R. Sprunger hurch Extension Services, Inc. Church Extension Services, Inc., is a separately incorporated ibsidiary of General Conference. CES borrows money from dividuals and church bodies at 5 percent interest for one-year )tes and 5lA percent for three-year notes. In turn, CES loans oney at 6 percent to churches for church buildings, parsonages, treat grounds, etc. Many of the loans have been asked for when ) other means of financing was available. Yet no loans have had to : foreclosed, and all loans were current as of December 31, 1976. Activity during the past triennium was as follows: Year Number of loans made 1974 1 1975 3 1976 7 Amount of loans made $ 30,000 53,000 244,500 s the above figures show, 1976 had a heavy outflow of funds. This end has continued into 1977, as three loans totaling $62,000 have ready been made and a loan of $80,000 has been promised. This is left CES with a very limited amount of loanable funds. We are lerefore strongly encouraging individuals and churches to deposit inds into Church Extension Services, Inc., where they will receive return on their money and help other churches as well. Following is an abbreviated balance sheet as of March 31,1 977: Church Extension Services, Inc., assisted the Hsi-An Church in Taipei, Taiwan, with a loan for a parsonage in 1976. Division of Administration staff. Front row: Doris Yoder, receptionist and secretary; Arlene Stucky, bookkeeper (part-time); Irma Voran, secretary and receptionist (part-time); Edna Ruth Mueller, assistant treasurer. Back row: Sidney Sprunger, assistant business manager; Cindy Kurr, secretary; Ted W. Stuckey, treasurer and business manager. Assets Cash and savings Notes receivable Total Assets Liabilities and Fund Balances $129,133 493,439 $622,572 Notes payable Capital fund General fund Total liabilities and fund balances $318,660 266,300 37,612 $622,572 Ted W. Stuckey HE MENNONITE D-11 Church Extension Services, Inc. loans to the following groups were in effect during all or part of this triennium: ACTS VS Unit Anolaima Church - Colombia Beatrice Day Care, Inc. - Beatrice, Nebraska Bi-Chhoan Mennonite Church - Taiwan Bogota Mennonite Church - Colombia Calvary Mennonite Church - Barlow, Oregon Camp Camrec - Washington Camp Keola - California Camp Men-O-Lan - Pennsylvania Charleswood Mennonite Church - Winnipeg, Manitoba Chung-Ho Mennonite Church - Taiwan Church of the Good Samaritans - Holland, Pennsylvania Columbus Mennonite Fellowship - Columbus, Ohio Elkhart Coffee House, Inc. - Elkhart, Indiana Emmanuel Mennonite Church - Reinholds, Pennsylvania Evangel Mennonite Church - Tucson, Arizona Faith Mennonite Church - Geneva, Nebraska Faith Mennonite Church - Minneapolis, Minnesota First Mennonite Church - Champaign-Urbana, Illinois Goessel Mennonite Church - Goessel, Kansas Hesston Inter-Mennonite Fellowship - Hesston, Kansas Hively Avenue Mennonite Church - Elkhart, Indiana Ho-Peng Mennonite Church - Taiwan Houston Church - Houston, Texas Hsi-An Mennonite Church - Taiwan Ibague Church - Colombia Koinonia Mennonite Church - Clinton, Oklahoma Kuang-Fu Mennonite Church - Taiwan La Mesa Mennonite Church - Colombia Markham Church - Markham, Illinois Montevideo Seminary - Uruguay Mu-Cha Mennonite Church - Taiwan Orientation Center - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Peace Mennonite Church - Portland, Oregon Pleasant Oaks Mennonite Church - Middlebury, Indiana Seiling Mennonite Church - Seiling, Oklahoma South Seattle VS Unit - Seattle, Washington Spring Valley Mennonite Church - Newport, Washington Sung-Chiang Mennonite Church - Taiwan Swan Lake Camp - South Dakota Toronto United Mennonite Church - Toronto, Ontario Warden Mennonite Church - Warden, Washington Western District Conference - Oklahoma City Project White River Cheyenne Mennonite Church - Busby, Montana GIVING FOR LOCAL CHURCH, GENERAL CONFERENCE, AND MCC, 1970-1976 $9,000,000 $2,000,000 $1,000,000 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 The above graph isolates three major causes for which congregati- ons/contributions are used. Other causes are provincial and district conference programs and institutions. Local church giving 1970 - 1976 96% increase General Conference giving 1970 - 1976 71% increase MCC giving 1970 - 1976 309% increase Note: Until 1975, monies for MCC were included in the General Conference budget. These amounts have been subtracted out of the i General Conference figures for graph purposes. D-12 JUNE 28, 197 ennonite ^Biblical eminary 1974 1975 1976 ital AMBS Fall Enrollment 143 168 192 )tal MBS Fall Enrollment 53 64 70 J\BS Women Students 50 52 65 i/IBS Canadian Students 18 30 20 jneral Conference Mennonites 29 35 33 nd so we shall all come together to that oneness in our faith and our knowledge of the Son of God." Ephesians 4:13, TEV ntures of Faith by Samuel Floyd Pannabecker, published during is past conference triennium, tells the story of Mennonite Biblical minary from its early roots to its present ministry. MBS has mpleted thirty-two years since its new beginnings in Chicago in 45, nineteen years since its relocation to the Elkhart campus. BS greets the 1977 General Conference sessions with a growing rollment, a strong and fully accredited educational program, sic financial stability in a time of economic ferment, but also with ncern about General Conference student involvement in eparation for congregational pastoral ministries. irollment Grows Student enrollment trends are generally encouraging. tiese trends are encouraging in that the total enrollments of both oshen Biblical Seminary and Mennonite Biblical Seminary have creased significantly this triennium. The increase in women udents, mostly in GBS, is likewise significant. The plateau in the amber of General Conference students, and especially in anadian student enrollment, is a cause for reflection and possible mcern. Faculty Resources Strong The MBS faculty continues to be a significant resource to our students and to our congregations, both on campus and off. J. J. Enz, C. J. Dyck, Clarence Bauman, Leland Harder, Bertha Harder, Robert Ramseyer, Gertrude Roten, Orlando Schmidt, and Erland Waltner are all regularly engaged in direct teaching ministries at Elkhart. Their off-campus ministries, especially during the January "Seminary Without Walls" program, has taken them to British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Pennsyl- vania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, and Idaho. Their research and writing ministries have provided an even wider ministry, including church school curriculum materials, books such as S. F. Pannabecker's Open Doors, and Leland Harder's (coauthor) Anabaptist Four Centuries Later, and many published articles. At the recent sessions of the Central District Conference at Washington, Illinois, the seminary faculty provided the major program input on the general theme "Membership and Leadership in the Believers' Church." These presentations, widely appreciated, are available in cassette form. Continuing Education MBS helps to provide continuing education opportunities for pastors. The pastor's workshop scheduled during later January and early February each year has regularly drawn over 1 50 participants. The focus in 1974 was on preaching, in 1975 on pastoral care, in 1976 on church administration, and in 1977 on Christian nurture. The theme for January 30 - February 3, 1978, is to be worship. Selected college seniors, interested pastors, and other congrega- tional and conference leaders have found enriching resources in the regular on-campus January interterm courses in which three hours of credit can be completed during three weeks. Others have elected summer offerings sponsored by the Council of Mennonite Seminaries, of which MBS is a participant. M BS students — Yoshihira Inamine, Hiroshi Isobe, Hiroko udents leaving chapel service. Inamine, and Simoko Isobe — singing a Japanese hymn. New Testament class in the newly renovated conference room. Prof. Howard H. Charles listening while a student is making a valid point. Registrants at the Minister's Workshop on Christian Education, February 1977. Administrative Transition The approach of mandatory retirement age from administration by Erland Waltner in 1979, preceded by a normal sabbatical study year during 1978-79, occasioned discussion on future MBS administrative patterns and personnel. While some viewed this as an occasion to merge the Associated Seminaries into a single institution under one president, a joint AMBS board advisory committee on long-range planning counseled that at present it would be better to continue a structure in which the General Conference Mennonite Church and its Board of Trustees would be directly represented in seminary administration with its own president, thus continuing essentially a flexible team structure which has functioned satisfactorily over the past nineteen years. In view of this, a presidential selection committee has been appointed to find a new president for MBS to begin July 1978. It is also agreed, however, that the two AMBS boards should meet together more frequently and that board size be adjusted accordingly. Off-campus Study Centers With an increase in student enrollment at Elkhart, the limitations of student housing and the awareness that significant theological training resources are to be found in many other Mennonite communities, attention has been given during the past triennium to the possibility of developing off-campus study centers where seminarians may do a year or more accredited graduate level work. Explorations have begun envisioning the possible development of an Ontario graduate theological study center at Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ontario. An arrangement already exists with Canadian Mennonite Bible College at Winnipeg, Manitoba, allowing specific transfer of credit from that institution. Off- campus study programs of this kind, however, are subject to new scrutiny by the agencies which now accredit fully the work of the MBS at a graduate master's level, namely the Association of Theological Schools of Canada and the U.S.A., and the Nort Central Association. Institutional Concerns Concerns which have occupied the attention of the AMBS faculties during this triennium include (1) our institutional goals Hf and the question of growth, (2) the place of preaching in AMBS theology and curriculum, and (3) the concern for pastoral leadership among Mennonite congregations. It is being noted that while the seminaries continue to grow, the number of seminarians who make themselves available for congregational pastoral tti leadership has not increased proportionally. One result of this is kx that congregations may be left without trained pastoral leadership or turn in other directions to secure leadership. Mennonite Biblical m Seminary is eager to cooperate with the Ministerial Leadership Services office now located at Newton, Kansas, Jacob T. Friesen, director. It is noted from the perspective of the seminary that the problem of calling new pastoral leadership, now common also in other denominations, rests not only with the seminary and with conference agencies but also, perhaps especially, with local congregations. The seminary supports the emphasis which is being given to this concern at the 1977 General Conference sessions. t Financial Support Solid The financial support of Mennonite Biblical Seminary has j remained basically solid through the past triennium. The MBS share of the library expansion program has been successfully met and a modest increase in student housing has been possible, although far from adequate. Meanwhile, however, inflationary operational costs continue to challenge the increasingly generous support which the seminary has been receiving. MBS income and expenditure budgets during the past triennium have been as follows: 1974 - 75 1975 - 76 1976 - 77 Contributions Budget Actual Contributions Income Income/Expense Budget Actual Expenses $207,600 222,759 267,355 261,055 $232,512 242,394 302,146 284,356 $265,064 ? 342,000 9 « Co ik m hi ffi It k The projected contribution budget for 1977-78 is $280,968. The projected total income for the same period is $366,968, while the anticipated expenditures are $390,766, exceeding the income by $23,798, to be covered by accumulated balances. Mennonite Biblical Seminary expresses deep gratitude to all individuals and congregations who have assisted in making this ministry a possibility. J. Herbert Fretz as coordinator of church and seminary relations and, since April 1 5, the addition of Harry E. Martens as part-time general consultant and director of the MBS Associates Program (a two-way channel of communication between regional congregations and the Mennonite Biblical Seminary) continue to give good leadership in their respective areas. Erland Waltner, President D-14 JUNE 28, 1977 omen in fission becoming Women in Mission This past triennium was a transition period for women's groups, /omen in Mission emerged from the Women's Missionary ssociation, and with that came an emphasis on the importance of very woman as a person with a mission. It was part of the times, the ^cognition anew that each individual has God-given gifts to be sed in the service of the church and the world. An indication that le time was ripe for new emphasis was in the quick and almost ffortless change in name for our organization. An emblem epicting woman's desire for peace and the spread of the gospel in ifferent ways was part of the new expressiveness. lepresentation Beginning in February 1974, Women in Mission representatives ecame official commission and seminary board members with full oice and vote. At a meeting of the General Board at Council of dmmissions in February 1977, that representation was officially xtended until further notice. The representation came as a logical )llow-up of the many years of conference support given by women irough their mission groups. It was exactly sixty years ago that the omen's organization became an auxiliary of the General Confer- nce. Commission representatives are Lois Deckert, Commission on ducation; Joyce Shutt, Commission on Home Ministries; iargaret Ewert, Commission on Overseas Mission; and Helen ruger, Mennonite Biblical Seminary. Acting in another representative capacity is Naomi Wollmann, a lember of MCC Peace Section. Naomi's chief interest has been in le field of social concerns, particularly in the area of television lfluence on home and families. She has worked with media ^sources people in the production of a brochure of suggestions for Revision viewing and response. )f Finances Women's organizations in the past triennium contributed over ,vo million dollars to various causes, about a fourth of that directly ) General Conference. This is a tremendous record of giving and '/M-made "Olivers" line up for inspection. Jeannie Zehr, editor of Window to Mission. further evidence that the modern woman is a handler of money and a potent factor in any goal-setting activities of the church. It is difficult to measure the amount of help offered by our 10,000 members locally, in district and province, and in the General Conference through the giving of money, material aid, and friendly generous service. The function of our central office is to serve and make available resources to the 444 separate groups which make up the whole body of Women in Mission. Special Points of Emphasis Part of the learning about conference involvements is to support a specific cause and then learn about it as you give. WM has found many interesting ways to study specific programs in more detail. Women in India — There are two special ways in which we are learning about women in India; first, in the promoting of special work among Indian church women through the leadership of Wives of Overseas Churchmen who are being sponsored by Women in Mission and COM. Leah Sonwani; and second, in sponsoring and attending the first Mennonite all-India women's conference this coming November. Window to Mission — A study guide to Christian living, learning about ourselves, our friends, and our neighbors are part of this special publication of WM. Travel for Wives of Overseas Students — In this triennium we helped finance the coming of Eleanore Reimer of Paraguay, Shimako Isobe of Japan, Mbongela Mukanza of Zaire, Mrs. Hiroshi Yanada of Japan, and Huang Shih Wen of Taiwan. Seminary Students — For many years we have given grants-in-aid to women who are preparing for Christian service at seminary. Hopi Mission School — A special project this triennium included the funding of excellent library books giving Indian children reasons to be proud of their heritage. Money was also given for the building program and maintenance of the school. Women in Mission Executive Committee and Staff. tor AIMM Auxiliary — The program of the Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission has had strong support from women's groups as they have assisted in the establishment of a professional girls' schoolt ? and the promotion and carrying out of seminars for village women and girls. Giving above budget provided sewing machines for village women, and thousands of layettes found their way to mission hospitals where they were given to new mothers. This phase of the program is gradually being turned over to the African women. Martha Cecilia Caro — Severely handicapped daughter of Past' and Mrs. Jaime Caro of Bogota, Colombia, must be institution- alized for therapy; we pay part of the cost. Taiwan Aid — Material aid and cash for Taiwan hospital and children's home; some garments sewed, some dried foods and materials were also shipped. Role of Women — The roles of women and men were probed by COE with the cooperation of WM in workshops and study materials. WM paid part of the salary of a COE staff person in adult education. I S|. Peace Film — Produced by Mennonite groups through CHM, WM contributed $2,000 directly. Oliver — One thousand friendly grandpa puppets were created foi COE's new Sunday school materials. Money for the Foundation! Series has been given as well. World Conference — Coming from Taiwan for World Conference in Kansas in 1978 will be a ladies' choir from one of ourchurchei in Taichung. Their tour to Mennonite communities in the Unitec States and Canada at that time will be under the sponsorship oil WM. \ '0: Martha of biblical times found herself anxious and bustling about (Luke 10:41). Today's woman must also make daily choice: as to how she can best serve her God. Whether this organizatior represents a productive avenue of Christian involvement is th< question that must be continually asked as its future is studied Gladys Goerm WM Coordinato Ifi D-16 JUNE 28, 197 . Mew Call to Peacemaking begins We missed the boat during the Vietnam Var," said Mennonite scholar John Howard foder on May 13 to the Indiana New Call to 'eacemaking historic peace church confer- nce held at Manchester College. "Some of the peace movements were not vise or mature, and we missed our chance to ead," Mr. Yoder pointed out. He described leacemaking as the "essential biblical heme" and stated that the historic peace hurches should not focus on refusal of nilitary service, but find "a whole new vision if what the world is all about," and deal with he violence and enmity of our contempor- Iry culture. The Manchester conference was the first me of thirteen regional New Call to 'eacemaking conferences projected across he country in a two-year emphasis by the /lennonites, the Friends, and the Church of he Brethren. A major aim of these events is o get the message of the gospel before every ongregation and every individual member if the participating churches. The conference in Indiana approved an ritensive peacemaking intervisitation pro- Jram focusing on local congregations in the Indiana-Michigan region starting October 23. It also encouraged "the campus ministry structure of each historic peace church to consider involvement with other historic peace churches, especially on campuses where one of the historic peace churches does not have a congregation or meeting." The New Call to Peacemaking effort will climax in October 5-9, 1978, with a peace study-action conference at the American Baptist Assembly, Green Lake, Wisconsin. Each of the historic peace churches will invite seventy-five persons to participate in the conference, with twenty-five additional representatives of other religious traditions. As resources for the series of conferences, three major task forces — on "The Biblical and Theological Basis for Peacemaking," "Christian Peacemaking as Life-style," and "Building the Institutions of Peace" — are working to develop study documents. Packets of study materials already have been produced for use by congregations in preparing for the joint study and action. Plans for the national conference at Green Lake were shaped during the most recent meeting of the planning group in Elgin, Illinois, in May at the Church of the Brethren general offices. Members of the central planning commit- tee are Norval Hadley, chairperson, from the Northwest Yearly Meeting; Francis G. Brown of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting; Lorton Heusel, Friends United Meeting; Barrett Hollister, Friends United Nations Representative; Keith Sarver, California Yearly Meeting; Robert Rumsey of the Friends World Committee for Consultation; Jacob A. Froese of the Mennonite Brethren; David Habegger of the General Conference Mennonite Church; Edward Stoltzfus of the Mennonite Church General Assembly; William T. Snyder of the Mennonite Central Committee; John K. Stoner of the Brethren in Christ; and S. Loren Bowman, Chuck Boyer, Earle W. Fike, Jr., H. Lamar Gibble, and Joel K. Thompson, all of the Church of the Brethren. To plan for the interpretation aspects of the New Call to Peacemaking, three media representatives were to meet June 8 at Quaker Hill, Richmond, Indiana. They are Frederick E. Wood, editor of Quaker Life; David E. Hostetler, editor of the Gospel Herald, Scottdale, Pennsylvania; and How- ard E. Royer, communications coordinator of the Church of the Brethren, Elgin, Illinois. MCC stance challenged on northern development Ik seminar on native issues and northern development in Morris, Manitoba, June 2 "Brought to light basic disagreements within ■tie constituency regarding the involvement 'J/lennonite Central Committee (Canada) "Should endorse. I] Several in the group of about fifty persons wit MCC (Canada) was acting outside its 'Jiandate in standing with the native people 'Bi their appeals to government to respect Ipeir land and way of life and to prevent "Corporations from destroying it. ■ Some indicated their misgivings about '■iking sides in an issue where two groups are "li confrontation, potentially violent. I "Our role is to preach the gospel," they "■aid. Others felt that, where injustice and ppression exist, the church has a Scripture- ased responsibility to witness to govern- lent against it. Staff persons with MCC (Canada) and | ICC (Manitoba) identified the various tvolvements of MCC with native people, hese include agricultural ventures in the forth; placing VS workers with native ommunities to serve as nurses, community 'orkers, and teachers; and participating 'ith other denominations in presenting the ase for the native people in several arenas, including hearings and meetings with gov- ernment officials. The point of disagreement is over the participation with other denominations in taking an active role to influence govern- ment policy. MCC (Canada) is a member of Project North, an interchurch project which has called for a delay on industrial development in the North until certain conditions are met. Settling native land claims is one of these conditions. The current controversy revolves around construction of a pipeline in the Northwest Territories that would bring natural gas from the Arctic to southern markets. MCC (Canada) is in the process of preparing a position statement that is to clarify how closely it identifies with the Project North position. Such a paper was encouraged by participants at the Morris seminar. Most of the participants appeared to doubt that Mennonites are willing to follow through on a moratorium position by reducing their energy consumption and living at a lower standard. Considerable discussion centered in the proposed appointment of a VS worker to study the land claims of the native people of Canada. MCC (Canada) has already ap- proved the position but since it is to be a Manitoba involvement, the support of the Manitoba constituency is required. Although there were no formal resolu- tions, there appeared to be a general feeling that MCC (Canada) should continue the search for the will of God on the issue of involvement, and that the agency leadership and staff should make greater efforts to carry the constituency at the grass roots level with it in the search. Participants were from Mennonite Brethren, Evangelical Mennonite Brethren, Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference, Evangelical Mennonite Conference, General Conference, and Sommerfelder churches of different communities. At its June 10-11 board meeting, MCC (Manitoba) voted against the land claims research in an 8-8 vote (with two absten- tions). However, the subject will be taken to the delegate meeting in November and reconsidered by the board thereafter. The MCC (Manitoba) board supported the other work done in native communities, such as agricultural ventures, teaching, and nursing, but felt there was too much opposition to involvement on the land claims issue to approve the VS position. HE MENNONITE 425 Churchman speaks about solitary cell The following interview is with Thomas Manthata, who works in the Justice and Reconciliation Division of the South Africa Council of Churches. He was arrested June 29, 1976, and released on March 9. The year before he spent 230 days in solitary confine- ment and then, as in the case of his most recent imprisonment, was released without any charge being brought against him. Q. What's it like to be in solitary confine- ment? What effect does it have on you? A: Well, if one doesn't lose his mind, I couldn't ascribe it to anything but the mercy of God. You come to a day, to an hour, when you find you are so despondent, so sad, that you can only dream of attempted escape. If you had to feel this was a permanent feature of your situation, you would inevitably go mad. I never had any idea of how long they were going to keep me. I could only keep guessing, and sometimes these speculations could be very terrible because when the time comes that you think you could be released and you are not, it adds one despair to another. But what I found very strengthening and enriching sometimes was the solitary situa- tion which enables you to find yourself. You have time for meditating on either spiritual or scriptural texts. I've been fortunate in my detentions that at least I've had a Bible to read. If one had a pen at some of these Churches urged to deter rights violations in Africa Strong statements against human rights violations in Africa were delivered recently at the annual meeting of the general administrative committee of the Presby- terian Church of East Africa. Committee members heard the general secretary of the All Africa Conference of Churches, Canon Burgess Carr, call for united efforts to protect men and women. They then adopted a statement asking the World Council of Churches to urge the United Nations to find appropriate deter- rents to the "wanton violations of human rights." They requested the Organization of African Unity to take immediate steps to prevent further atrocities. Mr. Carr likened the situation in some countries to what he called "open cesspools." He cited the "rule of terror" in Uganda, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, Central Afri- can Republic, and Malawi. He declared that the church in Africa had a "very special responsibility" to fight human indifference and ignorance on the issue of human rights. moments, I think one would be able to produce some quite clear and well-balanced thoughts. Q: Did you have any sort of routine that you forced on yourself? A: My routine was when I wake up, I say my prayers . . . from waking up until lunch. Then after lunch I feel like taking a nap and then going for a shower, which in some places is cold because there is no hot water available. Then perhaps I would do some exercise to keep warm. After that I'd go back to my prayers. . . . Then after supper is served, I would say my evening prayers. I found prayer of much assistance, especially when the feeling of despair comes on. . . . Q: Were you subject to heavy interroga- tion? A: Well, this is inevitable. Q: What did they want from you? A: What they were after was the role one played before and during the riots. They work on a certain pattern, and they fit you into it. Q: How do you see the situation in the country now that you have come out? You must have been very cut off inside. A: On the whole, I find a great alteration in thinking in black circles, more especially among elderly people. They have come to accept that black consciousness is a perma- nent feature, that it has come as a redemptive force, far more effective than all other methods of resistance. The orientation of the black people is towards solidarity, black awareness. The change in the black community is the biggest thing that has happened. Q: What further comments would you like to make about your detention? A: I would like to comment on the role of the church. I think it striking that much as the youth do not attend church, when they are in a detention situation, they invariably ask for a copy of the Bible, not out of fear, but out of spiritual hunger and the spiritual enrichment that solitary confinement seems so filled with. I see a role for the church here. In certain prisons there was an alarming shortage of Bibles. . . . Q: Do you think your detention has changed you? A: I'm not conscious of any change in myself. But what I am more aware of is the fears that this country is gripped in. The fear is revealed through the interrogation. The country is scared by the events on the borders resulting in the harsh reaction based on the assumption that outside forces already have control and are using those who say no to further the denigration of their II personality — black personality. It is the ignorance of the extent to which the black man has gone in self-actualization that makes one feel pity for those still laboring in the grip of prejudice. Perhaps as you experience their ignorance and fear, you cannot be bitter. You can only say: "Father, forgive them; they know not what they do." Russian Christians appeal to the West Georgi Vins, Russian Baptist now in prison, is in poor health, his family has written through Soviet German emigrants. The family's last visit to him was in February, during which time he suddenly became seriously ill. A letter from him in March reported high blood pressure, facial swelling, three blood transfusions, and seventy injections of penicillin. Keston College in England has also reported that its staff believes the arrest of four Soviet Orthodox Christians might be imminent. The four — Gleb Yakunin, Lev Regelson, Dmitri Dudko, and Alexanderflii Ogorodnikov — were criticized strongly and liiitc at length in April in Literaturnaya Gazeta, a leading Soviet weekly. b 1 Iv World peace rally in India to plan Peace Press Service A world peace conference is to take place in h India in 1979, according to Brazilian Archbishop Dom Helder Camara. He made the announcement in Londonderry, North-j ern Ireland, at a consultation held under his sponsorship with the support of the Catholii peace movement Pax Christi and thi International Fellowship of Reconciliation.! The world conference is to consider, among other issues, the formation of an| independent global Peace Press Service Participants will be asked to develop plan; for an intensification of efforts by govern- ments to bring about social change b\ peaceful means. The United Nations will be N invited to support these plans. Peace without justice is impossible according to Archbishop Camara. Injustice affects two-thirds of the people in the worlc today, he said, and he urged that "we must b< it alert" to unjust structures. Adam Curie, peace researcher at thr University of Bradford, said the world peace' c conference in India will be the starting signa for the establishment of a worldwidi kp network of groups, actively engaged il %ii gathering information and data to be used ui w fill ical m inn a concentrated campaign for peace. 426 JUNE 28, 197 » Record Ministers ■ Res and Anne Klassen have joined the full- mme staff of Mountainview Church, Van- puver, British Columbia, as coordinators of tie outreach program towards the English- peaking community. Their staff will include ssearching community needs, finding peo- le in the congregation with gifts to meet pose needs, and coordinating a comprehen- live visitation program of Mountainview's lembership. Les has attended Bible college nd has been a deacon. He was employed for Lventy years by Safeway. The new outreach iiinistry — plus a planned outreach to ' 'hinese-speaking people — receives financial ''jpport from the Conference of Mennonites 1 British Columbia and the Conference of lennonites in Canada. Workers kn eight-member presidential search com- littee was recently appointed by the luffton College board of trustees' executive ommittee. Members selected are Ted 'auman, Bluffton, Ohio, chairman; Alice liith Ramseyer, Elkhart, Indiana; Richard losenberger,, Quakertown, Pennsylvania; toward Baumgartner, Berne, Indiana; lobert Suter, Glenn Snyder, and James i'hrman, Bluffton, Ohio; and Scott Slagel, : rinceton, Illinois. Glendon and Reitha Klaassen of Moun- Kin Lake, Minnesota, have requested an G. Klaassen R. Klaassen indefinite leave of absence from their missionary assignment in Colombia under the General Conference Commission on Overseas Mission after seventeen years there. The Klaassens had been active in home Bible study and prayer groups as well as neighborhood activities. Glendon was mission treasurer and served on many committees in the church conference. He was a Bible teacher and preacher in several of the Mennonite churches in Colombia. Tom E. Noyes has been appointed director of Kings View Hospital, Reedley, California. He has served as chief of the adolescent treatment unit at Kings View since 1976. He is also a staff psychiatrist at the Fresno Community Hospital, Fresno, California. John and Elma Wiebe of Carrot River, Saskatchewan, are returning to Canada on an indefinite leave of absence for rest and family reasons. They have served in Colom- bia under the General Conference Commis- sion on Overseas Mission for ten years. E. Wiebe J. Wiebe particularly in literature distribution in La Mesa and Bogota. John also operated a bookmobile which sold books across Co- lombia. In 1976, book and supply sales totaled l1/: million pesos. Replacing the Wiebes will be Ed and Linda Enns, who are now studying Spanish in Costa Rica. They will probably arrive in Colombia in late August. ( Calendar July 23-27 — Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Toronto July 28-August 3 — General Conference triennial sessions, Bluffton, Ohio The Commission on Education is seeking a General Editor with: — journalistic skills —training to edit theological, bibli- cal curriculum —creative writing abilities —administrative proficiency —desire to work in inter-Mennonite settings. The starting date is as early as September 1, 1977, and not later than January 1, 1978. Contact: John Gaeddert, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114, or call (316) 283-5100. An equal opportunity employer M/F onference budget udget for 977 includes: ommission on ducation j>34,048 ommission on . verseas Mission ',084,949 lommission on pme Ministries ">79,918 „ lennonite Biblical eminary j?80,968 (Otal $3,179,883 1977 BUDGET: $3,179,883 $3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 ludget receipts for May were $143,734 bringing the 1977 total to $832,213. Comparable j idget receipts for 1976 were $123,339 for a total of $868,707. On a percentage basis at the lid of five months, 26.2 percent was received in 1977 and 29 percent in 1976. Ted Stuckey, [inference treasurer 1HE MENNONITE 427 Family life education R. Bruce Woods The 674 General Conference Mennonite respondents to the family life survey were asked to select those family life concerns which they thought should be offered as educational options in our churches. Each person was to indicate: (1) personal interest and (2) whether this issue was relevant for church programming. They were given thirteen possible areas of concern. Table one summarizes their responses. On five of the six top items chosen for church programming, the four sample groups (pastors, laity, singles, college-age) are in agreement. All thirteen issues received medium to high support for church pro- gramming and relevance. Previous research has indicated a 2 percent divorce rate among Mennonites. Yet, our sample gives strong endorsement, personally and at the congregational level, for educational resources focusing on marriage preparation, marriage renewal (how to stay in love), and divorce and remarriage. General Conference Menno- nites have no confidence that an earlier 2 percent statistic is an accurate predictor for the future status of our families. Many respondents cited the "pressure to stay married" from family, community, and church as deterrents which have kept Mennonites from divorcing. This pressure to stay together may be an appropriate block to quick decisions. One of the unpredictables may be the urban influence on marriage. It will take courageous couples and congregations to set up models of ministry which allow troubled families to share their struggles without judgment and embarrass- ment. Many problems could be solved if couples could work at them together with other people who care. The changing roles of men and women, while ranked next to last for church relevance, is a key issue for the top three # ON THE ^T 4 concerns. Letha Scanzoni's All We're Meant to Be is an excellent resource for group studies on marriage, singleness, and chang- ing roles. At our consultation last fall, Letha said to me, "The church must address this issue and provide Christians an opportunity to know and grow into an increasing awareness of male and female roles." There is the hint of a pattern in the question regarding church relevance as it relates to the Mennonite pastor. In almost all cases the pastors show less enthusiasm for family life issues being brought into church programming activity, compared with the other three groups under study. So, in some cases the pastor may become a blocker of higher-risk programming, since so many educational ideas go through the pastor's office first. The pastor is often asked to filter out congregational feelings on issues that can cause tension. It's a lonely task that forces pastors to choose conservatively in most instances. In the area of dating and sex education, the college-age Mennonite, as might be expected, had the highest interest of the four groups. But when it came to measuring the four groups' attitude on dating and sex education as a family life issue relevant for the church, the college-age Mennonite gave this educational venture the lowest endorse- ment. I wonder why. The single life-style issue received over- whelming endorsement from the singles. The mean score of this issue given by the single sample is the lowest score given on any of the fifty-two means recorded for the thirteen issues under study. Translated, the single Mennonites are saying, "We want recogni- tion of our life-style" in the church. Curious- ly again the college-age Mennonite sample gives lukewarm endorsement of this issue. The college-age Mennonite sample, al- though 92 percent single, really sees itself as "premarried" rather than single. Our study suggests that churches wishing to program in the areas of marriage preparation, marriage renewal, divorce and remarriage, death education, older adults, and techniques for parenting will find people's needs met! These issues should be responded to educationally. Next week we will compare the values of the 674 General Conference Mennonite respondents of this 1977 study with the values of Mennonites measured by the Kauffman-Harder study of 1972. TABLE ONE Summary of total group means (averages) as indicators of family life education concerns for individuals and for the churches Description of issue My interest a Relevant for b my church Preparation for marriage 1 .5994 1 .1471° Marriage (how to stay in love) 1 .4465 1.2891° Divorce and remarriage 1.8136 1 .3302° Death education 1 .7293 1.4100 Older adults 1 .8091 1.4502° Techniques for parenting 1.7161 1 .4903° Dating and sex education 1 .8249 1 .5276 Single life-style 1.9214 1.5381 Life planning 1 .7471 1.5867° Mennonite ethnic identity 1 .8687 1 .6079 Single parenting 2.2176 1.6194 Changing roles of men and women 1 .7935° 1.6207 Competition 1 .8848° 1 .7948° a 1 = high, 2 = medium, 3 = low. Low mean indicates high interest b These are ranked in order from highest to lowest relevance for the church. ° All four groups agreed (congruent as tested by ANOVA) THE MENNONITE 429 J Notes on i church growth Hospitality to new people One of the most common testimonies from members of growing churches is, "I am a member here because I know that I am loved and cared about." An important mark of a growing church is a caring openness to new persons. Jesus says approvingly, "I was a stranger and you welcomed me" (Matthew 25:35). Mennonites often criticize themselves for not being friendly to strangers. Let's put that criticism to rest. I know, from experience, that there are enough friendly people in every congregation to make it only partly true. Let's accent the friendliness that is already there. But why do we find it difficult to welcome new people among us? Often we ourselves still feel like strangers, not only in the world, but also in the church. Maybe that sounds incredible, but ask youself, "To whom do I turn to share what is innermost in my heart — the troubling struggles as well as the joys of everyday life?" The church is to become a family where we learn to love one another (John 15:17), bear each other's burdens (Galatians 6:2), confess our faults one to another (James 5:16), and Review 1! pray for one another. The congregation is a family where we welcome one another as Christ has welcomed us (Romans 15:7). When we feel like strangers — not really known by others and not really knowing others — it is difficult to be hospitable to newcomers. Another reason we find it difficult to welcome strangers is that they may seem a threat to what we hold dear — our Mennonite ethnicity, our position in the church, our family solidarity. One Mennonite father was concerned about too many nonethnic peoplejoining his congregation lest his children eventually marry the wrong kind of person. Then he discovered that half of the recent marriages from his church were already to non- members. This caused him to change his attitude and to promote an aggressive welcoming program. Such a position en- courages a wider sharing of our faith and will, in the end, increase the chances of his children marrying a person of like faith. Some of our churches are being renewed in deeper caring relationships through small groups, Lay Witness weekends, and other fresh experiences through God's Holy Spirit. To this I would add only one word of caution — a stress on caring within the church, without obedience to the Great Commission, can make us even more inward-focused and cliquish. Healthy caring always leads to reaching out! Floyd G. Bartel. secretary for congregational mission, General Conference Commission on Home Ministries Camp manager required Camp Koinonia at Boissevain, Manitoba, requires a Christian couple to act as camp manager and provide a warm atmosphere and cooperation to the constituency using Camp Koinonia. Responsibilities will include main- tenance of facilities and hosting of rental groups. Board and room are supplied plus a partial salary. Job description is available upon request. Contact: Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba 202-1483 Pembina Highway Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2C9 Twas Seeding Time 'Twas Seeding Time, by John L. Ruth (Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania 15683, 1976, 244 pp.) is reviewed by Bernie Retzlaff, director of adult education, Nutana Park Mennonite Church, Saskatoon, Sas- katchewan. "This book is a footnote to American Revolutionary history. It deals with material that has been considered unimportant or marginal by historians of the Revolution. . . , and it seeks to assign center stage, for aj moment, to facts that are usually lost in the tumult of the times." So writes the author in the preface. This book, based on much factual mate- rial, presents the experiences of the Menno- nites, largely in Pennsylvania, who had come to this country as a part of William Penn's experiment. These people had promised allegiance to the sovereign of England. As the flames of revolution against England were fanned, the Mennonites were not left unaffected. When calls were sent forth for men to take military training to fight the king's army, the Mennonites had a twofold problem: what to do about their traditional stand against warfare and how to be true to their promise of allegiance to the king. The war came right to the villages and farms of many of the Mennonites. As they wrestled with their consciences, people came to different conclusions. These different conclusions brought controversy into fami- lies and churches. This book helps the American Revolution become much more real in my thinking. The conflict that it brought to many Mennonite homes and churches was unknown to me before. Early American leaders such as George Washington, John Adams, Benja- min Franklin, and David Rittenhouse take on quite a different character than they are often given in traditional American histo- ries. its I is 11 0d:!> For Ids : Xdh tdii Imor tea iesn k k l le n Th can : 0 \ft odh Hr Pas Sayi Ian an: k hi t; qj hi ■ He, As! Shoi flu. Cars Elim Bible Institute has openings on a voluntary service basis in the following areas: — library, alumni affairs, public relations —maintenance. Inquiries and applications should be sent to: Victor Kliewer Elim Bible Institute Box 120 Altona, Manitoba ROG 0B0 foam ImJii 430 JUNE 28, 1977 Books can inform and in- spire you. Best of all, what you get out of a good book remains with you always, long after you've finished reading it. So discover— or rediscover— the satisfaction and pleasure of reading.— Melody Yoder Faith and Life Bookstore 159 West Main, Berne, Indiana 46711 Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Fellowship Bookeenter 302 Kennedy Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2M6 Meditation Beneath this stone and wooden cross teneath this stone and wooden cross, teneath this green and growing moss, ,ies the question of each race, Is it right this death to face?" )n this stone the words are written. For his country he was smitten." "his a man from the land of the free, )id he really say, "I'll die for thee"? Br did the people put him there — jtmong the guns and loud warfare? leneath this stone and wooden cross, ies man's curse, this albatross. hey killed him without knowing why, ike them he grew, beneath God's sky. |e have to learn to pray each day n hope our curse may fall away; a hope this truth we may understand — ,ife means so much more than land. (ilda Giesbrecht The gospel: Self-serving or good news? can spend freely for myself 0 keep pace with or pass my neighbor, aying, od has blessed me abundantly. He spent himself freely Passing from village to village and regions round about, Saying, I am come to seek and to save that which is lost, can hold on tightly as I pass by he hurt, the hopeless, the hungry, aying, heir sin is their own choosing. He pulled him from deep water and held on tightly to Peter As he passed over the sea. Should Christ have said, Oh, you coward of little faith. You are not worthy of my help. Cursing and swearing, you'll deny you ever knew me? an I bypass my cross or my conscience |jy saying, y faith I'm saved, I'm saved, I'm saved? Did Christ bypass his cross by calling on ten legions of angels, j Saying, I must be spared for me and my kingdom? jonsider the authority of his words, he first shall be last. J'hoever shall seek to conserve his life for himself shall lose it. |e will reply, "I tell you the truth, 1 hatever you did not do for one of the least of these, 3U did not do for me." , Consider the authority of these witnesses. 1 I was blind and now I can see. i For God so loved the world that He himself bore our sin in his body on the cross. Whoever claims to live in Christ must walk as he did. tennis Lehman i Contents A flag over his grave 418 Quebec separatism 420 News 422 Record 427 Family life education 429 Hospitality to new people 430 'Twas Seeding Time 430 Beneath this stone and wooden cross... 431 The gospel: Self-serving or good news? 431 Statistics can be a dangerous tool 432 CONTRIBUTORS Helen C. Coon, 1313 North College, Cordell. Oklahoma 73632, is a free-lance writer. Adolf Ens is an instructor in history and theology at Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg, Manitoba. R. Bruce Woods is the director of family life education for the Commission on Educa- tion. This week's meditation poets are Hilda Giesbrecht, Saraipali, Madhya Pradesh, India, a senior student at Woodstock; and Dennis Lehman, Route 2, Box 187, Berne, Indiana 46711. CREDITS Cover design, John Hiebert; 418, 419. Helen C. Coon; 424, GCNS. Meiuionite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard. Winnipeg. Manitoba R3P 0M4 Telephone; (204) 888-6781 Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Telephone: (316) 283-5100 Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Win- nipeg. Manitoba R3P 0M4 Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347. Newton. Kansas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schu- macher Art director John Hiebert Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circulation sec- retary: Marilyn Kaufman Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L Ramseyer, 488 West Elm Street, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick. 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117, Encompass. Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne. Indi- ana 46805, and Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P0M4. HE MENNONITE 431 Statistics can be a dangerous tool Thomas S. Cunningham, family life specialist out of Oklahoma State University, has recently reminded us that statistics are being used and misused on the divorce question (The Family, spring 1977). The family today is under new and severe pressure. Rapid change is testing the elasticity of the institution. New roles for women and men, affluence, urbanization, instantaneous global com- munications technology, a rising ethnic assertive- ness, new attitudes on missions and evangelism, the place of children in the social-climbing and success- oriented family in a time of rising unemployment and inflation, the cult of perpetual youth, increasing longevity, singleness by choice, an extremely permissive sexual climate, and a downplaying of committed Christian exuberance are but some of the changes we face. Screaming headlines suggesting that marriage is doomed do not help. They alarm people to a point of paralysis. In the case of divorce, this tends to make us accept it as inevitable. At Bluffton, the General Conference wants to focus upon the family. You don't have to listen far to note that we have serious concerns. Bruce Woods has been reporting to us from the family life survey of our conference. The signals are that we need help and must provide more resources to families who want to follow Jesus Christ faithfully. Some twenty-eight different workshops will be carried on. These will try to touch the sensitive areas. My prayer is that these will provide incentive for local congregations to deal boldly with similar issues at their own level. As we speak to the questions, statistics will surely be hauled out on almost everything. When we use them, let's be reminded of Thomas Cunningham's warning. Mr. Cunningham reminds us that there were over one million divorces in the United States in 1976. At the same time, there were about 2'/2 million marriages. The temptation is to say that almost 50 percent of all marriages are being dissolved. Granted, a ratio of one divorce for every two or so marriages is not a favorable picture. It is a signal we cannot ignore. But we need to remember that the one million divorces come from the total pool of close to sixty million families in the United States. That makes quite a change in the percentages. Another interesting factor is longevity. Because people live longer today, the average time that people remain married has not declined. Then there are those who become chronic divorcers. I am not trying to say that all is OK and that we should conduct "business as usual." The signals are out and they are clear. Our families need help. But we do not have to work in an atmosphere of frenzied panic. Let's be careful on how we use the statistics. The foundations have not yet crumbled. Marriage is still alive, and it will survive the rigors of the present press (you can take that the way you want to, the media press or the stress press). I regard Bluffton as a most timely opportunity. Let's put the issues on the table. Each concerned person should bring out what he or she regards as our basic needs. You can never answer a question until you know the problem. Then we can also begin to get at some directions. Some of our keenest people are being asked to provide leadership for the workshops. Our main speaker, J. W. Fretz, is one who has been deeply involved in family issues over several decades. The input and discussion should provide a beginning. What we need now is not a lot of doomsaying. We need a fresh application of the Holy Spirit to our time. God included the institution of marriage in creation. Jesus gave dignity to the family by himself living within it for most of his life on earth. Paul, who is often regarded as an advocate of the single life-style, at the same time provides us with many illustrations of the congregation in family terms. It is my belief that one of the keys to healthy families is to learn how our congregations can better exhibit some of the basic qualities of the biblical model for the family. One of the great losses of our time is the extended family. We have put too much expectation upon the nuclear group (mother, father, and children). This has cut many people adrift. A discovery of how the congregation acts as a caring, forgiving, confronting, and teaching com- munity could be the best way of experiencing the extended family in our mobile society. It will be an effective counterforce to the rudderlessness, frag- mentation, and anchorlessness being experienced by so many. Let's come to Bluffton with a resolve to begin a deeper experiencing of each other as a part of God's family. Only as that happens, will we begin to see our "families in focus." BW Following our summer biweekly schedule, the next issue of The Mennonile will be dated July 12. i #1 » ,a, sessions ^Tnera> Conterence trie Qm The Mciinonilc OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO ONE LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST Discipleship includes i • . peacemaking ELKHART Table one summarizes the responses of |ur 674 clergy, laity, singles, and college-age jiersons in the General Conference. They pere invited to choose answers of always iVrong, sometimes wrong, never wrong, or Sindecided. The table shows only the "always jjvrong" choices. On fourteen of the seventeen issues, the jlergy group had the highest percentage who $ ON THE ^ 5 regard them as "always wrong." This must present a dilemma on how to witness to their faith while relating to persons struggling with questions on a more situational ethics level. On fifteen of the seventeen issues, the general laity sample (305 GC persons averaging forty-three years of age, 5 1 percent male and 49 percent female) had the lowest or second lowest scores. It appears that they are the most liberal in their views on these concerns. The college-age sample was the most unpredictable. They showed moderate judg- ment on issues related to drinking, movies, and social dancing. They were more judg- mental than parents or pastors on issues related to smoking, extramarital sex, mas- turbation, marriage to unbelievers or other races, divorce for adultery, divorce for other causes, and remarriage after divorce. The evidence suggests that they are holding fast to traditional Mennonite teachings on most issues. Table two shows a comparison of the 1977 and 1972 groups only on the "always wrong" choice. In four categories marked on the table, the General Conference sample could not be isolated from the 1972 study; those percentages reflect all five groups studied by Kauffman-Harder. For ten of the seventeen issues, there is a slight moderation of judgment from 1972 to 1977. The people regarding divorce even for adultery as "always wrong" has gone from one of three in 1972 to one of four in 1977. Attitudes against premarital sex would be as low as 67.4 percent in 1977 if you remove the clergy response. From the 79 percent response in 1 972, there is a significant change going on here. Attitudes on smoking have become much more severe, probably because it is now regarded more of a health issue than a moral concern. The 1977 study confirms the results of the 1972 study. While GC Mennonites may be more liberal than other Mennonite groups in some areas, we are basically conservative in our views on moral issues related to marriage and family life. Next week, we share a broad range of information and observations from the 1977 survey. HE MENNONITE 435 Nominees picked for General Conference The General Conference nominating committee has prepared its nominations for the ballot at the triennial convention July 28 to August 3 in Bluffton, Ohio. Delegates may make further nomina- tions from the conference floor. Each term is for six years, except for the president, vice-president, and secretary, who serve for three years. The nominating committee for this year's elections consisted of Elmer Friesen, Henderson, Nebraska; Lauren Friesen, Seattle Washington; Horace Kratz, North Wales, Pennsylvania; Pete Retzlaff, Aldergrove, British Columbia; Lotus Troyer, Gridley Illinois; and Wilfred Unruh, St. Catharines, Ontario. Following are brief summaries of the information and comment submitted by the candidates. Photographs of the nominees were usee where available. President Menno Epp, pastor, Foothills Church, Calgary, Alberta; teacher and principal, Bethel Bible Institute, Abbotsford, British Columbia, 1957-69; summer director, Camp Squeah, 1961-69; secre- tary, Conference of Mennonites in Canada, 1973- 75. Vision: "The General Conference in its many ministries is a servant to our scattered congrega- tions, who in turn are guided individually and unitedly to promote the gospel of Jesus Christ locally and globally." Elmer Neufeld, dean, Bluffton College, Bluff- ton, Ohio; president, General Conference; vice- chairman, Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission; vice- chairman, Mennonite Central Committee; recording secretary, Mennonite World Confer- ence; service with MCC in Africa and North America, 1959-65; member, First Church, Lima, Ohio. Goal: "Reaffirmation of the one founda- tion, Jesus Christ . . . calling people to personal faith in Christ . . . establishing congregations of believers . . . teaching in word and deed all that he has commanded us." Vice-president James Gingerich, pastor, First Mennonite Church of Christian, Moundridge, Kansas pastor, Warden (Washington) Church, 1960-64 pastor, Burrton (Kansas) Church, 1964-71 president, Western District Conference. Vision "Maintain a viable organization with programs that reflect an awareness of church and world needs through a variety of caring ministries which complement and support the district conference and the congregation." Donovan E. Smucker, teacher, Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ontario; former pastor, First Church, Wadsworth, Ohio; professor, Mennonite Biblical Seminary for ten years; teacher. Lake Forest College for eight years; former president of a black college; member of the team ministry at Stirling Avenue Church, Kitchener, Ontario. Concern: "Strengthen the General Conference as an international fellowship of diverse back- grounds; seek the unity of Mennonite conferences; make the gospel meaningful in these turbulent times while meeting human needs." Secretary Im Vernae Janzen Dick, interim chaplain, Lebanon (Oregon) Community Hospital; free- lance writer; speaker on Mennonite history; editor. Pacific District Messenger; member, General Conference heritage committee; member, Grace Church, Dallas, Oregon. Goal: "Communi- cation is the key to cooperation. I will do my part to see that there is the kind of communication from the executive committee to the constituency that will foster better cooperation." presently sharing in the Menno Church, Barbara Kassebaum, pastoral leadership of Ritzville, Washington; former member of the Central District program committee; former director of a preschool; former social worker with the elderly. Vision: "I see the position of secretary as being a great learning experience and a chance to serve the broader Mennonite community." General Board Elect three. Loretta Fast, homemaker; former nurse; MCC- COM worker in India for three years; member, Toronto United Mennonite Church. Concern: "I am not sure what my goals for the General Board are because I don't feel sufficiently informed. Even our church publications do not help me feel that I as an individual am really involved in the total program of the General Conference. I would hope we can create better communications." Robert M. Landis, pastor. Pine Grove Church, Bowmansville, Pennsylvania; pastor, Springfield Church, Pleasant Valley, Pennsylvania, 1951-61; part-time chaplain, Frederick Mennonite Home; member. Eastern District mission and ministerial committees. Vision: "I envision the possibility of sharing our precious faith and rich heritage in our world. The Great Commission is our God-given task." Weldon Martens, student next fall at Menno nite Biblical Seminary; graduate of Bethe College, North Newton, Kansas; member anc former student assistant pastor, Hoffnungsai Church, Inman, Kansas; president of Westen District Young People's Union; camp worker Goal: "My prayer is for continued vision an( wisdom in the overall work and maintenance o the General Conference Mennonite Church, hope I can help futher the cause of Jesus b bringing to the General Board my gifts anc talents." Floyd Quenzer, pastor, Mennonite Communit Church, Fresno, California; former pastor Middlebury, Indiana, and Newport, Washington former chaplain, Goshen (Indiana) Genera Hospital; former member, Camp Friedenswalc committee; vice-president. Pacific District Con ference. Goal: "In a constantly changing work there is need to be alert to ways the church cai most effectively share the good news. If elected t< the General Board, I will work at helping to giv appropriate direction to the General Conference. Lawrence Voth, director of development Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas; forme pastor, Mennonite Community Church, Mark ham, Illinois; former president, Central Distriq Conference; past chairman. Central District peac and social concerns committee; former member* Western District evangelism committee; member! Martens R. Navhr privilege to serve the church in this capacity." Stan Naylor, advertising and public relations manager, Triplett Instrument Company; past student financial aid officer, Bluffton College; past treasurer. Central District Mennonite Men; member. First Church, Bluffton, Ohio. Goal: "The affairs of the conference must not only operate in response to Christian concern, but also follow sound business practices." Richard A. Rosenberger, lawyer in Souderton, Pennsylvania; trustee, Bluffton College; past member of board of directors, Frederick Menno- nite Home; past member. Eastern District business administration committee; member. West Swamp Church, Quakertown, Pennsylva- nia. Comment: "I feel the work of the church in all phases involves both ministers and laymen who serve when called." Gordon L. Schmidt, farmer, businessman in Henderson, Nebraska; member, Henderson Hos- pital and Nursing Home board; member, Menno- nite Economic Development Associates; member. Bethesda Church, Henderson. Goals: "(1) To assist in setting and in monitoring policies through management personnel. (2) To hear the needs of the constituency, then evaluate and assist in making decisions which will then be implemented by management." Paul Zerger. grain farmer near McPherson, Kansas, and conservation district supervisor; former teacher in Kansas public schools for thirty- seven years; past officer in state teacher associa- tions; board member. Bethel College; past president, General Conference Mennonite Men; president. Bethel College Alumni Association; member, Eden Church, Moundridge, Kansas. Vision: "To assure efficient stewardship in the management of conference resources and to help our church constituency to find joy in its efforts of proclaiming the gospel at home and abroad." Continuing members of the Division of Admin- istration are Erwin C. Goering. Freeman, South Dakota; Jake Hildebrand, St. Catharines. Ontar- io; Marvin Kehler, Aldergrove, British Columbia; and Art Rempel, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Schowalter Foundation Elect one. Alvin L. Funk, semiretired engineer and registered surveyor, Aberdeen. Idaho; former irrigation engineer; retired postmaster; former member, Pacific District stewardship, budget- raising, and trustee committees; member. First Church, Aberdeen: trustee. Schowalter Founda- tion. Goal: "To continue to see that the assets of the foundation are managed well and the income derived from these assets is used to further the fundamentals of the Christian faith, through and in our Mennonite constituency." Wesley Kroeker, farmer, stockman, and agri- businessman, Enid, Oklahoma; bank director; member. Bethel College board; trustee, Western District Conference; deacon, Grace Church, Enid. Goal: "That I may be a faithful steward in responsibilities entrusted to me." Continuing General Conference representative on the Schowalter Foundation board of trustees is Walter W. Graber, Pretty Prairie, Kansas. Other trustees are selec ted by the Mennonite Church and the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite. Education Elect three. Michelle Friesen Carper. North Newton, Kansas; youth and Christian education staff person. Western District Conference; former exchange student, Wuppertal, Germany; member, Bethel College Church, North Newton. Irvin E. Richert. Quakertown, Pennsylvania; associate editor, American Bible Society, New York City; former editor of publications. General Conference; former pastor in Kidron, (Ohio), Buhler, (Kansas), and Quakertown; past mem- ber. General Conference program committee; member, Bluffton College board; member, Zion Church, Souderton, Pennsylvania. Vision: "Stim- ulate churches better to assume the task of Christian nurture, supplying them with tools, including teacher and leadership training, writing and publishing biblical-Christian literature, and aiding groups in learning experiences." Lois Schrag. homemaker in Kingman, Kansas; president. Western District Women's Missionary Organization; member, Kingman Church. Vision: "What happens in the life of our General Conference must first happen in the lives and minds of our people, and education largely determines the shape of those happenings. I would like to be a part of that education process." Gary Stenson, pastor. West Swamp Church, Quakertown, Pennsylvania; former pastor, Berg- thal Church, Pawnee Rock, Kansas; former member. Western District evangelism committee; former member, Eastern District program com- mittee; director of district camps; vice-president, Eastern District Conference. Alice Suderman. high school English teacher, Mountain Lake, Minnesota; former librarian; Foundation Series communicator; vice- chairwoman. Commission on Education; member. Bethel Church, Mountain Lake. Vision: "My vision for COE is that we might become a more effective resource center to local congrega- tions, providing teaching materials, aid in teacher training, and promoting Christian education at all levels." Edith Von Gunten, Native Ministries worker, Riverton, Manitoba; former voluntary service worker, Chicago; free-lance writer; member, First Church, Berne, Indiana; associate member. Bethel Church, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Concern: "Because of my work experiences I see a big need for the Commission on Education to pursue more strongly the areas of educational materials for nonwhite, non-middle-class people and educating people to an acceptance of minorities." Continuing members of the Commission on Education include William Gering. Mishawaka, Indiana; Bertha Harder, Elkhart, Indiana; and Helmut Harder, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Additional members are appointed by the U.S. district conferences, the Canadian Conference, the Gener- al Board, and Women in Mission. Home Ministries Elect four. Mary Franz, homemaker; former teacher of handicapped children; free-lance artist; secretary of Turpin (Oklahoma) Church. Vision: "I would hope to help bring alive the vision of CH M to our younger church members, particularly, and aid them in finding creative means of response." Richert L. Schrag Stens< Suderman Von Gunten Fran: Harder Hart Kim L. Liechty Miller E. Sawatzky James Harder, student at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas; executive secretary, Student Council at Bethel; former editor. Bethel Collegian; member. South Seattle (Washington) Church. Goal: "This commission must continue to build program areas which enable the engagement and strengthening of youth seeking an emerging role both in the church and its service and outreach projects." Lawrence Hart, developing Cheyenne Village, an Indian arts and crafts center, and the Cheyenne Cultural Center, Clinton, Oklahoma; former director, Committee of Concern, Clinton; pastor, Koinonia Church, Clinton, 1963-75; member. Commission on Home Ministries; member. Bethel College board; member of the boards of Oklaho- ma Indian Rights Association, Cheyenne- Arapaho Alcoholic Rehabilitation Center, Cook Christian Training School, and National Indian Training and Research Center; member, Menno- nite Central Committee; member, Koinonia Church, Clinton. Marlin Kim, pastor, Houston (Texas) Church; former pastor, Hebron Church, Buhler, Kansas; hospital chaplain intern, 1974-76; former member. Western District education committee; former advisor, Western District Young People's Union. Vision: "To be relational participant on CH M and to serve as a catalyst with a desire to have God's love for all persons intersect human need in specific time and place." Lynn Liechty, plumbing and heating contrac- tor, Berne, Indiana; vice-president. Central District Conference; former member, Central District mission committee; appointed to CH M to fill out unexpired term; member, First Churcri Berne. Vision: "Hopeful that the efforts of CHN; will produce more stimulation and motivation V the grass roots membership as we endeavor ti carry out our overall purpose as a commission. Kenneth D. Miller, physician, Woodburnj Indiana; member, Maplewood Church, Foi Wayne, Indiana. Goal: "My basic goal would be closer cooperation between the congregations am CHM in commission projects in conjunction witi local congregations. This calls for more communi! cation and better understanding of the commis sion and the local congregations." Erick Sawatzky, pastor, Grace Church, Regina Saskatchewan; former member. Western Distric evangelism committee; former member, Sas katchewan Conference program committee former welfare worker in corrections and publi assistance. Goal: "To be a spokesperson for th< concerns and views of my district and to assist ii the planning and promotion of spiritual growtl and integrity in the local congregation. Menno Wiebe, director of native concerns \ MCC (Canada), Winnipeg, Manitoba; forme executive secretary, Mennonite Pioneer Mission member, CHM executive committee; forme Paxman in Paraguay; former interim pastoi Ik college anthropology teacher; member, Charles W wood Church, Winnipeg. Vision: "To hold befor us the critical need of presenting the message o Jesus Christ to those who are in need of il Specifically, it becomes a continuing challenge I be carriers of the good news across lines of socia status, ethnic boundaries, and national ani| international boundaries." 438 JULY 12, 197 X / Wiebe Claassen Gerig Kehler Goering Kaufman Continuing members of the Commission on Home Ministries include Martha Nickel, Saska- toon, Saskatchewan, and Waldemar P. Regier, Rosthern, Saskatchewan. Additional members are appointed by the U. S. district conferences, the Canadian Conference, the General Board, and Women in Mission. Overseas Mission D. Janzen W. Janzen Elect three. Milton Claassen, orthopedic surgeon, Newton, Kansas; member. Bethel College board; member, COM; member, Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission board; member, Faith Church, Newton. Goal: "I want to be an active participant in the decisions necessary to continue our global mission and in keeping the constituency aware of our prayer, personnel, and financial needs." Mary Kay Gerig, choir director and advisor to )«'| Women in Mission, Salem-Zion Church, Free- man, South Dakota; director, Swiss Choral Society; volunteer, Salem Home for the Aged. Vision: "New directions in Christian missions ]j seem to be in the making. COM has a great opportunity and challenge working with Chris- tians of other cultures to make Christ known in the I; jworld." Larry Kehler, pastor, Charleswood Church, Winnipeg, Manitoba; former editor, The Menno- nite, The Canadian Mennonite, and MCC Information Services; former missionary, Menno- nite Pioneer Mission; member, MCC (Canada) and MCC; chairman, MCC Peace Section and MCC (Canada) peace and social concerns committee; member, mission and evangelism committee, Conference of Mennonites in Manito- ba; member, MCC offender reference committee. Vision: "The church is universal. We need to find ways, under the Spirit's leading, to strengthen and refine and make more visible the Christian church's presence in the world." Virgil Peters, physician. Mount Angel, Oregon; former COM worker in Taiwan; chairman, business administration committee. Pacific Dis- trict Conference; member, Emmanuel Church, Salem, Oregon. Vision: "1 believe overseas missions is a vital part of our Christian outreach. 1 would endeavor to do my best, with the help of God, to encourage this program. The need is great; the time may be short." Harold J. Schultz, president. Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas; member, COM; member, Mennonite Agri-Urban board; frequent speaker; member, Bethel College Church. Vision: "(1) To be a participant in helping Mennonite congrega- tions catch a vision of the missionary character of their Anabaptist faith. (2) To assist missionaries and nationals to transcend cultural differences through the wholeness of the gospel of Jesus Christ." Bill Thiessen, director, MCC (Alberta), Cal- gary; former MCC worker in Nigeria; former high school teacher in Saskatchewan; former provin- cial youth committee president; counselor and director in camps; member, Rosthern (Saskatche- wan) Church; participant in new Calgary Menno- nite Fellowship. Goal: "Within the context of the well-stated purpose and priorities of COM, I envision an increased emphasis on strategy in terms of cross-cultural communication of the gospel in order to allow God's truth to reach and liberate people through their own sociocultural context." Continuing members of the Commission on Overseas Mission include Anne Warkentin Dyck, Swift Current, Saskatchewan; Peter J. Dyck, Akron, Pennsylvania; and Vern Preheim, Akron, Pennsylvania. Additional members are appointed by the U.S. district conferences, the Canadian Conference, the General Board, and Women in Mission. Seminary Elect seven. Roland R. Goering, pastor-elect, Salem Church, Freeman, South Dakota; former pastor in Hillsboro, Kansas, Reedley, California, Hal- stead, Kansas, and McPherson, Kansas; past president. Pacific and Western districts; former member, seminary board; former member. West- ern District home missions and education com- mittees; former director of church and alumni relations, Bethel College. Ellis Graber. pastor. First Church, Bluffton, Ohio; former pastor. Union Congregational Church, St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and Zion Mennonite Church, Souderton, Pennsylvania; former president, Eastern District Conference; former editor, Eastern District Messenger; former member. Eastern District historical committee. Goal: "To have a seminary continually striving to give the best basic, thorough training for Christian leadership in our churches, denomination, and the whole world." Gordon D. Kaufman, teacher of theology. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts; former teacher, Vanderbilt University; former member. Bethel College board; member and former pastor of the Mennonite Congregation of Boston; author of books dealing with interpreta- tion of Christian faith in the modern world. Vision: "My hope would be that the seminary could both prepare young men and women to ministereffectively to Mennonite congregations in our rapidly changing world and also prepare them to witness effectively to that larger world about the true significance of Christian faith." Dorothea (Dotty) Janzen, member of the pastoral team, Faith Church, Newton, Kansas; Bible instructor, Hesston (Kansas) College; frequent speaker and workshop leader; former director of Christian education, Scranton, Penn- sylvania; member, seminary board. Vision: "I would like to encourage the seminary to train and sensitize men and women to meet the pastoral leadership needs of our General Conference, especially in the local congregations." Waldemar Janzen, dean and professor, Canadi- an Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg. Manito- ba; former member, Canadian Board of Christian Service; former consulting editor for Tlte Menno- nite: General Conference representative on the Commission of Faith and Order. National Council of Churches; member. First Church, Winnipeg. Vision: "One of my concerns would be the search for a viable shape for seminary education at a time when university religion departments are increasingly assuming responsi- bility for higher education in religion." Rebecca (Becky) Koerner, student, Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Indiana; member of ,f THE MENNONITE 439 campus ministries team, Goshen (Indiana) Col- lege; comanager, Mennonite Cooperative Book- store; member and former assistant to the pastor, First Church, Bluffton, Ohio; former admissions counselor and dean of women, Bluffton College. Concern: "My goal is to work with assessing the needs of the church and planning ways to provide training to meet those needs. Being a part of the seminary, I have some familiarity with the strengths and weaknesses and therefore the needs and possibilities." Elbert Koontz, Western District conference minister; former pastor, Hillsboro, Kansas, Buhler, Kansas, and Beatrice, Nebraska; former secretary of the General Conference; former president, Western District; former member, peace and social concerns committee; member, Bethel College Church, North Newton, Kansas. Goal: "To make the learning experience at seminary an important and vital link in prepara- tion for ministry. To provide adequate facility and faculty and relational experiences for those who attend." Frederick J. Obold, student, Mennonite Bibli- cal Seminary, Elkhart, Indiana; former teacher, school administrator, and school psychologist; student pastor; former member. Eastern District peace and service committee; member, Zion Church, Souderton, Pennsylvania; associate member, Hively Ave. Church, Elkhart, Indiana. Vision: "Since joining the General Conference in 1969, I have become familiar with a local Mennonite congregation and part of the educa- tional program of the church at Mennonite Biblical Seminary. I hope my past experience in the public school and present involvement at the seminary would be helpful in giving direction to business and educational matters." George Richert, associate dean of the faculty of education, University of Regina (Saskatchewan); former worker with the Canadian International Development Agency in Nigeria; former executive assistant, Canadian Teachers Federation; chair- man, Rosthern (Saskatchewan) Junior College board; member, Grace Church, Regina; former officer in churches in Edmonton and Ottawa. Vision: "I expect our teachers at the seminary to be the leading theologians of our church. I expect the graduates of the school to fit in and work with the constituent churches while, at the same time, demonstrating leadership in church affairs." Leroy Saner, academic dean, registrar, and teacher of English at Freeman (South Dakota) Junior College; chairman of planning committee for Northern District college-family life seminar; deacon, Salem-Zion Church, Freeman. Goal: "The seminary board should be concerned about promoting more interest in the pastoral ministry among our youth and in providing more special- ized leadership for our Mennonite congregations, communities, and colleges." Peter G. Sawatzky, pastor, Grace Church, Steinbach, Manitoba; former pastor, Mayfair Church, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; former MCC director in Zaire; past vice-chairman, Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba; vice-chairman, seminary board; member, long-range planning and presidential selection committees, seminary board. Concern: "Presidential selection, faculty building, evangelical and Anabaptist foundation, meeting leadership needs of local congregations, missionary outreach at home and abroad, owner- ship and responsibility of Associated Mennonite Koerner P. Sawatzkv Over Koontz Saner Ulrich Sprunger Biblical Seminaries, student recruitment." Wilfred Ulrich, pastor, Grace Church, Enid, Oklahoma; chairman, Oklahoma Convention retreat committee; former pastor, Salem Church, Freeman, South Dakota. Concern: "A current conference concern is the enlistment of more young persons to pastoral leadership. I see the seminary as a primary institution to equip young people for such service." Continuing members of the board of Menno- nite Biblical Seminary include J. Winfteld Fretz, Waterloo, Ontario; Russell Mast, Henderson, Nebraska; and Dietrich D. Rempel, Abbotsford, British Columbia. Additional members are appointed by the General Board, Women in Mission, the alumni association, and the church colleges. Women in Mission President Lora Oyer, church choir director; former teacher; homemaker; past president, Bluffton College Women's Advisory Council; former officer of General Conference and district women's organizations; member, MCC Peace Section task force on women; member, General Conference worship and arts committee; member, Meadows Church, Chenoa, Illinois. Romaine Sprunger, homemaker; pastor's wife; Sunday school teacher; former Women in Mission officer; tutor; former teacher; member, Indian Valley Church, Harleysville, Pennsylvania. Second vice-president Elsie Flaming, choral society; nurse; homemak- er; Sunday school teacher; local and provincial I WM executive; member, Leamington (Ontario)] United Mennonite Church. Erna Goertzen, town councillor; house painter; I homemaker; Sunday school teacher; former Sunday school superintendent; girls' club sponsor; local and provincial WM executive; member, Coaldale (Alberta) Church. Continuing officers of Women in Mission are | Lois Deckert, North Newton, Kansas, first vice- president, and Naomi Wollmann, Moundridge, Kansas, secretary. ^Focus Goertzen 440 JULY 12, 1977^, News All are ministers, conference says The idea that each Christian is called to a particular ministry is the New Testament model, said Perry Yoder at a Persons in Ministry conference June 16-18 near Seda- ia, Colorado. Perry and Liz Yoder, People's Teachers of he Word under Mennonite Voluntary Service for the past two years, were the main resource people for the conference which |>rought together about forty women and nen concerned about using the gifts of both ijexes in the church. J Sponsored by the Mennonite Urban institute in the Denver area, the conference vas a followup to last year's Women in Ministry conference in Lombard, Illinois. "The biblical material compels us to move ffiith the Spirit in affirmation of the gifts of 11 persons," said Perry. "We should be napologetic that our concerns are rooted in he biblical call." 1 Liz noted that the qualities of a Christian sted in the Gospels and in the Pauline pistles are those that are generally attribut- d to women in our culture: love, joy, peace, jngsuffering, gentleness, kindness, etc. Tiristian women seeking equality should ot necessarily adopt the masculine value ystem, she said, and Christian men should ^examine the value system they have ought into. A major part of the program was devoted ) hearing the personal pilgrimages in linistry of nine women and three men: atricia Shelly, Arvada, Colorado, seminary student; Perry and Liz Yoder, now of North Newton, Kansas; Lois Barrett and Aggie Klassen, Wichita; Joyce Shutt, Orrtanna, Pennsylvania; Katie Funk Wiebe, Hillsboro, Kansas; Emma Richards, copastor in Lom- bard, Illinois; Roger and Flo Richer, copastors in Denver; and Marilyn Miller and Peter Ediger, copastors in Arvada. Many of the women related stories of being interested in ministry in their growing up years (preaching to the chickens), but never thinking that the pastoral ministry would be open to a woman. "I was born with a question mark in my mouth," said Flo Richer. "I used to sit through worship asking, How could I change this service to keep people awake?" Concluding her story of preaching as a missionary and being ordained to a copasto- rate with her husband, Emma Richards commented, "I'm just an ordinary person. If God can do it through me, he can do it through you." The conference ended with a findings committee report stressing that all members of the church have a ministry. "We recognize that women are already serving in many ministries in the church," the statement said. "But because of their gender, women have been excluded from some ministries for which they have the gifts. We call on Mennonite congregations to discern the gifts of each member and to commission each member for his or her particular ministry, regardless of sex." Task forces which met the final day of the conference offered several suggestions for future actions, including: — regional conferences next year, with one probably in Akron, Pennsylvania. — women pastors' preaching in other congregations to give people exposure to women in the ministry. — development of a list of women resour- ces for the churches. — vocational counseling for women stu- dents at seminaries. publishing a study book on the early church and Pauline texts related to women. — providing apprenticeships in the church for young people. Persons in the group advocated both including women in some present leadership roles in the church, yet helping the church adjust to changing styles of ministry which resemble more nearly the New Testament model of a calling for all believers. In the New Testament, authority was for the purpose of nurture, not for control or getting things done, said Perry Yoder. Lois Barrett z Yoder addresses the Persons in Ministry conference. Seated next to her are Perry Yoder id Aggie Klassen. Poettcker Poettcker accepts seminary presidency Henry Poettcker, president of Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg, Mani- toba, since 1959, has announced his resig- tion effective June 30, 1978. He has accepted the presidency of Menno- nite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Indiana. He will begin serving as president of the seminary on July 1, 1978. Mr. Poettcker has served as vice-chairman of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada and as both president and vice-president of the General Conference Mennonite Church. He holds a BD degree from Mennonite Biblical Seminary and a ThD degree from Princeton Theological Seminary. Iff HE MENNONITE 441 Pacific District constitution changed Constitutional changes highlighted the Pacific District Conference annual sessions June 9-12 in Aurora, Oregon. Created was a new standing committee, a four-member ministerial committee. The name of the Christian service committee was changed to "Christian service, peace, and social concerns committee." There were several heated discussions over some of the nine resolutions presented to the conference body, but all were passed unanimously. One resolution created two conference minister part-time positions — one each for the northern and southern parts of the district. Elmer Friesen of Portland, Oregon, has been asked to serve the northern region, and Floyd Quenzer of Fresno, California, to serve the southern region. Both appoint- ments are subject to the approval of the congregations which employ the two men. The new ministerial committee assumes responsibility for ministers previously as- signed to the home missions committee. The action taken at this conference session was begun two years ago. It is an attempt to align the district with the existing structures of the General Conference and other district conferences. One member of this committee will become a member of the General Conference committee on the ministry. The constitutional change for the name of the Christian service committee did not go as smoothly. Some delegates felt that the proposed amendment would take out the emphasis on Christian service, and the final action spelled out specific duties related to Christian service. Other resolutions dealt with ministerial leadership, the World Peace Tax Fund Act, congregational peace study, and Christian stewardship of energy resources. The only gloomy note in the home mission report was the announcement of the death of the Orange (California) Fellowship. Spring Valley Church, Newport, Washington, did a congregational goal study earlier this year. South Seattle Fellowship has begun weekly meetings with agroupof university students. They have also formed task forces within the congregation on life-style and sharing. The Seattle church noted that the group is outgrowing its facilities. Peace Church, Portland, has had prob- lems financing its new building because of the inability of the people who purchased their previous building to keep up with the payments. First Church, Phoenix, Arizona, has begun a men's prayer breakfast and found a voluntary service couple to work staff vacations at mental health halfway homes. James Wenger, part-time pastor of the Tucson Fellowship, reported that the group has started a Mennonite student group at the University of Arizona. Koinonia Fellowship, Mesa-Tempe, Ari- zona, is outgrowing limited space at a savings and loan building, according to Pastor Don Yoder. Theme for the three-day conference was "Open Door to Missions Today." President Elmer Friesen told the delegates the conference membership in twenty-three churches is 3,173, down 10.6 percent from 3,551 in 1962. While the peak in membership occurred in 1962, giving in the district reached a peak in 1971, when over $800,000 was given to all causes. Speakers for the conference were Ed and Irene Weaver, retired missionaries to India and Africa. Both felt that one of the greatest problems in missions today is knowing how to preach the gospel in relation to practicing the gospel. Other visitors to the conference included personnel and students from Hopi Mission School, Oraibi, Arizona. A budget of $63,5 1 2 was adopted. Income 'w will include $20,000 from the General IF Conference Commission on Home Minis- tries for new church subsidies and $3,000fl*r£ from the General Conference to help pay salaries for conference ministers. The treasurer noted that most of the reserve funds had been depleted in the past two years. A budget item for a minister-and- spouse retreat had been removed by the executive committee, but was restored by the delegates. Elected at the conference were Elmer li* Friesen, president. Peace Church, Portland Oregon; Floyd Quenzer, vice-president, Mennonite Community Church, Fresno, m'cl California; Minnie Franz, secretary, Menno Church, Ritzville, Washington; Homer Andres, treasurer, Glendale Church, Lynden, Washington; Ernest Neufeld, First Church, Phoenix, Arizona, to the General Conference Commission on Home Minis- tries; and Jeanne Zook, Peace Church, Portland, to General Conference Commis- sion on Overseas Mission. La Vernae J. Dick, Dallas, Oregon Jot ur.'.c IS ill FAST for HUMAN RIGHTS * NM) Ml I KTKHIU I Ml i HUM IN N II- 1 - - ^, - ter 1 : TH DAY OF SCIENCE OF MANKIND AND REQUEST i UN "V W f.\;''T'.; ' . 'E« "> WET l«M EBPtC HUNGER STRIKE TO APPEAL TO THE Jfjff( Hunger protest at United Nations St* Thich Giac Due, president of the Buddhist Congregational Church of America, is seen center above during a hunger strike appeal which he began on June 10 near the United Nations building in New York. He has asked the U.N. to send an investigation team to Vietnam to meet with jailed Buddhist leaders, requesting that violations of human rights be investigate ^ ed there. fano Diini 442 JULY 12, 1977 \ II Northern District passes resolution on Canada rwo surprise resolutions were passed at the Northern District Conference June 17-19 at ,-Iuron, South Dakota. The first asked for nore Canadian representation in the Gener- al Conference and the other spoke to the use hf alcoholic beverages. | John Arn, pastor from Bloomfield, Montana, introduced a resolution asking hat, instead of the present five U.S. districts nd one Canadian district (Conference of 4ennonites in Canada), there be five U.S. listricts and five parallel Canadian districts. At. Arn said he had become more aware of he frustrations Canadian Mennonites felt vhen he had attended the St. Catharines onference in 1974. The motion was original- | intended to go to the 1977 triennial session It Bluffton, but was amended so that it /ould be forwarded to the General Conference-Canadian Conference task force Doking at conference structures. The mo- lion passed unanimously. A second motion supported Freeman unior College, Freeman, South Dakota, in s stand against the use of alcohol by Itudents. The motion was introduced by Villi s Busenitz, Busby, Montana, who said e was concerned that Cheyenne young eople have the opportunity to go to a school where drugs would not be a problem. Many persons spoke about their concern about alcohol use, with a few wondering if the motion focused too much attention on the schools without focusing on the role of the congregation and the home. The motion passed overwhelmingly. A second congregation in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the Sermon on the Mount Fellowship, was admitted without discus- sion as a member of the district. Last year it failed by one vote to obtain admission. The congregation has a charter membership of fourteen people, with fourteen children of members. Four motions introduced by the home missions committee were passed. One called for a new church in Lincoln, Nebraska. The committee said a pastoral candidate is available. It was agreed that, where feasible, the Northern District should work together with other Mennonite groups in church planting. Discussions with Mennonite Church and Mennonite Brethren home missions groups have taken place. The home missions committee was given approval to assist the Pitt Community Church, Pitt, Minnesota, in finding a pastor and to provide a housing allowance. The church will continue as an independent community church. A five-year plan for phasing out district financial support to city churches was also approved. Delegates okayed plans for a three-story staff residence at Swan Lake Christian Camp, Viborg, South Dakota. The building will cost $22,000 and will be financed through sale of trailer houses presently being used and through solicitation for funds from district churches. In election returns, Ben Sawatzky, Hend- erson, Nebraska, was elected district presi- dent, and Aaron Glanzer, Salem, South Dakota, financial secretary. Vernon Loh- rentz, Freeman, South Dakota, was reelect- ed to the General Conference Commission on Home Ministries, and Harris Waltner, Mountain Lake, Minnesota, to the General Conference Commission on Overseas Mis- sion. Delegates approved a budget of $77,397, a 14 percent increase over last year. This is primarily an increase in the home missions budget. Per capita giving increased last year from $249 to $280. Membership increased by twenty-six people in 1976. Dale Suderman, Newton, Kansas leminaries look at historical interpretation ver forty teachers and representatives of teneral Conference, Mennonite Brethren, ennonite Church, and Brethren in Christ :minaries, colleges, and Bible schools athered in LaGrange Park near Chicago uring Easter recess for a Consultation on iblical Interpretation. This was the second such consultation jnvened by the Council of Mennonite eminaries (Associated Mennonite Biblical eminaries, Elkhart, Indiana; Eastern Men- onite Seminary, Harrisonburg, Virginia; id Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Iresno, California). The first such gathering >ok place in 1969 and focused on \nabaptist-Mennonite theology." Each of the four days began with Bible udies led by Millard Lind, Elkhart, and avid Ewert, Fresno. During the morning id afternoon sessions, papers on historical- itical methods of interpretation, the ithority of the canon, and Anabaptist- [ennonite perspectives on biblical interpre- tion provided the platform for common scussion and discernment. George R. runk III, Marlin E. Miller, Jacob J. Enz, >hn Howard Yoder, C. J. Dyck, and Elmer iartens provided study papers on these pics. During the three evening sessions, Ross T. Bender, Erland Waltner, and Richard Detweiler led the group in considering the theological and practical implications of "Teaching the Bible in the Congregation." In addition, representatives of the Mennonite Publishing House (Scottdale) and of the Institute of Mennonite Studies met with participants to explore the needs for Bible study resources in the churches and schools and how these needs might most appro- priately be met. According to the findings committee report, the "spirit of the discussion was marked by a sense of mutual respect, freedom, and sharing," and a "deep sense of scholarly commitment to the church was evident." The method and the presuppositions of historical-critical ways of interpretation received significant attention. Most of the participants agreed that such methods should not become the ultimate test of correct interpretation. Nevertheless, the historical method can help determine the original meaning of the text and assist the church in interpreting the Bible. The consultation also listed several mat- ters which merit further discussion and discernment: the authority of the biblical canon, the leading of the Holy Spirit in biblical interpretation, the New Testament's use of the Old Testament, and the focus on Christ for biblical interpretation found in Anabaptist practice. The nurture of the church was reaffirmed as the goal of scholarly work. The findings committee report closed with the statement "the scholar may enrich the church by sharing the results of his study and by mutual testing of his work in the congregation." No further information on the context of the consultation was released by the Council of Mennonite Seminaries. Help wanted Urgent need for skilled, semiskilled, and unskilled men and women for carpentry, plumbing, and related construction work. Contractors and crew chiefs also needed Immediate openings in Cincin- nati, Ohio; Wichita, Kansas; Arvada, Colorado; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Portland, Oregon; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Philadelphia. Pennsylvania. One- or two-year terms available Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 HE MENNONITE 443 I Consensus difficult at second Schleitheim Dave Kroeker Luxembourg, Amsterdam, Muenster, Co- logne, Strasbourg, Zurich, Schleitheim, Breisach, Trier, and back to Luxembourg — Schleitheim II was billed as a study tour. In some respects typical of any tour package, TourMagination had arranged for about forty-five North Americans to see the sights in six countries of western Europe, to walk the streets; to see the cathedrals, the churches, and the castles; and to smell the smells of the centuries. But not much more about the May 16-31 tour was typical. Most of the group came to look seriously at Mennonite history and theology in the geographical context of origins and developments. Although being on location enhanced the experience, it did not assure unanimity or full understanding. Sponsored by the historical committees of the Mennonite Church and the General Conference Mennonite Church, the initial intent, as I had read it, was to assemble a group of thirty to thirty-five knowledgeable people by invitation. As it turned out, that number was surpassed so that at times we had nearly fifty participants, many of whom had done little formal theological or historical study in Anabaptisica. This fact shortchanged both sides somewhat. But it also helped provide a unique microcosm of what the North American Mennonite world is. We were forced to work at relationships and emotions as well as at history and theology. Our understandings sometimes differed sharply and the words were occasionally harsh as we attempted to interpret for today the faith of our forebears. We worked hard at the meaning of salvation (process or event) and at leadership models (authoritarianism or "brother- hood"). We stumbled over when or if a group of strangers thrown together by a tour package ought to celebrate communion together and, if so, whether it should be programmed ahead for a particular spot at a particular time. Although jointly sponsored by the two major conferences, the General Conference sent no representatives on the tour. (Three of us were members of dual-conference congre- gations.) Disappointing, too, was the fact that few were deeply immersed in the subject under study. In fact, a major portion of the input fell on the shoulders of Leonard Gross, Mennonite Church archivist and historian, who, it appeared, had spent months in preparation. John Weber, teacher at Lancas- ter Mennonite High School, also contribut- ed significantly. Since Mr. Gross concentrated his sympa- thies rather heavily on Harold Bender's vision of decades back, some participants spent some energy in trying to broaden the understanding of Anabaptist origins beyond the Swiss Brethren and beyond 1525. Others were more interested in practical applica- tions to contemporary situations. We talked and talked — about the nature and mission of the church, about our common faith, about peace, and about social responsibility. There were tears and anger and the experience of peace when tensions were resolved. We wondered how those who gathered in 1527 at Schleitheim in southern Germany — a stone's throw from Switzerland to the south and France to the east — under threat of torture and death might have arrived at common statements of belief and commit- ment. Even though we didn't know who was there, aside from Michael Sattler, former Benedictine monk, and the process they went through, we did have a record of the result. Whoever was there agreed on seven areas, including baptism (adult and only after repentance and amendment of life), the ban (Matthew 18), breaking of bread (as a remembrance, only after baptism as adults and of like faith), separation from evil (and nonresistance to evil), shepherds (a person according to "the rule of Paul"), the sword (outside the perfection of Christ), and the oath (all swearing forbidden). Although Schleitheim II participants 450 years later agreed not to release an official statement (this was considered presumptu- ous), we did work hard at coming to agreement among ourselves on five state- ments that reflected our experience. The statements were worked at till unanimous consent was arrived at. "1. We affirm that God is love (1 John 4:16-17) and that he intends all creation to live in love and harmony. Furthermore, we understand that he has commissioned us to live his life on this earth, the dimensions of which we see in Jesus' own words in Matthew 11:2-6 and Luke 4:18-19. The realization and communication of love happens in the context of a discipling community which espouses Jesus' example of love. "2. We agree on the need for repentance and a new-birth experience in Jesus Christ. Our salvation comes not only as an individu- al experience, but is also worked out through R participation in a community of believers Salvation includes the process of discerning within that community of believers what it means to follow the life and teachings of Jesus. "3. We agree that the church is a visible, discerning community centered in Jesus Christ, indwelled and empowered by the Holy Spirit and committed to discipleship in all areas of life, including the spiritual, moral, and economic. The authority of the church arises from the Scriptures ( 1 ) through gifted, caring leaders who embody the servantlike spirit of Christ and (2) through the community of believers committed to discerning, obeying, and confirming the Word. "4. We agree that the community of believers in Christ is central to a true understanding of church, salvation, and mission. However, true community is not a weapon with which we attack the values or beliefs of others. Rather, true community allows for a diversity of expressions of faith, takes every human being seriously, not superficially, and helps people to grow and mature in the affirmation of their brothers and sisters. "5. We are united concerning the nature pi of the church, the body of Christ. The church is a voluntary community of believers committed to Jesus Christ as Head. "We are concerned about the following tendencies within the church: (1) a pervasive individualism . . .; (2) a seductive materialis . . .; (3) a narrow nationalism and ethnocen- trism . . .; (4) an orientation toward! hedonism .... "In the light of these concerns we reaffir and recommit ourselves to: "(1) a visible community as an expressio of the kingdom of God on earth with discipleship to Jesus and submission to one Hi;; another; "(2) Christ's kingdom which would have ft us live a life of simplicity, faith, humility, and M sharing (1 Timothy 6:17-18); "(3) the demonstration of a Spirit-filld life of peace and love to all people overcoming evil with good; "(4) self-denial as an integral facet o: discipleship, which finds expression in dailyl life through service to others; for the disciple's walk with Christ includes alertness to opportunities for placing others first. . A lengthy sixth statement, whose propo- nents refused to delete or change the term "brotherhood" to a nonsexist term, was rejected because several persons (males) objected to the word. I in Hi 444 JULY 12, 197", Record Deal lis Ramseyer Lloyd L. Ramseyer, Bluffton, Ohio, was |)orn November 5, 1899, and died June 24. He was president of Bluffton College from 1 938 to 1965. He served as chairman of the Ipoard of Education and Publication of the General Conference, 1951-61; president of I vlennonite Biblical Seminary, 1971-72; and [president of the Central District Conference, 1 973-74. He served interim pastorates at First Church, Bluffton, Ohio; Bethel College Church, North Newton, Kansas; and Grace Church, Pandora, Ohio. He was currently ierving as editor of the Central District jldition of The Mennonite. [Ministers 'oshihira Inamine of Yokahama, Japan, i serving as summer assistant at the Oak irove Church, Smithville, Ohio. He is ttending Associated Mennonite Biblical leminaries, Elkhart, Indiana, under the ieneral Conference Commission on Over- eas Mission's Overseas Churchman ervice-Study Abroad program. George Neufeld of Winnipeg began his uties as hospital chaplain of the Conference f Mennonites in Manitoba on June 1. He olds a BA degree in psychology and history 'om the University of Manitoba and is a graduate of Canadian Mennonite Bible College. For fourteen years he was teacher and principal at Elim Bible Institute, Altona, Manitoba. During the past year he studied and counseled at the Interfaith Pastoral Institute in Winnipeg. Calendar July 23-27 — Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Toronto July 28-August 3 — General Conference triennial sessions, Bluffton, Ohio. Workers Howard Casner of Austin, Texas, has begun a two-year term under Mennonite Voluntary Service in Chicago, Illinois. His assignment is with drama in the Artists Communicating Through Service (ACTS) voluntary service unit. Howard is a 1976 graduate of the University of Texas at Austin in drama and playwriting. He is a member of the Grace Presbyterian Church, Corpus Christi, Tex- as. Carol and John Craft of rural Hillsboro, Kansas, are scheduled to begin a two-year term of service in the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado. Their assignment under Mennonite Voluntary Service will include recreation, community service, solar energy, and economic development in an area encompassing eighteen small communities. They will be working with the Costilla County Community Council and the San Luis Valley Christian Community Service Organization. John has been working as a seventh- and eighth-grade science teacher and holds a BA from Southwestern College, Winfield, Kansas. Carol has attended Southwestern College and Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, and has been tutoring high school students. Both are members of the Goessel (Kansas) Church. Helen and Ralph Dyck of Newton, Kansas, have joined the Mennonite Volun- tary Service unit in Portland, Oregon, for one year. Helen is serving as a community health nurse, and Ralph is working in home repair. Both are members of the First Church, Newton. Dan Gerber, Mountain Lake, Minnesota, has become a member of the Mennonite Voluntary Service unit in Chicago called Artists Communicating Through Service (ACTS). His two-year assignment is in photography. Dan has attended Goshen (Indiana) College and Staples (Minnesota) Area Vocational-Technical School. He has been working in a photography laboratory. Dan is a member of the Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church in Mountain Lake. Val Sawatzky, Halbstadt Church, Gretna, Manitoba, will leave August 8 for Germany as a one-year MCC trainee. She served previously under MCC in Montreal Lake Children's Home. Gerard Shaw, North Syracuse, New York, is serving one year in a church-sponsored day-care center in Hutchinson, Kansas. His assignment under Mennonite Voluntary Service began June 6. Gerard holds an AA degree from Onondaga Community College in Syracuse and is a member of the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in North Syracuse. Erwin Wiens, St. Catharines, Ontario, has been appointed interim director of Menno- nite Central Committee (Ontario). He will be filling in for Ray Schlegel, who is taking a two-year leave of absence to serve with the Ministry of Education in Gaberones, Bots- wana. Correction Henry Dyck has accepted the pastorate of the United Mennonite Church, Oliver, British Columbia. H. Dyck R. Dyck Shaw HE MENNONITE 445 Letters General Hershey and COs Dear Editor: General Lewis Hershey was a military man, risen to the rank of general and head of a vast program of impressing men into military duty. But that did not deter- mine his attitude toward men who declined to be so directed. With Mennonitism in his background a generation or two ago, he had some understanding of the basis of that refusal and the spirit of those who chose that course. This was of great value to all who were engaged in or concerned about the cause of conscientious objection in wartime. My first knowledge of the general came at a conference of church administrative heads and Civilian Public Service (CPS) camp directors at Winona Lake September 1, 1941. At this time men representing the Friends camps insisted that the govenment should bear the costs of the program. They put the matter before the general, and he said, "If the government pays the costs, it will also operate the camps. But if that happens, then you and I will both have lost a great advantage; for when men come to me and jump all over this thing (and believe me, they do) I have one pill that I give them. I say, 'But they or their friends are paying for it.' That ends it, I don't need another pill." On one occasion in conversation with Reverend Ziegler of the Church of the Brethren Service Committee, he said, "Ziegler, we've had wars and we'll have wars until there are enough folks like you who say, 'We won't do it.' Then we can have peace." In 1942 General Hershey accepted an invitation from the then Central Conference of Mennonites to speak at the annual session of the conference in August of that year. He accepted on condition that he would be able to get away at the time. As it turned out, he sent Colonel Kosch, whom he had appointed to be the Selective Service supervisor of CPS. The colonel appeared in full military uniform. Rumor had gone abroad that someone from Washington was coming to the conference "to tell those Mennonites where to head in." The Sunday afternoon crowd was immense. But any who expected him to speak as per the rumor must have been effectively disillusioned when he said, "If we fail in this, I will have fallen down on a job given to me, but you folks will have lost a cause!" I felt an inward poignant thrust of the question "How many of our own people feel that we really have a cause?" After the war General Hershey took note of the fact that a number of men who had spent anywhere from one to four years in CPS camps or out-of-camp service in addition now volunteered for overseas relief or reconstruction work. He was much impressed and said, "This is in the national interest." Thus was quickly reversed the ban on COs in any overseas service, imposed during the war, and the way opened for Paxmen to serve abroad, and this in turn led to the sending of VS workers with all the valued services they have rendered in the work of missions in many places and in many ways. General Hershey's attitude toward and relationship with conscientious objection was indeed significant and far-reaching. R. L. Hartzler, 309 North Evans Street, Bloomington, Illinois 61701 May 31 Too good to throw away Dear Editor: I am about to finish my sixth term of teaching the trainable mentally retarded class here in Hampden White Bay, Newfoundland. This one-time fishing village has grown to a thousand inhabitants and six churches. I am retiring and have had to decide what to throw away. That is indeed difficult. I browsed through my stack of The Mennonite and decided to send the whole lot to my new address. There was too much left to read. I appreciate the church news, editorials, letters, and especially "Breaking the silence on death" (April 19 issue). Melva Lehman, 2-80 5th Southeast, Swift Current, Saskatchewan S9H 3M6 June 3 Answers not that simple Dear Editor: I'd like to respond to your Indian claims article (May 31 issue). "The Seminoles, a tribe of about 300 ... to prove the Seminoles have a valid land claim." I refer you to page 261 of the 1976 World Almanac (particularly observe footnotes 3 and 9). I do commend the Mennonite Central Committee's efforts to provide legal assist- ance. However I am not completely con- vinced about the true validity of the Institute for the Development of Indian Law (IDIL). (Is it an all-white, all middle-class staff? You have some Indian workers, at least — right? Do they assist in decision making?) "Mennonites have a special affinity for Indian people .... want to preserve their culture and religion." An analogy with the Russian Jewish peasant could just as easily ■Ass be made. The Mennonite concepts of) "attachment to land" as compared to the Indian concept of the land are very, very diverse. You have either failed to understand this, or worse yet, you haven't researched the matter. "Missionaries have been one of the biggest agents of colonization." How true that is. g But how do you defend the current "coloni- Kant zation" which is happening with (Menno- jjtli nite) missionaries overseas? How is that any m different? Is the Mennonite church a little jealous of the Catholics' early start in the^t Indian missionary work? Injustice abounds. It is not necessarily directed to one group of people. If Ms. Stahl was ignorant of Indian treatment (by the BIA) on a nearby reservation (as a young ster), how does she expect people to react [toun who have never seen or driven across a reservation? A mere drive onto a reservation should awaken even the most callous of people — if they are able and ready to perceive. White man is not the culprit — white leaders, perhaps — "certain white leaders" gets even closer to the picture "unscrupulous white-elected and -appointed officials with personal gain and ambitions" approaches the truth even closer. But to sa|| the Indians have been, and are, denied their land (and other rights) by white man is pure nonsense. Issues of consequence (and this is) are not that easily defined. Robert J. Lindley, 607 East Sunland Drive, Chandler, Arizona 85224 June 6 ta Camp manager required Camp Koinonia at Boissevain, Manitoba; requires a Christian couple to act as camp] manager and provide a warm atmosphere anci| cooperation to the constituency using Camp Koinonia. Responsibilities will include main- tenance of facilities and hosting of renta groups. Board and room are supplied plus a partia salary. Job description is available upor request. Contact: Conference of Mennonites ir Manitoba 202-1483 Pembina Highway Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2C9 446 JULY 12, 1977 Meditation \ wisp of hay /lost people find it hard to believe that a wisp of hay kept Aunt Martha alive for a whole /inter. But I have it on the best authority — Aunt Martha herself — that it most assuredly did. It started the summer Aunt Martha was ill. She was in the hospital from June until ■eptember, and most of the time she was too sick to give much heed to anything. As she started getting better, her main concern was how things were going on the farm. All er life she had worked diligently in the fields and in the house for security. To her, security "'heant the canning shelves full, the hogs butchered and fried down, the grain bins bulging, 0 'nd the hayloft so full it was impossible to close the hay door. These things symbolized to her fljiat all was right with her world. '! Although Aunt Martha wasn't aware of it, things on the farm hadn't gone so well during ^ 'hat she has since referred to as her "hospital summer." Lack of rain caused a lean crop, and 1 f course Uncle Horace was afraid to tell her. He knew she couldn't afford to worry. More '! jian anything, she needed a peaceful outlook to complete her recovery. N Well, everything was fine until Uncle Horace was going to bring Aunt Martha home. It was ^jien he realized he couldn't keep the full secret about the short hay crop from her because she S|'ould get a full view of the barn from her upstairs bedroom. There wasn't any loose hay lying round anywhere to show the extravagance of plenty, and the hayloft door had closed easily . all too easily. He felt he had to give her an illusion of plenty. So he took a wisp of hay and let it hang out le loft door. It gave the effect of a bulging loft so full of hay it was almost impossible to close le door. And just as he thought. Aunt Martha spotted it the first thing. "Well I see we're all tucked * 1 for the winter," she said, gazing out at the wisp. "Mighty comforting feeling . . . mighty :slipmforting!" Often through the hard, cold winter Uncle Horace saw her look out at the hayloft door and e( nile contentedly. At these times he knew what he had done was helping her get well. As spring neared, Uncle Horace knew Aunt Martha would soon be up and about, looking lto every nook and cranny on the farm. He felt he had to make his deception right with her. "Martha," he said one day, "I deliberately misled you into believing we have a barn full of |ay, but I've been buying hay on and off all winter. I put that sprig there where you could see so's you'd feel good. Will you forgive me, Martha?" "Horace!" she exclaimed in stunned surprise. She turned her eyes upon him and sat toughtfully contemplating him for a few moments. Uncle Horace must have suffered ualms while waiting for her reply. Then she spoke, "Forgive you, Horace, my dear? I thank you for helping me to realize Hnething." "What's that, Martha?" "Just think," she replied, "if faith in a meaningless wisp of hay can give courage for a inter, how much more encouragement and faith there is in the Word of God for a lifetime!" Evelyn Witter Contents Discipleship includes peacemaking 433 A comparison of the 1972 and 1977 studies 435 Nominees picked for General Conference 436 News 441 Record 445 Letters 446 A wisp of hay 447 Let there be growth 448 CONTRIBUTORS Daniel Zehr is the director for peace and social concerns, MCC (Canada), Winnipeg, Manitoba. R. Bruce Woods, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114, designed and implemented the 1977 study on family life issues in the General Conference. The General Conference nominating committee, with the assistance of Heinz Janzen, prepared the list of nominees for Bluffton. Evelyn Witter, 7814 29th Street, Milan, Illinois 61624, is a free-lance writer. CREDITS Cover design, John Hiebert; 441, GCNS; 442, RNS. The Meniioiiite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781 Business and subscription office 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Win- nipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4 Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schu- macher. Art director: John Hiebert Business manager Dietrich Rempel. Circulation sec- retary: Marilyn Kaufman Special editions editors Central District, Lloyd L Ramseyer, 488 West Elm Street, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117, Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114, Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indi- ana 46805; and Conference of Mennomtes in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P0M4. I I HE MENNONITE 447 Let there be growth Schooling or education is the attempt to transmit what some dominant groups in our society have selected as worthwhile. It is oriented toward socialization and indoctrination according to society's prevailing perceptions of humankind and of the world. Schools tend to teach there is only one reality. Christians have long known that the Christ- centered reality of life and the world is in direct conflict with the pseudoreality of the secular world. In the West, reality has been defined largely by the middle-class, affluent, sophisticated, science- oriented people. The realities of the poor, the native people, the ethnic minorities, and the blacks have been carefully ignored. The disenchantment with accepted secular norms is shown in the upsurge of enrollment in existing private schools and the many new private schools being built. It has been difficult to graft any new realities onto existing systems. Unfortunately, most Christian schools offer too little alternative. While they do try to add more of the christocentric reality, they try to add it to the commonly accepted reality like icing on a cake. That is an improvement but not the transformation called for by a commitment to Christian disciple- ship. With Christ, there is a totally new reality, a new kingdom that breaks out among us. Our schools have yet to learn what a difference this can make. Education, as it has been traditionally defined, is not the best way to learn or to grow. Much learning takes place outside of schools in informal settings like the family, among friends, at work, and any situation where personal experiences are shared. Learning is a lifelong process and happens most effectively where we commit ourselves voluntarily to one or more of the alternatives that face us. Since the family is the focus of more personal experiences than any other institution, the family is a primary vehicle for learning. Christians have confessed that all along, but sometimes we have been swept along with the individualistic, success- and thing-oriented, technocratic smoke screen blown at us by a monopolistic secular education. All around us people are searching for a more familial society. People are hurting for a community to identify with, a kinship to relate to. Intellectual stimulation and regulated discipline have a place, but we should not be separating that from actual living experiences. Families are workshops in social change, laboratories of education. Language and language patterns are first learned in the family. This learning is closely related to our styles of interaction and communication. Values and attitudes are first learned in the family and they continue to influence learnings. Special traditions, customs, and faith expressions (or lack of them) are first learned in the family. In Christian circles, there is a growing awareness that our biological families are reflected in our spiritual families (churches) and vice versa. At Bluffton, we will not only have a special familial experience, but we will also focus on the family. Carl R. Rogers in 1961 (On Becoming a Person) wrote that personal growth happens largely in one-to-one or group relationships. For personal growth to happen, he said that ten conditions were necessary: (1) Other persons must be able to regard me as trustworthy, dependable, or consistent in some deep sense. (2) I must be expressive enough so that others will be able to understand me. (3) I must be able to experience attitudes of warmth, caring, liking, interest, and respect for others. (4) I must be strong enough to stand by myself. (5) I must allow others to be themselves. (6) I must be able to enter into other people's feelings and personal meanings. (7) I must be able to accept the other person's character. (8) My behavior must not be a threat to others. (9) My character must be such that I'm not a personal judge to others, but a redemptive influ- ence. ( 10) I must regard others to be in the process of becoming. There will be formal educational input at the Bluffton conference. That can be helpful. But the real test of this conference's worth will be whether we experience growth or learning. That will not likely happen because of somebody else's speech to us! That will happen if and when we choose to grow. The familial setting is the ideal setting for learning. The conference mix of talks, workshops, leisure, reports, Bible study, worship, and singing is an excellent opportunity for growth to happen. The attitudes described by Carl Rogers are beautiful preparation on our part. God's Holy Spirit is already at Bluffton waiting for us. Let there be growth. BW Following our summer biweekly schedule, the next issue of The Mennonite will be dated July 26. Affirmin; our Christian colleges Donovan E. Smucker My father and mother left the farm to attend a Mennonite college seventy years ago. Their parents were awakened by the renewal of concern for Christian education in the Sunday school, high school, and college. To grant their consent for college attendance at the turn of the century represented a radical discontinuity with the past. As a result of that decision, my father decided to devote his life to Christian education, a vocational choice which I have continued with my brothers. Against the background of two generations in Christian colleges, I want to make four affirmations. Affirmation No. 1: The crisis in our Christian colleges is permanent, inevitable, and nondestructive. The crisis is permanent because education — secular and Christian — is a boom-and-bust operation. Like the wild swings of the compass on a ship sailing through all kinds of weather, education experiences regular cycles of expansion and contraction. These cycles reflect changing economic conditions, changing support patterns, and changing emphases in educa- tional offerings. The crisis is inevitable because we are not tax-supported, we tend to offer training for only a small number of vocations and professions, and above all, our unique mission combines the Christian faith with peace and social concerns, often at variance with the main currents of a powerful urban- industrial-military culture. (As a constituent college of the University of Waterloo, Conrad Grebel receives part of its income from tax funds, offers all the vocational options of a university, and operates only two buildings. This year we faced our first financial crisis with a large deficit. Thus, no one is immune to crisis. The crisis is nondestructive because o schools have always survived economy depressions, wars, internal conflicts, ai M! external attacks. I have experienced all these enemies of collegiate serenity ai prosperity. By the grace of God, we learnijn obedience by the things we suffered. And > shall learn this obedience in the prese crisis. Affirmation No. 2: More important th all majors, departments, specialties, ai\ degrees is the communal life of each scho This insight emerges from one of teaching areas, the sociology of educatio continue to be amazed at parents and you; people who choose schools as though curriculum is all that matters. They overlo*ff(|f the rich social networks, the models p vided by the teachers, the unconsci influences of the total environment, possibilities of marriage, and the counseli advice which is more than prudential. Bluffton, for example, there was the moc of C. Henry Smith, who had the intellect, t 4, Phi Beta Kappa key from Chicago, the fl; for research and writing which would ha placed him in a distinguished major univer ty. His presence on the Bluffton faculty sc a message to all of us students that he Thoreau's military metaphor) was marchi to a different drummer. The Christian college, then, is not a m< cafeteria of detached offerings. It is community above all and first of all. (I wr this as a parent who learned this lesson t ^ hard way.) Affirmation No. 3: Much of the dm classwork of a Christian college is the sai ^ as that of a secular institution. Mennonite Christianity has had trou I' 1 \\ 0 mil KS.II ninou lisiiai J: ho 450 JULY 26, 19 II The Christian college is not a mere cafeteria of detached offerings. It is a community above all and first of all. ing the living God at work in the natural der, or the order of creation, if you prefer, e have been excellent at discerning the ing God in the redemptive order of the urch or in explicit commitments to cipleship in the arena of human conflict, it the world of secondary causes revealed mathematics, chemistry, physics, or )logy has often resulted in false cries of dlessness or premature declarations of judoscience. \t Bluffton, Wilbur Berkey was as mpetent a science teacher as any university uld provide. The plus element was not 0 ly his open commitment as a Christian, 01 t the sense of wonder and even mystery ich he felt in a universe which was orderly, erdependent, and beautiful. Thus, it was t necessary for Professor Berkey to teach a ristian chemistry course. It was necessary grasp the context — the large context — in ich he taught the course. Affirmation No. 4: The uniquely Christian ™ spective is easiest to focus in religious dies and history; it is most difficult in two ■as: (a) the interpersonal and (b) the Ural focus and vocation of the college. Mthough the critics of our church schools it attacked the Bible departments many es, it is an unjustified attack. I recall a linous quality to my study of Bible, ristian ethics, and church history. The ument was about the method of Bible dy. But the grandeur of biblical truth ascended these shrill and often strident icks. From that grandeur I developed a losophy of life and a philosophy of ory which illumined everything else I died in other parts of the curriculum, "hroughout my career in many church ools — Mennonite, Presbyterian, and icl Methodist — I have been painfully aware of the chastening sandpapering of interperson- al relations within the school among admin- istration, faculty, and to a lesser extent, students. Since we have had schools for only 100 years in North American Mennonite life, we are new at this kind of institutional life. The frequent clashes of personalities, poli- cies, and programs are in stark contrast to our emphasis on love and nonviolence. At present, nothing is more desperately needed than a bridge between the Mennonite Mental Health Services and the Mennonite schools. What are the dynamics of sensitive, considerate, personal relations? Prairie View Hospital staff, for example, meets weekly for sharing concerns and bearing burdens. The central focus and vocation of the school is the final challenge. Over the years these institutions did have a unique emphasis on higher education for service, a kind of high thinking for plain living under the lordship of Christ. Today the boards, administrators, and faculties are working with students to fine-tune the common ingredient which binds the schools together. The old evangelicals found the focus in missions and evangelism. The new evangeli- cals have discovered Mennonite peace and social concerns via John Howard Voder and the seminary at Elkhart. Bethel College has brought together an institutional purpose which strikes me as an achievement of the highest magnitude. I am also pleased that President Schultz is a Canadian working in an American institution, suggesting a shar- ing of insights across national borders. Whatever the exact texture of this primary focus, an institution of higher education, complex as it is, must have a central vision. Without that vision the people will perish. cAs long as life fc fc and breath Muriel Stackley I thought I was a graduate. But now it's clear that someone did exaggerate that late, great state of "graduate." Each time I stop to celebrate, God says again, "Matriculate!" E MENNONITE 451 distinctives near [OSS Hi I ludf lenl The academic deans of our General Conference-related college and the seminary were asked to provide a brief statement on ho the distinctives of their schools become visible. C ' aila ii Bethel's program is a result of blending a concern for knowledge and understanding with a commit- ment to the lordship of Christ. These two central themes of Bethel's program are often expressed as "scholarship and service." On the scholarship side of this formula, the flavor is peacemaking and service. The liberal arts approach emphasizes basic skills, broad understanding, integration, and values. The peacemaking and service emphasis captured in worship, biblical studies, voluntai service, peace studies, life-style concerns, enviroi (jimc mental studies, and third world development The piquancy of the Bethel experience is a resu|osiil of blending the traditional richness of the liben arts with scholarship and service. Marion Decked academic dean. Bethel College tiilh The most obvious uniqueness about Freeman Junior College is its size, serving a student body of seventy-five to eighty students. This allows for maximum faculty-student interaction and helps create a close Christian "community" feeling. This situation enables us to "salvage" students who are potential college dropouts, giving them the individual attention needed to adjust to college work. Our smallness is also a great asset in developing leadership abilities. FJC has recently developed several job-oriented career programs while still attempting to maintain Uftt slinci a strong liberal arts base. FJC is very much a community school an provides a Christian education in a Mennoni context for an area extending to the boundaries the Northern District Conference. Through growing continuing education program, FJC m provided a valuable resource to the community an has drawn upon and promoted the unique skil found within the community. Without question has upgraded the quality of life of the gener community and aided the churches. Leroy Sane academic dean, Freeman Junior College Ike amp Be.\i eoloe Monte Davis, the oldest of eight children, grew up in a Catholic family in Akron, Ohio. In high school he played on a Class AA championship football team. Somehow the large concrete campus of Akron University did not appeal to him, and he came to Bluffton College without clear goals for his college education. Monte graduated from Bluffton College on M; to k 29 and is now beginning a term of service under tl dm Mennonite Central Committee, likely as a teach overseas. In his MCC application he expressed I faith as follows: "Christ is my Savior and is tl u Expei h Mi THE MENNONITE seeks lo witness, teach motivate, and build the Christian lellowship within the context ot Christian love and Ireedom under the guidance ol the Scriptures and the Holy Spun II i lished weekly excepl biweekly during July and August and the last Iwo weeks in December at Newton. Kansas 6 ? 1 14 by the General Board ol the General Conlerence Mennonite Church Second-en poslage paid at Newton, Kansas 67114. and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions in United Stales and Canada. $8 00. one year. $1 5 50, Iwo years. $23 00, 'hree years, loreign, $8 50 per year n rialotfice 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard. Winnipeg. Canada R3P0M4 Business ollice 722 Main Street Box 347 Newton Kansas 67114 Postmaster Send Form 3579 lo Box 347, Newton Kansas ora 452 JULY 26, 19% neans of salvation. Being willing to take up your [ross and serving others as Jesus did is being the rue Christian." i What has happened to Monte in the four years om the fall of 1973 to the spring of 1977? No one jin fully answer that question. At the same time, bme things come through clearly. He has had pme good learning experiences which "turned him h" academically. He has had some rewarding jhristian fellowship experiences, including a tudent Christian Association group living experi- ment, a year in the college choir, and participation li the chapel group. His horizons have been : roadened through a student teaching experience at the Colegio Nueva Granada in Bogota, Colom- bia; through a course on the Middle East taught by Urbane Peachey of the Mennonite Central Com- mittee; a peace studies course on Christianity and Communism in Asia sponsored jointly by Bluffton and Goshen colleges, etc. Monte, though not a Mennonite, will be a good representative of Mennonite higher education and of the Mennonite Central Committee in his overseas service assignment. The credibility of our claims to distinctiveness is written most dramati- cally in the lives of students like Monte Davis. Elmer Neufeld, dean of academic affairs, Bluffton College Conrad Grebel College is the only Mennonite hool in North America located on a public hiversity campus. Resident students of this pllege major in the great variety of programs /ailable at the University of Waterloo. In idition, CGC offers university credit courses in nabaptist-Mennonite studies, peace and conflict udies, religious studies, music studies, sociology. etc., not only to its own resident students but also to all 15,000 students at the university. In a sentence, Conrad Grebel College purposes to be an academic and personal community within a secular university in which Christian beliefs and values are encouraged and respected. Rodney J. Sawatzky, director of academic affairs, Conrad Grebel College A large core of any school's program is not stinctive, and yet it is valuable. Every college of ty quality tries to convey to its students a msiderable volume of learning and a facility to pand this through independent research. Fur- ermore, it attempts to exert some influence on e personal development of the student through atmosphere, its ideals, and the example of its culty. In the case of every Christian college, both e content of learning and the ideals for personal velopment will be informed by Christian rspectives. While none of these efforts are stinctive to CMBC, they constitute much of our y-to-day work. Among CMBC's distinctive features, the pro- irtion of biblical and other religious subjects and the high profile of church music must be mentioned first. We are a school of theology and church music on the undergraduate college level. Second, we are directly supported and governed by our parent church body, the Conference of Mennonites in Canada. This creates a grass-roots closeness to the congregations and homes of our students. Yet CM BC is not a regional college; our students come from the Mennonite constituency throughout Canada and from abroad. Finally, as an approved teaching center of the University of Manitoba, we can offer an education fully underwritten by a large public university, retaining at the same time all the advantages of a small college that is free to shape its policies and its character. Waldemar Janzen, dean, Canadian Mennonite Bible College The program of studies at the Associated ennonite Biblical Seminaries is based on the sumption that not only the content, but also the ntext of the curriculum must be shaped by our :ological convictions. At the heart of the lievers' church commitment is the understanding the church as a covenant community. The Qtral reality around which the program of ;ological education is shaped is the purpose of jijjjd in history to create a people for himself, j jjExperience in Christian community is an portant ingredient in the life of every member of r campus community. Most persons participate a K-group in which they find mutual support as y work through personal problems, clarify their lse of identity, discern their gifts, and confirm ir sense of call. The weekly forum provides an opportunity for fellowship over a common meal. The three chapel services are the occasion for the renewal and celebration of the covenant communi- ty- Apart from noting the strong emphasis at AMBS on biblical, Anabaptist-Mennonite heri- tage and peace studies, the visitor to the campus is most likely to comment on the strong sense of community which is found here. Sometimes the cry goes out, "Where is this community which is so much celebrated in our words?" The answer is that Christian community is not so much the result of creating program structures and personal expecta- tions as it is the quiet gift of God to us through times and events not of our choosing or anticipat- ing. Ross T. Bender, dean, Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries • " IE MENNONITE 453 News More resolutions prepared for Bluffton 1 Two more resolutions have been prepared for action at the triennial convention of the General Conference Mennonite Church July 28 to August 3 in Bluffton, Ohio. A resolution entitled "Governmental Oppression and Our Christian Witness" will be placed on the floor by the conference's Commission on Overseas Mission. It deals with missionaries' response to repressive governments in the countries in which they serve. The second resolution, recommended by the Pacific District Conference at its annual session June 9-12, deals with ministerial leadership, salaries, retirement income, and recruitment of students for the seminary. The overseas mission resolution recog- nizes that "authoritarian governments — both those of the left and of the right — undermine freedom, . . . violate justice, . . . and harass the innocent." It also recognizes that "in Canada and the United States, where we sing praises to freedom and human worth, we may not always observe the . . . oppression in our society." The statement continues: "As missionaries cross boundaries in all lands to call out a new people in obedience to Christ, a new community arises. Jealous rulers of this world see this as a direct rival to their authoritarian states. . . . "We say to our missionaries who are guests in other societies that they walk circumspectly as children of light — peaceably, respectfully, sensitively, but also courageously. We invite them to seek the leading of the Holy Spirit through prayer and mutual consultation with the church in that place. Further, as they see terror and oppression about them, may they be led to speak the truth in love to those in power. . . . "As systems of oppression press in on Christian brothers and sisters on all conti- nents, we encourage them to stand firm and share with joy the liberating good news of Christ. Let them know our solidarity with them as they witness against wickedness in high places. May we, too, ponder these concerns and witness with courage against the forces of oppression in our land." The statement, if passed, would be shared with missionaries, congregations, and with government leaders in Ottawa and Washing- ton. on ministerial The second resolution leadership recommends: — that the General Conference budget it K more money for ministerial support systems p. and recruitment. — that spouses' expenses be paid to new R ministers' get-acquainted seminars at the*11 General Conference offices in Newton, ~~ Kansas. — that funds be appropriated for marriage »' enrichment retreats. — that there be a guaranteed minimum od retirement income for every pastor in line M ' with missionary retirement agreements. — that congregations work toward a goal™' of a $9,500 base salary for 1 978 for every fullf* time pastor. — that every congregation work at recruit- ing students to enter seminary with the goa|^ of entering the pastoral ministry. About a dozen resolutions which have been proposed by conference agencies, district conferences, congregations, or task L forces are being circulated among the \i congregations of the denomination before the convention sessions. Other resolutions may be introduced from the floor. U.S. grain reserve proposed During the week of July 11-16, the U.S. House of Representatives was to vote on legislation to establish a farmer-held domes- tic grain reserve and a smaller government- held emergency grain reserve. The House bill (HR 7871) was introduced June 17 by Representative James Weaver of Oregon after being rejected by the House agriculture committee for inclusion in the Omnibus Farm Bill. It was to be offered as an amendment to the House farm bill from the floor. "This is a year of crop surpluses, and the need to establish a grain reserve system is urgent, said Jonathan Jantzen, MCC staff person for food and hunger concerns. "The world food situation has changed from conditions of scarcity four years ago to conditions of global surplus this year. We have had three years of good harvests in almost all countries, but it is highly unlikely that this condition will last for long. "The temptation during this time of bulging wheat elevators and depressed prices is aggressively to seek increased shipments of food aid and expanded foreign markets. But cheap U.S. surplus grain shipped overseas can hurt developing countries as much as grain shortages did in the past by depressing their prices and glutting limited storage facilities. Rather we should establish a national grain reserve that avoids the extremes of shortage and surplus." He said that dumping North American surpluses now in the form of increased aid would create a disincentive to small farmers overseas, the very farmers that MCC is seeking to help. The Weaver amendment would establish a twenty-five- to thirty-five-million-ton re- serve of wheat and feed grain. The entire reserve would be held and owned by farmers, using the existing commodity loan program administered by the secretary of agriculture. Reserve stocks would be built up when prices are low and grain surpluses exist and would be released when prices rise above a specified limit. The legislation provides for a separate two-million-ton International Emergency Reserve of government-owned stocks, hel off the market, which could be expanded i six million tons following the establishment of an international cost-sharing agreement on grain reserves. The Senate has already passed a farm bil that includes provisions for a similar grair reserve. Called the Humphrey amendment it passed on May 24. Some farmers have a legitimate concern about a grain reserve, fearing that reservi j.. stocks would be dumped on the market tc' depress prices during a beneficial price rise But the Weaver bill is designed to prevent a j flooded market and to protect both produc- ers and consumers. It allows for normal price fluctuations within a reasonable range but would eliminate abnormal price rises The cost of the storage program would bety,., shared by farmers and the government Although storage would be on individua farms, the farm bill already authorizes low interest government loans for building storage facilities, thus taking the burden o storing reserves off farmers alone. 454 JULY 26, 1977 ^ lib !({);» ftordsffidc»eds Vietnam Continuation Committee has een formed to strengthen Mennonite i pations with the church in Vietnam, share lformation with the American church, and pnsult with the Eastern Mennonite Board If Missions and Charities and with Menno- ite Central Committee. Representatives on le committee come from Eastern Board, ICC, Lancaster Mennonite Conference, i >rmer missionaries to Vietnam, and Vietna- mese. The committee, which meets every |)ur months, operates without a budget. me first of two seminars for Mennonite Momen in Zaire was held in Kandala, Zaire, bring the first part of May, according to jjodema Short, codirector of the seminars ith Madiwasa Yongo. Courses were of- red in Christian education, taught by sona Schrag and Nsume Nvende; the mily, by Lois Slagle and Kafutshi Gakesa; sewing, by Esther Dick, Gladys Buller, Kabate Kabeya, and others; and how to make reports on women's work and how to organize a district conference by Ina Rocke and Kabate Kabeya. Patterned after the Kansas Mennonite Men's Chorus, the West Coast Mennonite Men's Chorus is organizing. The initial concert is set for April 2, 1978, in the Fresno Convention Center Theatre, Fresno, Cali- fornia. The fifth MCC thrift shop in British Columbia opened June 4 in Kelowna under the auspices of three small Mennonite churches in the area. In addition to used clothing and other recycled articles, the store will sell Self-Help crafts. An Abundant Life Conference was sched- uled July 8-11 in Stratford, Ontario. The ecumenical conference was sponsored by a committee of inter-Mennonite church lissionaries discuss change have found this week of retreat to be tiring because I got so excited about the Bible study \d other input that I couldn't fall asleep at night," missionary candidate Jeanne Rempel \mmented at the end of the missionary retreat. The retreat was sponsored by the hmmission on Ch'erseas Mission of the General Conference June 22-28 in Winnipeg on the mne "Coping with Change." Thirty-seven missionaries from Colombia, India, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan, and Zaire; fourteen missionary candidates; COM staff; resource persons; yee commission members; and several guests convened for a week to study how the Bible mates to cross-cultural witnessing and to discuss coping with changes in overseas hignments, personal and family life,. North American assignments, reassignments, iminations, and retirement. David Schroeder, professor of New Testament and philosophy Canadian Mennonite Bible College in Winnipeg, led the retreat each morning in Bible idy on such issues as God's revelation, God's people, and how Jesus Christ can be shared in i ion-Christian culture. members. Among the speakers were Nelson Litwiller, Goshen, Indiana; Herb and Shir- ley Minnich, Goshen; George Elsasser, McArthur Mills, Ontario; Fred Augsburger, Youngstown, Ohio; and Dave and Marg Hinds, London, Ontario. Tightened immigration regulations are making it difficult for MCC to place American candidates in the voluntary service program in northern Manitoba, where MCC has nine volunteers. Since the volunteers are hired through school boards or provincial government departments, all of their positions require assurance from Canada Manpower that no Canadian is available for the position. Peter Penner, VS coordinator for MCC (Manitoba), said school boards are required to advertise positions until the last minute, and if no Canadian applies, Americans may be invit- ed. "Since it is unlikely that any potential VSers would want to wait until the middle of August before knowing whether or not they have a teaching position for September, we have to stick to Canadian teachers." Canada Manpower clearance is not required for positions in such places as MCC offices, probation hostels, or day-care centers operated by churches. Most of the pastors of the Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia, plus a few others from Saskatchewan and Alberta, spent a recent weekend at Camp Squeah in a workshop with Lyle Schaller of the Yokefel- low Institute. "We learned how to ask better questions," said Peter Kehler, British Co- lumbia conference minister. "We learned that people in the church are a part of some fellowship group, . . . and if they are not, they become unhappy. . . . We learned much from each other and felt a spiritual closeness develop among us." Nine persons attended a weekend retreat for formerly married and separated persons recently at Camp Koinonia in Manitoba. It was sponsored by the camp program and Christian education committees of the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba. All of those present were church people and said they were grateful that the church had planned this kind of weekend. Some bitter- ness was expressed about the fact that some church people do not want to accept separated or divorced individuals. Some feel it their duty to tell the person, "It is wrong; don't do it," and then withdraw and leave the individual to his or her own agonies. The group struggled with this, but also felt encouraged by God's being able to under- stand and forgive all failures, as well as bestow new blessings on renewal efforts in every life. HE MENNONITE 455 Asuncion theological school opens The Mennonite Theological Center (Centro Evangelico Menonita de Teologia) in Asun- cion, Paraguay, was set to open July 1 8 with a four-week ministers' course and July 25 for the regular school term. Dietrich Klassen of Neuland, Paraguay, chairman of the board for the school, said only five students are presently enrolled for the regular term, but more are expected next February, which would be the first semester in the South American school year. Mr. Klassen was interviewed recently in Newton, Kansas. He is visiting North America in connection with his representing the South American Conference at the General Conference of the General Confer- ence Mennonite Church July 28 to August 3 in Bluffton, Ohio. Mr. Klassen, said Waldemar Janzen, professor at Canadian Mennonite Bible College in Winnipeg, would teach exegesis, homiletics, and pastoral psychology during the four-week course. For the term beginning July 25, teachers will include Gerhard Goerzen of Paraguay, who is director of the school; John Koppen- MCC contributions down from last year The Mennonite Central Committee budget currently being planned for 1978 will not increase over the 1977 budget, and reduc- tions may be considered later this year, if giving continues its downward trend, ac- cording to a decision by the MCC executive committee. Funds coming to MCC from relief sales have held steady and income from thrift shops has increased, but other contributions have dropped. In 1975 Mennonites and Brethren in Christ gave just over $5,029,000; in 1976 they gave slightly less than the same figure. In 1977 contributions were running $180,000 behind 1976 at the end of the first half of the fiscal year. In addition to a drop in giving, spending is further qualified because almost half of the current fund balance has been designated by givers for specific purposes. Such funds will not be spent in any other way unless the program for which they are designated is completed and specific action is taken by the executive committee to use remaining funds in another similar program. Overseas projects receive almost all of the designated funds. Thus the problem of finding funds for other programs (such as U.S. Ministries, Mennonite Mental Health Services, the exchange visitor program, and Peace Section) has increased as funds available for spending wherever needed have decreased. Janzen haver of Hesston, Kansas, serving under Mennonite Board of Missions; Frank Byler, a missionary teaching at the former Menno- nite seminary in Montevideo, Uruguay; and Baptist and Disciples of Christ professors who live in Asuncion, as needed. David Suderman of North Newton, Kansas, is anticipated to teach music there in 1978. "We want to invite North American professors to come to Asuncion on their sabbatical years," said Mr. Klassen. Both the Commission on Overseas Mis- sion of the General Conference Mennonite Church and Mennonite Board of Missions of the Mennonite Church are helping finance the school's first year. Each is providing the salary of one professor plus $3,000. "Our churches are assessed $2.00 per member," said Mr. Klassen. Teaching will be half in Spanish and half in German, since the school is hoping to attract students from both Spanish-speaking and German-speaking churches in Latin America. The five students for the next term include people from Spanish and German churches in Paraguay plus one from Mexico and one from Bolivia. The German-speaking churches in South America need to have their workers trained in the German language, Mr. Klassen said. The board for the school is made up entirely of persons from German-speaking churches, although Spanish-speaking churches will be invited to name board members later, he said. The course of study for the first semester will include New Testament, psychology, theology, Greek, choir, and languages (English, German, and Spanish). The library for the new theological center is the library of the former Montevideo seminary, which was transferred intact from Uruguay recently. The school is currently operating in rented buildings, since the property of the Montevi- deo seminary has not yet been sold. World Peace Tax Fund resolution revised A resolution asking support of the World Peace Tax Fund Act in the United States and similar legislation in Canada will be intro- duced at the triennial sessions of the General Conference Mennonite Church by the church council of the Lorraine Avenue Mennonite Church in Wichita, Kansas. The sessions are set for July 28 to August 3 in Bluffton, Ohio. A similar resolution was endorsed by the Western District Conference in its most recent annual conference last October. The resolution asks: — that the conference support the World Peace Tax Fund Act in the United States and encourage similar legislation in Canada; — that the conference urge its member congregations and individuals to communi It,, il P indil Jl!!' alii Mi |Wi la) foil tren Tin (be i wh An ji an sadei Jpw an cate this support to their elected representa- ltes" tives; — that the conference "support individu- als who feel compelled by Christian con- science to adopt other methods of witness KP against payment of war taxes such as voluntary reduction of income or nonpay- ment of war taxes." The tax fund legislation, already intro- duced in the U.S. House and Senate, would allow conscientious objectors to war to pay the portion of their federal taxes which would go to the military into a World Peace Tax Fund, to be used for peaceful interna- tional purposes The resolution, in the form passed by the Western District Conference, mentioned only U.S. legislation, and the General Board executive committee had suggested that it be discussed by the U.S. caucus only, not by the entire General Conference delegate body, The Lorraine Ave. church council the redrafted the resolution in a form they fell was binational. a top he kt ervai tips loth erive h\ Kon Ci Camp manager required Camp Koinonia at Boissevain, Manitoba, requires a Christian couple to act as camp manager and provide a warm atmosphere and cooperation to the constituency using Camp Koinonia. Responsibilities will include main- tenance of facilities and hosting of rental groups. Board and room are supplied plus a partial salary. Job description is available upi request. Contact: Conference of Mennonites Manitoba 202-1483 Pembina Highway Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2C9 ■tiai in 456 JULY 26, 197% i, Wallis speaks at Elkhart seminary vlore attention should be paid to the notion )f peoplehood, the identification with a radition lived by the people of God in arious forms through the ages, said Jim Vallis. Mr. Wallis, editor of Sojourners magazine n Washington, D.C., and author, spoke in Aay at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana, at graduation eremonies and at a seminar. The transition of life for a Christian is rom one communal order to another, he aid. The question that arises is, How might /e be more the people of God in the situation i which we find ourselves? An authentic political existence requires n authentic communal existence, said the ;ader of the Sojourners community. The uestion we're likely to ask right now is, low might we change the system, believing nat whatever catalytic influence we are for ocial change will derive more out of a eeper sense of our identity as God's people? Mr. Wallis said the pastoral role is often ;en as protection of a community. Such an iterpretation moves the pastor into being le keeper of the institution rather than the ;rvant who leads a people. A biblical people elps others cross over from one world to nother as they work with an "integrity that erives out of our own calling with God." Nurture never happens in a vacuum, but cording to felt needs and a vision. A congregation is nurtured in the direction of a clear vision for that people, he said. The seminaries had their largest graduat- ing class in history, with thirty-nine students completing degree programs. Sixteen stu- dents received master of divinity degrees; seven, master of arts (Christian education); nine, master of arts (peace studies); one, a certificate in theology; and six, a one-year certificate in theological studies. One more nominated for program committee The nominating committee of the General Conference has added one more name to its list of nominees for the program committee of the General Conference. Two new members of the program committee will be elected rather than one because of the recent resignation of one of the committee members. Adolf Ens, instructor of history and theology at Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg; member of the Inter-Mennonite Campus Ministry Committee for the Conference of Mennonites in Manitoba; member of the history-archives com- mittee of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada; completing a term as alumni representa- tive on the Mennonite Biblical Seminary board; member of the Fort Garry Fellowship of Winni- peg. Concern: "I am interested in seeing the international or supranational character of the church reflected in conference reporting and planning." ENROLL NOW AT COLUMBIA BIBLE INSTITUTE Columbia Bible Institute endeavors to: 1. provide for students an occasion for spiritual, intellectual, and social orienta- tion. 2. project a set of biblical values which will givestudentsdirection and purpose for life. 3. present the call of Jesus Christ in such a way that it will motivate young men and women to commit themselves to Christian service. This is how some students evaluated their experience at CBI: "What I've learned has affected every part of my life" (D. D., Abbotsford, British Columbia). "At CBI I learned the need for total commitment and radical discipleship I am experiencing a real struggle as God is at work in me regarding this" (L. T., Coaldale, Alberta). "CBI provided me with that Bible knowledge I needed and it was at CBI that the Lord pointed me towards a teaching career. I now feel much more secure in my faith as I plan to return to university next year" (G. K.T Winnipeg, Manitoba). Total cost per year for tuition, room, and board is $1,530. Write now to: s The Registrar Columbia Bible Institute 2940 Clearbrook Road Clearbrook, British Columbia V2T 2Z8 Another person at home delays nursing home For elderly people going home from a hospital, living with another person made the difference whether home was home or a nursing home, the University of Iowa alumni publication Spectator reported in its May issue. Eleanor McClelland, nursing professor, and Kathleen Kelly, director of the county visiting nurse association, interviewed forty- four people released from hospitals in the past six months. Half were receiving care in nursing homes and half in their own homes. The extent of the person's disability or the convenience of the home made little differ- ence between the senior citizen returning home or going to a nursing home, the study revealed. The critical factor appeared to be another person in the home. The researchers found that 71 percent of the persons who went to nursing homes had lived alone, while only 32 percent of those who returned home had lived alone. The article concluded: "Kelly and McClel- land also urge health care professionals to involve clients in the choice of nursing home or home health care. One-third of the people interviewed said they hadn't been told why they were receiving continued care, the researchers report." No man can be called friendless when he has God and the companionship of good books. — Elizabeth Barrett Browning PHP Faith and Life Bookstore 159 West Main, Berne, Indiana 46711 Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Fellowship Bookcenter 302 Kennedy Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2M6 HE MENNONITE 457 Record Workers David Duerksen of Hesston, Kansas, is serv- ing a one-year term in home repair at the Mennonite Voluntary Service unit in Wichi- ta. He is a graduate of the Electronics Institute in Kansas City and is a member of the Hesston Inter-Mennonite Fellowship. Paul Dyck, Springfield Heights Church, Winnipeg, has begun a one-year term of voluntary service with Mennonite Board of Missions, Elkhart, Indiana. He is working with glass recycling at Project Lend a Hand, Stratford, Ontario. He is a 1974 graduate of River East Collegiate High School, Winni- peg, and attended University of Manitoba, in Winnipeg, and Eastern Mennonite Col- lege, Harrisonburg, Virginia. He is the son of Margaret and Jacob Dyck of Winnipeg. Diana Herlihy of Eaton, Colorado, has begun work in the western Oklahoma unit of Mennonite Voluntary Service. She is serving for two years as an outreach counselor at the Youth Services Center in Clinton, Oklaho- ma. Diana holds a BA in social work from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, and is a member of the Eaton Evangelical Free Church. Peter Letkemann of Winnipeg has been named full-time teacher of music at Canadi- an Mennonite Bible College. Takashi and Kazue Manabe of Shikoku, Japan, are the first missionaries to be sent out by the Japan Mennonite Brethren Conference. They have been assigned to work with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Papua, New Guinea, beginning in 1978. Ann Marchand, Wichita, Kansas, will begin work July 1 in Seattle, Washington, under the auspices of Mennonite Voluntary Service. Her two-year assignment is in Help wanted Attention! Parents whose children have "left the nest" and healthy, vigorous adults of retirement age, MVS needs your experience, skills, maturity, and insights in our efforts to meet human needs. Consider one or two years of voluntary service. Openings available in rehabilitation and home repair; teaching; day-care; community service; secretarial, legal, and medical services. Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 Duerksen T. Manabe Marchand community mental health with Seattle Mental Health Institute. Ann is a recent graduate of the University of Kansas in Lawrence and has participated in the St. Lawrence Catholic Center in Lawrence. Mary Ann Preda of Monaca, Pennsylva- nia, is serving for three months this summer in a recreation program in Arvada, Colora- do. Her assignment is with Mennonite Voluntary Service. Mary Ann has attended Pennsylvania State University for two years. Mary Beth Wiens, Bethel College Church, North Newton, Kansas, has begun a one- year term of voluntary service with Menno- nite Board of Missions, Elkhart, Indiana. She is working as a community service worker at William Byrd Community Center, Richmond, Virginia. A 1975 graduate of Newton High School, she attended Bethel Voluntary service assignment: Rosthern Junior College, a Christian residential high school, is accepting applications from quali- fied counselors to work at the school for the 1977-78 school year. If you are interested in this kind of service, please contact: Robert J. Suderman Rosthern Junior College Rosthern, Saskatchewan SOK 3R0 Phone: (306) 232-4222 Preda College, North Newton, for two years. She is the daughter of Catherine and Curtis Wiens of Newton. Ministers Esko Laewen has resigned as copastor of Bethel College Church, North Newton, Kansas, to accept the pastorate of the Zion Church, Souderton, Pennsylvania, in Sep- tember. His wife, Alice, will be organist and coordinate the music program at Zion. Mr. Loewen served as dean of students at Bethel College 1 960-68. He became pastor of Bethel College Church in 1968. Replacing Mr. Loewen will be several persons serving on a part-time basis. Mary Ann Jost will continue as director of Christian education on an extended basis. Marilyn Klaus has been appointed in the area of youth ministries effective September 1. She is a graduate of Purdue University and received a master of divinity degree from the Associated Menno- nite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana. Calendar July 28-August 3 — General Conference triennial sessions, Bluffton, Ohio October 21-23— Western District Confer- ence annual sessions, Buhler High School, Buhler, Kansas 458 JULY 26, 1977 )?( i lira lo» pi ' bin Let Mr i ' Reci k\ ii r n k tire Mill; Ion ft ii I iff The\ llliiti »im Letters was misunderstood )ear Editor: Paul M. Zoschke (May 31 ssue) has missed the point entirely. In the foreseeable future, "disciples" of Thrist will allow abortion, divorce, homo- exuality, freeing of murderers, stealers, and tsurers. Our president is a member of the rilateral Commission, which is actually tudying abortion and euthanasia as a means if population control. It seems God's words "there is nothing hat they will not think to do" is upon us. ;hould we not be afraid as we make lawless nd unprincipled disciples that God might ay, "I never knew you"? It is easy to reason that unborn children nd useless older folk put away in God's ame go to heaven. But strange as it might eem, we will not deduct likewise for a lurderer. As surely as some of the afore- lentioned evils are accepted by the church, will euthanasia. Our big grist mill vangelists have made many "disciples," but ie crime in our nations climbs accordingly, ince the converts remain lawless. All the crimes rampant today violate the inocent and certainly violate "thou shalt >ve God. . . . might, neighbor, thyself." rue discipleship is inherent in protecting le innocent. Disciples loving God's precepts >ok forward to ruling with God with a rod f iron, to prohibit the present-day injustices pon the innocent. Then as now, we must now that there are those with "no light in tern." They cannot be regenerated nor ^habilitated, only eliminated. Let's stop making lawless "born-again" isciples of a "Christ" that true Christians tun, because their Christ changeth not. >ennis L. Derksen, Apartment 20, 49 New 'ochester Road, Dover, New Hamp- Wre 03820 June 9 tecommends "Boktola" ear Editor: The readers will be interested in le new book Boktola, published by Associ- ion Press, about a new missionary dimen- on extending from the United States to aire. Millard Fuller was a self-made millionaire fore age thirty. But he and his wife, Linda, ive it all away and dedicated themselves to e service of others. They joined Clarence Jordan at Koinonia irtners, between Americus and Plains, orgia. They helped develop low-cost >using for deprived people. Ownership of eir new homes required the paying of the principal (no profits and no interest) over an extended period. In Zaire, Mr. Fuller has applied similar self-help and cooperation principles into building a new community. It has already inspired the natives to start a similar community in Ntondo. A hundred houses have been built in the two communities. The power of a vital faith has been translated into real homes. Boktola means "the man who does not care for other" — the name Zairians had given the strip of land which now has become a dynamic new community. Copies of the book can be ordered from Koinonia Partners, Route 2, Americus, Georgia 3 1 709, at $3.95. All profits go to the African building project, called "Habitat for Humanity." Direct donations are also welcome. Richard Byrd, 1650 28th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33713 June 10 Liked corrections articles Dear Editor: Certainly I want to thank you for publishing my letter (May 17 issue) and for the recent articles in the May 31 issue related to corrections. They were great, and I pray they move more Christians to re- member those in prisons (Hebrews 13:3). Rehabilitation can truly only be known and accomplished by Christ (2 Corinthians 5: 1 7). David R. Hinman, Prison Pen Pals, Box 316, Fort Madison, Iowa 52627 June 1 1 Recovery of urban vocations Dear Editor: Certain parts of Dale Suder- man's article "Suppose a City" (June 14 issue) need clarification. "The city does not need more programs as much as it needs people who are willing to become good neighbors and friends." A sentence like that is problematical. Obviously the city does not need any more bad programs. People willing to be neighbors and friends would help in some situations. But just as obviously, good programs are needed to bring real help, and sometimes a good program is the best way to help people be good friends and neighbors! I do not consider myself bureaucratically inclined, but some of Dale's article sounds a bit too naive to take seriously. He enjoins us to be "good listeners in the restaurants and parks of our neighborhoods." Is he seriously telling us that in these places are found the most needy of our cities? The most needy persons can't get to the parks and have no way of visiting a restaurant. Dale fantasizes that many wonderful things would happen if only the church had the guts to reduce budgets by 80 percent and fire all the church professionals and do away with church programs, board meetings, and conferences. In the ensuing siience, he says, we would be "freed to talk to each other." I must assume that Dale has allowed himself some hyperbole in order to make a point. Even so, the point is not valid Mennonites are probably among the most antibureaucratic groups of Christians to be found as well as among the most efficient in channeling help to where it is needed. Dale, you are whipping the wrong horse. Are you suggesting a wholesale scrapping of pro- grams just so that we can get chummy? Furthermore, I wonder if the "dream" that Dale offers is a worthy vision at all. I would view with alarm the attempt of Mennonites to move into little urban ghettos for the purpose of communicating with each other, as he seems to suggest. I would also view with dismay a drift toward the ad hocism he seems to favor. Is the neighborhood bar stool really a better place for ministry than the housing project or hospital? Are we not commanded by the New Testament to do more than just good listening (Matthew 25, I John, James)? What is the Mennonite dream for the city? Is it to send in hordes of fresh-from-the- country volunteers to take up their listening posts on the park benches? Is it the destruction of some institutions and pro- grams which have worked reasonably well, and even with some notable success? I suspect that a recovery of vocation for urban Mennonites is a more basic problem than recruiting more volunteers. A responsi- ble classroom teacher, a corporation lawyer, a social worker, a doctor or nurse, all bear the brunt of agonizing questions and moral dilemmas in these trying times. But it is still through them, perhaps with some help from volunteers, that decisions are being made and implemented. A single city planner or social engineer can make or break the efforts of all the volunteer projects in the world! Mennonites are increasingly entering those positions of responsibility and decision making. My dream for the city would include a concerted blending of forces between the VS shock troopers, ad hoc listeners, volunteer programs, and the "given" structures of society and church. I become uneasy when either of the parties begins screaming, "We don't need you." Melvin D. Schmidt, 655 South Lorraine, Wichita, Kansas 67211 June 15 r HE MENNONITE 459 Review The Idea of a Christian College The Idea of a Christian College, by Arthur F. Holmes (William B. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1975, 1 16 pp.) is reviewed by David Schroeder, professor of New Testament and philosophy at Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg. Polemics for, and sometimes against. Chris- tian colleges have not been hard to find. The Idea of a Christian College is intended for the lay reader and gives a good philosophical discussion of the topic in understandable language. The author is careful to define what a Christian college is not: (1) It is not an institution designed to protect young people against the evils found elsewhere or to simply indoctrinate people; (2) nor is its purpose to train people for church-related vocations, that is, to give them skills or techniques in specific tasks; (3) and its main benefits are not the social and extracurricular benefits of a Christian college. Mr. Holmes clarifies that Christian education is not a disjunction between "piety and scholarship, faith and reason, religion and science, Christianity and the arts, theology and philosophy," for "all truth is God's truth, no matter where it is found" (pp. 16-17). Nor is Christian education to be understood in terms of a conjunction between piety and scholarship, philosophy and theology. "What we need is not Christians who are also scholars but Chris- tian scholars, not Christianity alongside education but Christian education." The emphasis of the book is on the constructive task of Christian education. The author analyses the specifically Chris- tian task in education as it relates to the liberal arts college. The main distinctive of the Christian college is that it refuses to compartmentalize religion. It retains a unifying Christian world-view and brings it to bear on the various arts and sciences. He recognizes that at times even so-called and (aire Clin! Christian colleges have resorted to a type of conjoined education (theology and philoso- phy), but it then can be seen more as jschm Christians in education rather than as a Christian college. In trying to explain what Christian education is, Mr. Holmes sets the Christian liberal arts college over against other forms of education, all of which he accepts as good but as differing in their approach to education. He advocates that Christians should feel called to teach and to accept miu responsibility in "secular academia," or in universities. This is a good Christian calling, but it should be recognized that it is a ho conjunction of Christian witness with mei secular education. It does not represent to Mr. Holmes the ideal of the integration of \\ faith and learning. What Mr. Holmes leaves out of consideration here is that at times the nonevangelical Christians have a morekliai integrated view of education and are m strongly represented in so-called secular|euii Build ne iniversities. In other words, it could be )ossible for some so-called secular institu- ions to match Mr. Holmes' definition of ;ood Christian education. Mr. Holmes sets off the Christian liberal irts college against the Bible institute and iible college in that it does not train people pecifically for church-related vocations — hat is, it does not focus on giving techniques md skills for specified tasks. The Bible chool movement had this as its objective :arly in its history and some may still have his as their overt aim, but most Bible olleges have since moved in the direction of >ffering the kind of education Mr. Holmes limself advocates. Right now it would be airer to say that, since so many of the rhristian liberal arts colleges were really )ffering little that was distinctive from the iniversities, the Bible colleges had to seek to ecover the task of a distinctly Christian •ducation. The objectives that Mr. Holmes lolds out for Christian education can also be net in the Bible college. The comparison with seminary is no better han with the university and the Bible ;olleges. The reason is that the type of nstitution does not in and of itself determine vhat kind of education is given. You have /ery different universities, Bible colleges, eminaries, and above all, liberal arts colleges. The kind of education he espouses is good and should be heeded and imple- mented, but to say that that kind of education happens only in the "evangelical" liberal arts college is presumptuous. Under "Theological Foundations" Mr. Holmes centers on some of the basic affirmations of faith that constitute the basic frame of reference for the Christian in education (in whatever setting) and the Christian college. It centers on the Christian view of creation, man, truth, and the cultural mandate. His main emphasis rightly focuses on the "idea of a world-view." He contrasts the unified world-view of the Christian faith with the fragmented view of the multiversity. What is needed is a holistic, integrational, exploratory (versus closed) world-view. More striking is his claim that the Christian world-view is likely to be pluralistic because "we explore Christian perspectives on the world of thought at different points and by different paths and with different concerns and backgrounds" (p. 60). Above all, a Christian world-view is confessional and perspectival. We cannot proceed deductively from universal and necessary truths. The book is worth reading and contem- plating. Mr. Holmes is seeking to state what Christian education is all about. According to his definition of Christian education, many Christian institutions would fall short. Each institution, whether located on univer- sity campus or functioning as a separate college, would do well to hear Mr. Holmes out on his theory of education. He has something to say that needs to be under- stood. It is unfortunate that the author prejudices the case for such education by two assump- tions which really are not integral to his argument. ( I ) Such education is offered best in the Christian liberal arts colleges. I would say it can happen there, it need not happen there, it does not always happen there, but it should happen there. Also, it can and does happen in other types of institutions. (2) There is the assumption that Christian education is "evangelical" education. Mr. Holmes nowhere clearly says what "evangel- ical" means. The chapter on theological foundations should have made this clear, but many whom Mr. Holmes might not hold to be "evangelical" would agree with the Christian world-view he espouses. Why prejudice the reader with assumptions not germane to the issue? Educators should take Mr. Holmes seriously in spite of some of the extraneous material and seek with the author to arrive at truth in education. jregaticra # ^ive today for overseas missions, home ministries, Christian education, seminary. Our 1977 goal is $3,179,883. GENERAL CONFERENCE MENNONITE CHURCH Box 347 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard Newton, Kansas 67114 Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4 Family in focus at Bluffton R. Bruce Woods ii nee LEI ': bertai mar At the Bluffton conference, there will be three two-hour workshops to discuss our study of family life and its implications for ministries in your church and community. If you're coming to Bluffton, you are invited to attend. Research data like ours is not the final answer on either the problems or solutions. But we can draw some modest tentative conclusions that may help the General Conference deal with family life concerns. The 674 clergy, general laity, single, and college-age General Conference Mennonites who responded to our survey lead us to believe the following: 1. View of marriage. Forty-seven percent of our total sample consider divorce a realistic possibility after honest attempts to save the marriage have failed. College-age and clergy averaged 41.5 percent giving approval to divorce after attempts at reconciliation have failed. The general laity sample supported divorce at 52 percent. We are changing in the direction of moderation on the divorce question. 2. Mennonile divorce rates. Our 674 respondents were asked to comment on the divorce rate among Mennonites (presently $ ON THE 6 estimated at 2 percent). Some of the more frequent responses were: (a) Our closely knit community-church-home triad makes for more solid marriages, (b) The pressure from church and community make divorce unac- ceptable. Even though marriage is painful and no longer life giving, the couple will emotionally divorce but stay in their unhap- py marriage, (c) The rural atmosphere protects Mennonites from the stress such marriages would face in the cities, (d) The Scriptures teach that divorce is wrong and Mennonites believe Scripture — thus divorce is not acceptable. 3. Urban influence. Seventy percent of the 674 people tested believe that urbaniza- tion will bring a rising divorce rate among Mennonites. This means that Mennonite congregations in the cities need to plan now for new family life ministries and new models of extended families to cope with this issue. 4. Working women. Pastors in the study were asked to indicate what percentage of married women in their congregation were working, half-time or more, outside of the home. United States pastors reported that 37 percent of the married women are thus employed, while Canadian pastors reported 19 percent. Thirty-eight percent of all pastors were of the opinion that working women are a negative factor in the home and in the church. Thirty percent indicated mixed feelings on this issue, and only 13 percent approved it favorably. Since more women keep on entering the work force, it seems that congregations will require new styles for Christian education and pastoral care to two-worker families. Pastors indicated that 39 percent of their wives are employed outside the home. With only 1 3 percent regarding such arrangements favorably (above), we can expect that there is tension in some pastoral families. Twenty percent of the pastors said their wives work because of economic necessity. Forty per- cent indicated their wives were working to continue their profession or in order to make life more interesting and varied. (Female pastors, please forgive the sex bias of this question). Summary. Our study on General Confer- ence family life provides us with much information. One insight is that "family" has many definitions. Single-parent families have unique needs. Single persons are{ families. The extended family is breaking down in our urban, mobile culture, and Mennonites are becoming more urban and more mobile. Changing roles of men and women will put increasing pressure on traditional marriage attitudes. Divorced people often need less judgment and more love and reconciliation. Pastors remain key persons for Menno- nites as counselors and friends. This unique role requires a large appetite for continuing education to be ready to assist. The two-worker family is the style of the future. The need for high-quality, low-cost day-care service for working parents may be an obvious ministry in which congregations need to get more involved. An additional preparation for the Bluff- ton conference would be to read Urie Bronfenbrenner's article "Nobody Home: The Erosion of the American Family," Psy- chology Today, May issue. I hope to see you at Bluffton. ftfcoi Hi (bail «t id l k\ ni h " ink Not ptcili :>' a< rapp in • (qui Mi IK For (an For JtlYt T ■'■ tfin 462 JULY 26, 1977 Meditation Contents The right question | wice I have been powerfully reminded that the search lor the right answer begins with Isking the right question. When I was a seminary student, Clarence Jordan, founder of Koinonia Farm in Americus, )eorgia, visited our campus. He was describing some of the grief he had experienced with ertain churches in that area. We asked him if it would not be better simply to leave the nstitutional church behind with all of its sin and faithlessness. His answer was that, instead of ategorically assuming that it's more right to leave than to stay, people should ask after the leaning of obedience in the place they find themselves. The consequences of obedience will etermine the next step. The second time was when Willie Cilliers was on campus last year. Willie is a white man rom the Republic of South Africa, who serves as secretary for evangelism for the black )utch Reformed Church. Knowing a little about South Africa, it seemed to me an almost impossible space he was ccupying. One day, in a stumbling, awkward way 1 asked him how he could survive the kind i f constant tension he obviously lived with. He answered quietly, out of a deep faith and commitment to live out the implications of /hat he said, "You are asking the wrong question. It is not a matter of how one does it, nor if ne can endure it. The right question is simple. What is God's will forme, and whatdoChrist nd the way of the cross demand?" At least in part, education consists of asking and grappling with questions. The inquisitive lind of a young child who constantly asks why or how is not trying to be irksome, but is 1 emonstrating the learning process. By asking, one learns — and by being asked and made to link through the question and search for the answer, one learns. j Not all questions are of equal validity nor of equal significance. Though there are countless pecific and immediate things we need to learn in order to exist in our world, education has lot achieved its highest purpose until it helps us individually and corporately to ask and rapple with those questions that deal with the nature and meaning of life itself and of our wn personal existence. It is not enough for young people to be vocationally skilled and j repared for the job market. We need people who have wrestled with the philosophical uestions, who have read history in search of its lessons, who have thought beyond their own nmediate community and context. 0 For Christian education, even the above is not enough. Christian education assumes that re are not morally neutral, but rather that we operate in a particular value framework. For us, the right question is the Christological one, "Who do you say that I am?" verything, from our view of history to our understanding of who we are and the meaning of ur own existence, grows out of our response to that question. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer says. Me find Christ as the center and the meaning of history and it is he who interprets our being. In Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot, the two characters, Didi and Gogo, are waiting for jjiodot. Only they don't really know who he is, nor if that is his name, nor if this is the place hey were to meet him, nor if this is the right time. So they fill their time playing games while hey wait for him. | Unlike them, we do know. There is a specificity about the context in which we ask questions and about the assumptions we make. 1 We can help people learn the skills and information that they need to survive in the world. ! /e can provide a climate where students are led to examine the nature and meaning of life. |ut, most of all, we need to provide the context in which persons are confronted with and live to respond in some way to the question Jesus asked of Peter, "But who do vou say that 1 jar ! There should be no question that we avoid or are afraid to look at. Finally, all questions j ave to bow before the question of what our obedience to Christ would demand of us. We are 1 died not to do that which will help us prosper, nor that which will help us survive, nor that i hich necessarily makes the most sense. We are called to do and to be that which will enable m to be faithful and obedient. Jerrv Weaver Affirming our Christian colleges 450 As long as life and breath 451 Our distinctives 452 News 454 Record 458 Letters 459 The Idea of a Christian College 460 Family in focus at Bluffton 462 The right question 463 Our Mennonite colleges 464 Time for re-creation 464 CONTRIBUTORS This issue was prepared with assistance from COE staff person David H, Suderman, North Newton, Kansas 67117. Donovan E. Smucker is professor of social studies at Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ontario. Muriel Stackley, Box 347, Newton, Kan- sas 67114, is a part-time editor for the General Conference Commission on Educa- tion. R. Bruce Woods, director of family life education for the General Conference, concludes his series of articles about the recent research project done for COE. Jerry Weaver is campus minister- counselor at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas 67117. CREDITS Cover, Robert Maust, Harrisonburg, Virgi- nia 22801 ; 450, 452, John Hiebert; 455, Rudy Regehr, GCNS. Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone; (204) 888-6781 Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Telephone: (316) 283-5100 Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Win- nipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schu- macher. Art director John Hiebert Business manager: Dietrich Rempel Circulation sec- retary Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Lloyd L Ramseyer, 488 West Elm Street, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street. Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117; Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indi- ana 46805; and Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Lawrence Khppenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P0M4 HE MENNONITE 463 Our Mennonite colleges David H. Suderman Last January I was appointed as Commission on Education staff person for higher education. One of my first assignments was to visit our General Conference-related schools and enter into dialog with administrators, faculty, and students concern- ing the distinctive education we claim in the catalogs and to affirm our schools in their delegated task of the church. I wish that many could have contact with those who administer and teach and with those who come to learn. The dedication and seriousness at their task is exciting. Contrary to what we think, education is serious business. Students come to develop their personhood and a life-style and to discover their gifts for a career. Our colleges are high-priority work of the church. This calls for a new affirmation of each other: church and church school. These schools are central to the work of the church. My visits with our colleges to date have given me the following impressions: 1. Each school is unique. Enrollments vary from under 100 to over 600 students. Student bodies range from 95 percent of Mennonite parentage to 80 percent in one school coming from non-Mennonite background. While all learning at our schools is viewed in a Christian perspective, some of our schools focus mainly on Bible, theology, philoso- phy, and our heritage, while others give the greater emphasis to the liberal arts. 1. Our schools provide role models. I learned again in a new way that the greatest influence on students is not through buildings, library, or equipment (even though these are important). It is the work force: faculty, staff, and administration. They model a life-style for the students and incarnate the school's spirit. This is rewarding and frightening. The workers at our schools carry a great responsibility. Teaching and counseling are a high calling. 3. Teachers are under pressure. Faculty are always a minority and the students are a majority. Only those who have taught know what that means. Teachers can become lonely. They need to affirm each other, and they need the support of students, parents, and the church. 4. Administrators face even greater pressure. Final responsibility for the total program — working relationships between faculty and students, funds to operate, community image, and credible standards — all fall upon the shoulders of a few. Maybe they need our affirmation even more than the teachers. 5. The essence of Christian faith is a challenge to all. To communicate basic Christian beliefs to twentieth-century Mennonite young people along with those of non-Mennonite background provides an ongoing challenge. Keen insight and sensitivity are called for when promoting a respect and commitment to the Mennonite heritage without negating diverse heritages also represented in the classes. I believe deeply in education within the Christian context. And I hope that all of us do. When moral values have faltered badly. Christian colleges have an unprecedented opportunity and obligation to our churches and to society. Distinctive learning usually begins in a distinctive context. May God grant us the wisdom and insight to provide an ongoing Christian atmosphere on our college campuses where much of the leadership for our churches is shaped. Time for re-creation Summer is synonymous with vacations. Just about every person takes time each summer for a vacation. I never liked the word vacation. It suggests leaving or voiding, a negative idea. Too many people manage to turn vacations into negative experiences. They spend recklessly now and later worry about paying. They exchange the everyday rat-race for a schedule of travel and sightseeing that is even tenser. They make sure to get their prepackaged tours on film and acetate, even though they miss the real wonder of new flowers, moun- tains, lakes, or people. Holiday, meaning "holy day," would be more appropriate. Days away from regular work can be time to relax, to refresh, and to replenish. They can help us get it all together. They can be days when God's Spirit can come among us in a new way. They can be days of re-creation, becoming new people. Whether it's off to conference, to the lake, to the mountains, or just a change of pace at home, stop and think about it. Will this be just a vacation, or will it be a time of re-creation? They can be holy days! BW Following our summer biweekly schedule, the next issue of The Mennonite will be dated August 9. Cornelia Lehn The Foundation Series is introduced to the Faith Mennonite Church at Newton, Kansas. The new Sunday school material — all gold and blue and green and orange — is off the presses! Songs that have never been heard before, teachers' books, records, cassettes, worksheets — the first quarter of the Founda- tion Series is ready for use this fall. Finally to hold in our hands something over which we have labored so hard and so long is like wading through deep water and finally coming to shore, like climbing a high mountain and actually reaching the top, like walking through the night and at last seeing the sun rise in all its glory. God has been good to us! He has given us another tool to carry out his Great Commission. Who is responsible for the new curriculum? When the dream surfaced to create a new curriculum, it was called the Anabaptist Curriculum Project — "Anabaptist" because four denominations that have their roots in the Anabaptist movement decided to work together. They are the (Old) Mennonite Church, the Church of the Brethren (as cooperative user), the Brethren in Christ, and the General Conference Mennonite Church. Representatives sat down around an empty table in September 1973 and asked the fundamental question "What should an Anabaptist curriculum be like?" These representatives decided to ask their congregations that same question. Wherever possible, questionnaires were handed out to Sunday school teachers, parents, and other people in the church. Then, theologians, educators, historians, sociologists, artists, and musicians worked on the outline. The outline was given to writers. Thirty-eight writers, Sunday school teachers in our churches, were chosen from every area of the constituency. A network of consultants was organized so that each writer would have, at least theoretically, five Sunday school teachers to turn to for counsel and advice. For the first time in history, Sunday school teachers from four Anabaptist denominations, together with their respective editors, sat down together all over the United States and Canada to plan a curriculum! After the writing of the lessons and a first editing of the manuscript in the editorial offices, copies of every manuscript were sent for evaluation to twelve readers in the congregations of the participating denomi- nations. Literally hundreds of people in our churches were involved. Who is responsible for this curriculum? We all are! It has grown up from among us. It is ours. What is the new curriculum like? Many congregations said in the initial stages, "We want a chronological curricu- lum. We want our children to know the stories in the Bible in correct order, not developed around themes." If we strictly followed the biblical se- quence, it would take several years of Old irdei even «.:< IK; Xt '; ill;;' Testament studies to get to the New Testament. We could not do that. If we took the children through the Bible each year from Genesis to Revelation, over and over again, eight times, that would not allow enough time to study any part of the Bible in depth. That would not be satisfactory either. Finally we focused on the sequence of events in the "story of salvation" as it is told in the Bible. It was exciting to see the biblical mm material outlined at the various age levels |p under such overarching themes as "The Family of God," "Promise and Fulfillment," "Captivity and Deliverance," "Law and Covenant." Each time the story of salvation is told on a specific age level, it begins with the problem of sin — of alienation between God and humankind — and goes on to describe God working at this problem until the climax and the solution is reached in the life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. A promise was given to Abraham; it was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. God's people were in captivity; deliverance came in Jesus Christ. A covenant was made in the Old Testament; an everlasting covenant was made in Jesus Christ. Always Jesus Christ is the one to whom all things point, who is our salvation. He is the foundation on which we build, "for no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3; 1 1 ). It seemed natural to name the new Sunday school curriculum the "Foundation Series." ill 466 AUGUST 9, 1977 I What is unique about the new curriculum.' The question is being asked over and over, 'How is the Foundation Series different ijfrom other curricula on the market?" Ours is biblical, but so are others. Ours 1 tells the story of salvation in chronological iarder, but so do some others. Ours has good Educational methods, but so have others. So — why not use a curriculum other denom- I inations have produced? Do we think we pave an edge on the revelation of God? A special place in God's grace? A higher knowledge of the truth than the rest of Christendom? Of course not. Christ walks among the churches. He iiolds them like stars in his hand (Revelation 1:12-20). He has given each of his churches. :ven as to each individual, gifts to be used for pis glory and for the common good (1 Corinthians 12). In the family of churches |ve, too, have a gift. It is our interpretation of Scripture, our view of the church, our (Understanding of the child, and our concern f or the wider fellowship of God's children on fearth. To be faithful to our callings, we must Lass that gift and assignment on to our children. We want our children to know how we interpret the Bible. The Old Testament is an ntegral part of the whole story of salvation; t gives us the beginning and the action of 1 1 hat story. But the New Testament is the :limax, the solution. We see the whole Bible I hrough Jesus Christ. We want our children to know how we \>iew the church. It is the body of Christ. We I|re integral parts of each other, even as in a ohysical body, helping each other with our i/arious gifts, caring for each other, reaching but together to others, all in obedience to the jiead of the body. The church must obey lesus Christ regardless of the consequences, |;ven unto death. Where the state and the I aws of God clash, our highest loyalty is to I pod. We must obey God rather than men ! Acts 5:29). 1 We want our children to know how we mnderstand the child. Jesus told us in Mark 1 0: 14. "Let the children come to me, do not : hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God." It does not say, "To , ihildren, if or when they repent of their sins, will belong the kingdom of God," or "To the children, when they grow up, will belong the kingdom of God." It says plainly in the present tense, without qualifications, and repeated in the Matthew, Mark, and Luke accounts exactly alike: "To such belongs the kingdom of God." We believe Christ died for everyone, including the children. They are safe in his arms until such a time when they can consciously accept or reject the atoning work of Christ. In order that the Holy Spirit may in its own good time work the miracle of new birth in the heart of the human being, we believe it is our duty to help our children to know the story of salvation in its entirety as it is told in the Bible and to learn to love the Lord Jesus Christ throughout their child- hood. We want our children to become acquaint- ed with the wider fellowship of God's children on earth — and so extensive use of stories is made in this curriculum. There are stories from church and Mennonite history, from our mission outreach, from our relief activities. These stories were gathered from around the world. In addition to the uniqueness of the content, there is one more characteristic of the curriculum that is special. The Founda- tion Series includes materials for workshops to help the teachers become familiar with the curriculum. How was it produced0 Writing is hard work. It is rigorous spiritual exercise. It is agony. It is ecstasy. Our writers gave of themselves. They shared with us their spiritual pilgrimage, their teaching experience, their knowledge of life. Families and churches gave invaluable support. One writer wrote between trips to change the water in the irrigation system on their farm. One writer got up at three o'clock in the morning to work on the curriculum, since she had to teach school during the day. One writer holed herself up in the basement of the house to be undisturbed. It was not, "Shhh — the baby is sleeping!" It was, "Shhh Mom is writing!" The consultants around each writer helped by giving their counsel. They were willing to criticize the lessons, to make suggestions, to look for information, and to try out the methods suggested. They also rejoiced with the writers when lessons were completed. Finally, the package — the precious manuscript — was mailed to the editor. The first manuscript that I received in my office was from Canada. It has been carried by hand across the border during the mail strike! Another manuscript arrived with "Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!" written all over it. One manuscript which came during the Christmas season was tied with a huge red bow. The editor goes through the manuscript for theological and educational content and organization and makes the dummy to make sure there is a place for every picture, photo, and song on the prescribed number of pages. An assistant editor goes through the manu- script for sentence structure, for grammar, and for spelling and also writes for permis- sions to use quoted materials. A typist retypes the manuscript, and then it is sent to readers who evaluate it. After their counsel has been received, the manuscript is edited a second time. A copy editor goes over it with a fine-tooth comb for consistency in punctua- tion and style; typesetters set the type; galley proofs are read and corrected and read and corrected and read and corrected. Finally, finally camera copy is made so that it can be printed. That is the end of that, surely! Not so! Even the proof of the camera copy bears witness to the fact that we are human and make mistakes. (At such a time as this one truly longs for heaven!) At this writing, one quarter's material is printed. And there are still seven more quarters to go! Praise the Lord! We are awed by the fact that this curriculum has been planned and produced by hundreds of people in our midst (thou- sands, if we count the women who sewed the puppet Oliver for the preschoolers). We are excited by the way the curriculum consist- ently tells the story of salvation according to the understanding of the child on every level. We feel it has the unique characteristics of the faith of our particular fellowship. Now that the first quarter is off the presses, it is being carried to congregations by hundreds of communicators who will help us use it. who will help set up teacher- training workshops, and who will be available for counsel. In September we will use the new curriculum for the first time. Teachers and children will open the books, hear the stories, look at the pictures, sing the songs, and get involved in the many challenging activities in response to the Word of God. OE staff rejoices when the first Foundation Series manuscript arrives at the office. A mission of the ctyurcl? Donna Lehman Summer Bible school is a once-in-a-year opportunity for people, from children to adults, to learn Bible truths. Yet, each year, churches find it increasingly difficult to get enough workers. Some churches cooperate with area churches to staff a Bible school, and some have evening programs to enlist the help of more men. Others have dropped this program. A survey of five Fort Wayne area Mennonite churches revealed that children without a church home attending Bible school in 1976 ranged from 5 percent to 66 percent of the total enrollment. The average was 37 percent. A sixth church did not have a Bible school last year. With the exception of one church, Bible school enrollment exceeded Sunday school enrollment for the same age group. The increase varied from 12 to 100 percent, with three of the five churches having 100 percent increase in attendance. These statistics support the fact that Bible school presents an opportunity for evangelism. Pastors and secretaries expressed the concern that much prayer should precede the opening of Bible school. Teachers need to give opportunities for people to accept Christ. They felt the need for a strong evangelism emphasis. Two of the churches have begun adult classes which teach an introduction to the Christian faith. Both had six adults enrolled last year, and both church leaders were optimistic about future adult classes. Four of the churches had two weeks of Bible school, with three having night sessions. One church had four sessions each week. Maplewood Mennonite Church had the largest number of people registered — 119 children and six adults. Sixty-six percent of the children did not list a church home. This enrollment was double the Sunday school enrollment of the church for children in this age group. All rooms were filled to capacity, with the adult class meeting at the parson- age. For the past eight years I have taught a first- or second-grade class at Maplewood, and I have observed the majority of churched children become the minority in the classroom. Changes have occurred which involve everything from backgrounds of the children to dress. These changes affect what we teach. For example, we must teach why 1976 Fort Wayne summer Bible school survey in six area Mennonite churches Class Enroll- SS enroll- Percent Time range ment ment unchurched Church 1 day Pre-K to 6th 158 68 33 Church 2 evening Nursery to adult 80 100 33 Church 3 evening K to 6th 90 71 50 Church 4 day Pre-K to 6th and adult 119 60 66 Church 5 evening K to 8th 105 52 5 Church 6 no Bibleschool in 1976 Church 4 had a staff of thirty-one persons. Four teachers and some helpers came from other churches. None of the other churches used outside help. one should be reverent in the sanctuary where the children go to sing each morning. Another change is the number of Bibles in the classroom. Few children have a Bible, and most of the pupils need individual help to look up a verse. With the exception of the birth and resurrection of Christ, many first-grade children are unfamiliar with Bible stories. Last year as I began the introduction to the story of Matthew, I noted the blank expressions on many children's faces. Mat- thew was a new name to them. After hearing the story, they were surprised to learn that there are an Old and a New Testament in the Bible. As the unchurched children become the majority in the classroom, we must' adapt our teaching to make new Bible students and be prepared to lead them to Christ. In spite of the fact that most of the children are not accustomed to Bible study, they love the Bible school and are open to Bible teaching. They are eager to learn. This enthusiasm makes the mission of teaching Christ to children a joyful experience. To watch the expression on a child's face as he asks, "Teacher, what color should I draw Jesus' hair?" makes teaching worthwhile. A teacher can feel the enthusiasm of a class when acting out a Bible story. The first-grade class particularly likes to act out the parable of the sheepfold. One child dresses like a shepherd while another child hides a toy sheep. As the shepherd hunts the hidden sheep, the class tells him if he is close to finding the sheep by saying "hot" or if he's far away from the sheep by saying "cold." They become excited when the lost sheep is found, and there is an ample supply of volunteers to be the shepherds. In the parable of the sheepfold Jesus says, "It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish" (Matthew 18: 14). Each year, the opportunity for finding lost sheep becomes greater when scores of children and adults enter the church during the summer Bible school. THE MENNONITE seeks lo witness, leach, motivate, and build the Christian lellowship within the context ol Christian love and treedom under the guidance ol the Scriplures and the Holy Spirit II is pub- lished weekly excepl biweekly durinq July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton. Kansas 671 14, by Ihe General Board ot the General Conterence Mennonite Church Second-clasl postage paid at Newton, Kansas 671 14, and at additional mailing otlices Subscriptions in United States and Canada, S8 00, one year, *1 5 50. two years, S23 00, three years, toreign, $8 50 per year Edito- rial office 600 Shaltesbury Boulevard Winnipeg, Canada R3P0M4 Business office 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 671 1 4 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 347, Newton. Kansas 671 14 468 AUGUST 9, 1977 Of good report In Philippians 4:8 is an obscure word euphemos which occurs only once in the New Testament. It means "auspicious, well-sounding, praiseworthy, attractive, appealing, gracious, well spoken of, virtuous, of good report." Luther trans- lates it, wohl lautet. It should serve as a principle for ordering church life. Consider the area of understanding the diversity in the Scriptures on the subject of woman's role in the church. To begin, we must realize the setting in which the Scriptures were written. We must also find the meaning of the Scriptures today. That lonely word euphemos meets us forthrightly. What is seemly within and without the community of the people of God? In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul states that a woman while praying or prophesying should cover her head. In the same letter, chapter 14, a woman is not permitted to speak; she is to be silent in church. Those who limit women from full participation in the responsibilities of the church also rely on I Timothy 2:13-14, "For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor." The use of the perfect tense in the Greek, literally "has become," suggests a continuing, present state of sin resultant upon past action. In Timothy 2:15, women's salvation is placed into a future-more-vivid condition- al clause construction, which usually implies a vivid degree of probability. Thus, if they remain in faith, (if they remain) in love, (if they remain) in sanctification with sobriety, she shall be saved through childbearing. Because the singular number is found in the main verb, commentators have projected that reference is made to Eve or Mary, but the text does not specify. A "chain of command" is noted in 1 Corinthians 11:3, "But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a woman is her husband, and the head of Christ is God." Open your Kiltie Those who undergird and encourage women to maximum participation and responsibility hold Paul to 2 Corinthians 3:17, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." At Pentecost, tongues of fire rested on the heads of all one hundred twenty. Today, woman no longer carries the sin of Eve as she approaches God in worship, for she, too, stands redeemed, justified by faith alone. There is no different baptism of woman. Instead of the chain of command, the stress is on partnership, with two levels. The first is God and Christ: John 10:30, "I and the Father are one," and Philippians 2:6-1 1 , "Who . . . being equal with God . . . humbled himself. . . ." Second is man and woman: Ephesians 5:21-33, "Be subject to one another. . . . Husbands, love your wives. . . . Wives, fear your husbands. . . ." God affords loving leadership; Christ, voluntary servanthood. Man gives loving leadership responsibilities; woman, volun- tary submission. The verb hypotasso, which appears again and again in the middle voice in the Greek, suggests strongly voluntary submission. The Hebrew word for "helper," ezer, in Genesis 2 carries no inferior status. In the majority of its usages it is used of God, God being a helper in the presence of human need. After the animals were created in Genesis 1 , man and woman were created simultaneously. In Genesis 2, the man was created, then the animals, then woman. When woman was led to man, he broke forth in poetry, considering her the crowning act of God's creation. At the time of the Fall, the serpent was cursed, but not woman and man, who instead found disturbance in relationships, man to the soil and woman to childbearing and to her husband. The descriptive statement in Genesis 3:16 ". . . yet your desire shall be for your husband and he shall rule over you" is not license for male supremacy, but reveals the opportunity for corruption in man, also, in ruling over the one God gave him as an equal. Genesis 1:27 states, "God made man in his own image, in the image of God created he him, male and female created he them." God's image carries no inferiority. Man and woman can again know equality and harmony through grace, because in God's grace we can know a new beginning. In Galatians 3:26-28 Paul writes, ". . . For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God, through faith. . . . There is neither male nor female." Scholars are aware of the need to relate the milieu to the Jewish, Hellenistic, and Roman world of that day. Corinth, for example, in which was the temple of Aphrodite, was a city noted for its sexuality. Strabo, a first-century Roman geographer and traveler, indicated that one thousand prostitutes sold themselves in service to the goddess. Until Paul came to Corinth, religious practices very much included women, women in prostitution. It was from Corinth that Paul wrote to the Romans his description of the moral corruption of the pagan world. Christians were largely Gentiles (2 Corinthians 12:2) and mostly from the lower classes (1 Corinthians l:26ff.). Robin Scroggs is convinced that Paul was writing against homosexuality, desperately maintaining distinctions between the sexes: covered and uncovered heads, long and short hair. J. M. Ford suggests that the early seeds of Montanism were already present in Asia, women realizing a newfound freedom, but going too far, pushing too hard, doing what was unseemly, unfitting, insensitive. More and more, varying attitudes and practices will be present in our congrega- tions. Some continue to hold to the Scripture "Let a woman be silent — Eve was created last and sinned first." Others are uneasy with those who too strongly silence the voice of another (even a woman), lest they silence the voice of the Holy Spirit. Still others claim the prophet- ic utterance of Joel, "Your sons and your daughters will prophesy . . . and upon your men servants and upon your handmaidens in those days I will pour my spirit" (Joel 2:28-29). As women, we need to be sensitive, always adorning ourselves with "the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable jewel of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious." Let us be ready spiritually and mentally (academically) for areas which may open, whether it be the pulpit orsome other leadership or service position. Where the congregation is not ready, let us do well what our congregations allow us to do. As people of God, let us all make our determinations upon the principle: is it gracious, is it seemly, is it well spoken of, is it of good report? Gertrude Rot en, lecturer in New Testament Greek, Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Indiana HE MENNONITE 469 News Rubber tires, schools, and a mission Lois Barrett In early summer the air is dry and dusty, but not too hot. In the sunshine, the brownness of the landscape — road, plowed fields, adobe-brick houses and fences, slightly more gray cement fences, mountains surrounding the high plateau — is broken only by the trees planted in the villages. Except for the adobe, the villages could be those in which Mennonites lived in Russia a hundred years ago. But the Mexican city of Cuauhtemoc is only a few miles away, and El Paso, Texas, lies about 275 miles to the north. On the roads are green John Deere tractors pulling flatbed wagons and an occasional pickup or taxi. The "Old Colony" Mennonites came to Mexico in 1922 and thereafter from Canada to escape compulsory English and flags in the schools and to escape the pressures of Canadian society to change their way of life. Some things have changed little or not at all in the fifty-odd years since migration: the pattern of village life, the dress, the schools (which use the century-old Fibel, or primer), the sermons, Donnadagh (the Thursday exercise of church discipline before the Old Colony elders). The wife of an Old Colony elder, whose husband was away at Donnadagh, ex- plained, "We want to stay steadfast, but I don't know how long we can keep it." Even in Mexico, isolated by language and somewhat by geography, things change. "The young people learn Spanish more and more," said the elder's wife. "They spend more time in town than I would like to see them spend. I have no need for Spanish. I don't talk when I go to town. My husband talks for me." Church life also changes. Where once one's relatives belonged to the same church, now one may have relatives in the Old Colony church, in the General Conference church, in the Kleine Gemeinde, and in the Gemeinde Gottes (Church of God), a German group that began sending mission- aries to the area about three years ago. The boards of missions and Christian service of the General Conference Menno- nite Church came to work among their distant ethnic cousins in Mexico in the midfifties to establish a school and a church at the invitation of a small Mennonite group near Cuauhtemoc. They were not Old Colony, but had immigrated directly from Russia to Mexico. The "Russian" church began attracting people who had been excommunicated from Gerhard and Anna Dyck have been in the General Conference church at Quinta Lupita, Mexico, longer than most of the other members. It would be better for the church if so many did not move to Canada, says Gerhard. the Old Colony church. The three General Conference congregations in the Cuauhte- moc area are now made up primarily of former Old Colony members, after a split in 1963 with the "Russians." The General Conference's Commission on Overseas Mission now has about eighteen missionaries serving in the area as pastors, teachers, and medical personnel. "Things are mixed together now: the Old Colony, the General Conference, the Church of God," said Johann Fehr, an Old Colony farmer and mechanic in the village of! Kronsgart. "Really they all believe in the same God, but they can't quite agree on little things. The churches get along — if they leave each other alone," he said, sitting in his living room, made smaller by the double bed in one corner piled high with mattresses and quilts and the rollaway bed against another wall. Heads of children peaked through every open door. The churches have not always left each other alone. Jakob Schmidt, an excommunicated Old Colony member who joined the General Conference eight years ago in spite of his mother's pleading, told of his house being surrounded one day by men threatening him because his children were in a General Conference school. Three years ago the General Conference school in Kronsgart was closed because of threats of violence, and the Old Colony cheese factories were refusing to take milk from General Conference farmers. Such tension is less apparent now; the two groups are united in their lack of apprecia- tion for the German Church of God missionaries. But relationships are still? strained. "I have two brothers in the General Conference, but there is no contact with the rest of my family," said Jakob Schmidt. "But with my wife's family there is some contact." "We relate to our neighbors on working affairs," said Gerhard Dyck, a deacon in the General Conference church at Quinta Lupita, "but on religious matters they won't communicate." He and his wife, Anna, sat in their living room filled with books and musical instruments. Mr. Dyck is one of the few members of the Quinta Lupita congregation who has not been excommunicated from the Old Colony. He had been elected as a minister in the Old fef; ["T ill tl Mo 10 ti Id I "T In :ter m OF u:. Pel ml ami an; k |oki dbo ilkei no : TO j me hi...: 470 AUGUST 9, 1977 RSI temtx mil Colony church, and once elected, there is no '^communication. But he was never or- dained because he would not replace the | Rubber tires on his tractor with steel wheels. j "I didn't see why a minister should take !:hem off when others were driving them," he Isaid. "The boys were small when I put the '■ubber tires on. What was I to tell my sons i now?" i! j He began to read his Bible more, and some :■ hings didn't make sense, he said. He had ii jisked the Old Colony elders, but they were I defensive. So he started to look around to nther churches. II "The General Conference church is free of 1 i ill the outward appearances that the Old J j Colony church insists on: no car, right dress, no rubber tires," he said. "Everything in the i bid Colony is according to law." || "The Old Colony church excommunicat- i :d me, but they never told me why," said iireter Rempel, sitting in his office at a irf lammermill and feed mixer factory in the k Ipolonies. He has been a member of the i fjeneral Conference church since 1971, the J ime his oldest child started to school, til "I had that planned since 1965 because I 1 1 Wanted to send my children to the General I (Conference school," he said. "The General n (Conference school tries to teach more Perfect German, and there's also Spanish." if Peter Rempel explained his interest in ;ood education: "1 attended the school in i|J)lumenort, where the teacher was Isaac ijbyck, one of the best teachers the colonies ver had. He explained every Bible story. I j! i parned later that people in other villages i ! ;arned less than we in Blumenort." i I Peter Rempel's family had owned a ■ ookstore in the colonies which had import- (s d books from Lutherans in Germany. "My , ather tried to introduce more good books [jlpto the colonies," he said. "But the Old 3 'olony leadership encouraged other people lb open a more conservative bookstore, and J; urs had to close. Our family all changed . I ver to another church, some to the Kleine j i iemeinde, some to the General Conference, | Because of the bookstore. I "A lot of people are looking for something r, ipse," he said, "but they don't know what I pey are looking for. There are so many it eople who do not want to do anything v gainst the leadership of the Old Colony, i ilost of the leadership are good people, but j ley do what they do because of ignorance." - I Of the more than 30,000 people in the , ijlennonite colonies in Mexico, the General i onference churches are small: 250 members j i Quinta Lupita, 50 in Steinreich, about 50 |i the Swift Current Colony. t\ \\ The Swift Current congregation, the j fewest, is the only one which has no „, Members who have been excommunicated 0 I om the Old Colony. "There is no one here to excommunicate them," said missionary Dan Peters. Most of the leaders in the Swift Current Colony migrated to Bolivia a few years ago, and some congregations stopped holding services. So a number of Old Colony people began looking to other church groups for worship, said Mr. Peters. During the past year, the General Confer- ence has built a church building, a school, and a parsonage. "A couple of Sundays there were over 100 in church," Dan Peters noted. "It is a different tone already. People in this village are acting very favorable to us. They are experiencing very little antagonism from their families." Mr. Peters emphasized salvation by grace, not works. "These people [Old Colony and Sommerfelder] have no assurance of salva- tion, even by works," he said. "They call it hope. They say it is blasphemy if you say you know that you are a child of God." Directly below, students at an Old Colony school take a recess at lunch. At far bottom, students gather outside the General Conference school at Quinta Lupita before morning classes. HE MENNONITE 471 ! Contact of the General Conference people with their Spanish-speaking neighbors is increasing as their children learn Spanish in school. Three or four years ago the General Conference church began a ministry to Spanish-speaking people in the nearby village of Anahuac. It is primarily the missionaries and the youth of the church who participate in the Sunday school for children and some adults. "A lot of our people are very willing to participate," said missionary Helen Ens. Seventeen young people from the Quinta Lupita church volunteered this year to teach daily vacation Bible school in Anahuac, and only ten were needed. But others are wary of increased contact with Mexicans. Some fear it will lead to intermarriage, and none of the cases of intermarriage have turned out well, they insist. "The children are enthusiastic about going to Anahuac," said Gerhard Dyck, whose own children are part of the program. "But the older people don't want to accept it. There will always be more children, so it is a good program." Although General Conference people may be pleased with the numbers of people in church and an enrollment of 234 in the church's five schools, migration to Canada — and more recently to the United States — is taking away church members and students. "If we had all the people who moved to Ontario, the church would be twice as big," said Helen Ens. Gerhard Dyck, a member of the Quinta Lupita church for six years, has been in the congregation longer than most of the members. "Most of the earlier members have gone to Canada, and their children have gone over to the Church of God," he said. He estimated that at least thirty people from the congregation have moved to Ontario in the last few years; three of these were his brothers. Others have moved — without immigration permits — to an area near Seminole, Texas. (See article below.) "Some of the ones in Canada would come back if there were economic possibilitities here," commented Peter Rempel. A high birthrate among the Mennonites has made land scarce within the territories granted to the Mennonites by the Mexican Government in 1921, and the government is under pressure to give land to landless Mexican peasants. Although some farmers are making a good living, those who do not own land have problems living on a minimum wage of 91 pesos a day (about $4.14). It is estimated that more than 10,000 Mennonites from Mexico have gone back to Canada. Others, who are not necessarily poor, move north to better themselves financially or because they fear further devaluation of the peso, whose value on the American dollar was cut almost in half last year. Others are reportedly afraid a Communist revolu- tion is coming to Mexico, although the reports differ on how that rumor was started. Old Colony members also move to Canada, "where they take their car and work for the English," said Gerhard Dyck, half smiling. More conservative Old Colony members are moving to Bolivia and Paraguay with the church's blessing. Some are reportedly The street of a Mennonite village just west of Cuauhtemoc, Mexico, is lined with adobe fences and houses. trying to make arrangements to immigrate to Australia. Earlier this year, the Old Colony sent three or four delegates there. "Some go because the world is coming closer," said Peter Rempel. "Others go because they need more land. There is no place to stay for many of the people." Change is coming to both the Old Colony and the General Conference Mennonites in Mexico. The Old Colony has taken a stand against change. The General Conference has moved closer to modern western society with its cars and electricity and double knits. Its people have a born-again religion in which the don'ts involve alcohol and tobacco, not radios and rubber tires. But the change they have embraced has involved a cutting of some ties with their culture. They are German exiles in a Spanish setting; it is an opportunity for mission and a problem of identity. Mexico Mennonites living in Texas About seventy-eight Mennonite families from Mexico, thirteen of them already affiliated with the General Conference Mennonite Church, have moved near Seminole, Texas. Henry V. Friesen and Albert Gaeddert of Newton, Kansas, visited them on behalf of the Western District Conference in June and found that the General Conference group is meeting for worship. But they are looking for leadership and are questioning whether they should start their own school for their children. The Mexican Mennonites, many of whom are Canadian citizens, began moving to Seminole last fall from the state of Chihua- hua after they were visited by representatives of U.S. real estate firms who encouraged them to move to Seminole and to Holden- ville, Oklahoma. The Mennonites bought land, evidently thinking that the realtors would help them get immigration visas. Visas have not yet been granted, however; and the immigrants in the United States are not able to be employed legally. The families intend to raise cotton on their land, and one family has bought a motel. Few of them speak English. Mr. Gaeddert said he and Mr. Friesen conducted evening services for the thirteen General Conference families plus two Old Colony families which have joined the General Conference group since moving to Texas. The Western District Conference home missions committee is considering what response should be given regarding the leadership needs of the General Conference people there. I ! iti - man ( S- am III IIIH iniste linin ovidi liven sloi Ift 6-roi fall! [ft!; "J liiiai 472 AUGUST 9, 1977 |iomber construction halted olice are shown dragging away a demonstrator during a protest in Washington, D.C., gainst the possible construction of the B-l bomber. The protest at the White House was vonsored by Clergy and Laity Concerned. The B-l bomber program was halted a few days iter by U.S. President Carter. Church and other peace groups had been working to stop instruction of the electronically sophisticated airplane. However, in announcing the halt of \e B-l program. President Carter put emphasis on cruise missiles and a tactical nuclear wapon which would kill people but not destroy as much property as conventional nuclear ombs. lords ^ deeds consultation for Mennonites working with live American peoples is scheduled Au- st 15-17 at Freeman, South Dakota. )ordinated by MCCs U.S. Ministries, the nsultation is to help participants under- ind native American culture, religion, and her issues. Resource person will be Cecil irbett, a Nez Perce Indian, Presbyterian nister, and director of Cook Christian aining School, Tempe, Arizona. Also oviding input will be Lawrence Hart, leyenne Indian and former Mennonite stor in Clinton, Oklahoma. CC is preparing for the construction of a o-room school and teacher's residence in : earthquake-ravaged town of Yagbasan northeast Turkey. Two North American lunteers will be used. linese worship services are proceeding at | Mountainview Church, Vancouver, and Richmond, British Columbia, shepherded Stephen and Sally Lee. David and Esther ang, who have been students at Fuller minary in Pasadena, California, were to join them in mid-July to shepherd the Richmond group as well as assist in the Chinese work at Mountainview. An MCC Et Cetera Shop will open August 15 in Lebanon, Oregon. The store will sell used clothing, other good used items, and possibly baked goods. Part of the store will be stocked with Self-Help gifts from all over the world. The MCC Self- Help Crafts store on Portage Avenue in Winnipeg has closed because of high costs and slow business, according to Jake Janzen, director for the program in Manitoba. The store opened last October under the name "Global Gift Shop." Winni- peg has another MCC crafts shop in the MCC building on Pembina Highway. The Canadian Bible Society has been granted an import license for 2,500 Spanish Bibles and 2,500 Spanish New Testaments by the government of Cuba, according to Kenneth G. McMillan, general secretary. The government of Cuba had closed the Bible Society office in Havana in 1963, and since then there has been a great shortage of Bibles, he said. Upper Volta plans altered New mission work in the West African country of Upper Volta will begin in summer 1978 with at least one North American couple, but it is still uncertain when and how Zairian Mennonites will send personnel in what was intended to be a joint venture. Representatives of Africa Inter- Mennonite (A1MM) and the Mennonite Community of Zaire (CMZ) reviewed the Upper Volta proposal in early June in Tshikapa, Zaire, but the matter has been tabled for the time being. James Bertsche, AIMM executive secre- tary in Elkhart, Indiana, said the Zaire church expressed general affirmation about joining AIMM in mission work in Upper Volta. They felt they had reached a point in history where it would be timely to consider outreach beyond Zaire, he said. But financial arrangements have yet to be worked out. "They had been hopeful North American churches would help with the cost of a Zairian couple going elsewhere in Africa," said Mr. Bertsche. "We told them we were open to discussing several possible models of cooperation with them, but the Zairian church would have to have at least some financial responsibility for any of its person- nel who might go to Upper Volta." AIMM has recruited one couple to leave in the summer of next year and is in dialog with another couple from North America. Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (former- ly Congo Inland Mission) is thejoint work in Zaire of the General Conference Mennonite Church, Evangelical Mennonite Church, Evangelical Mennonite Conference (Cana- da), and Evangelical Mennonite Brethren Church and in southern Africa also with the Mennonite Brethren Church. Mennonite missionaries first went to Zaire under Congo Inland Mission in 1912. Church organized in Bogota, Colombia A new Mennonite congregation has been formed in Bogota, Colombia. Forty-two members signed the covenant to become the Mennonite Community of Chapinero on Pentecost, May 29 The Capinero fellowship has been meeting for several years under the sponsorship of Gerald and Mary Hope Stucky, missionaries in Colombia under the General Conference Mennonite Church. Most of the fellowship's members are alumni of the Cachipay school, founded in 1946 at the beginning of General Conference mission work. New people have come into the group through contacts with the early members. IE MENNONITE 473 Revisiting Camp Funston An interpretive article by Henry A. 1 revisited Camp Funston after almost sixty years. My first visit to Camp Funston came during World War I. My draft board ordered me to report for induction to this large military training camp in Kansas on May 23, 1918. I was principal of the high school in Whitewater, Kansas, at the time, but my order required me to report to camp a week before the close of school. I was a conscientious objector when war broke out. My parents, like other Mennonite immigrants, had left Russia in the 1870s to escape compulsory military training. But I had also, on my own initiative, developed the personal conviction that war and military training were out of harmony with the spirit and teaching of Jesus. But when the actual order came to report to camp for military training, I had to struggle through to some certainty how I might handle my concerns of conscience when I arrived in camp and was confronted with the order to accept the gun and train for combat duty. With deep concern, my college friends (also conscientious objectors) and I dis- cussed this question as we rode the train to camp. Our idea differed, but we agreed that conscience is a highly personal matter, so we had better let each person follow his own inner leading as best he could. I felt 1 would rather state my concern at the start and then face the consequences. When 1 registered at the reporting desk and had answered the routine questions, 1 told the sergeant in charge I was a conscien- tious objector and would like to be assigned to base hospital service. The minute he heard the reference to "CO," he blasted out an angry, "Damn CO!" His blast was so loud and clear that every person in that large waiting room must have been jolted wide awake to see who this "d — CO" was and what he looked like. He, presumably, was too cowardly to fight for his country. This was my introduction to Camp Funston and to the kind of acceptance 1, like other conscientious objectors, could expect to receive in my work and relations in camp. Many unpleasant methods were used to force conscientious objectors into line and to break down their morale or to test the reality and the meaning of their "conscientious objections." These experiences of testing and of later service in camp represent a critical, but also a maturing, period in my life. I must confess, however, that I never felt a special urge to revisit the old Camp Funston. But an invitation came to me this spring through a pastor-friend, Walter Neufeld, Fast who inquired whether I would accompany a busload of about forty teenagers to Camp Funston to share with them and their youth sponsors some of my experiences as a conscientious objector in camp. Catechism classes in two or three churches in the Moundridge, Kansas, area had been discussing the Christian peace witness and the historic Mennonite position on war and military training. They wondered whether a visit to Camp Funston, where many con- scientious objectors in World War I had taken their stand and had witnessed to their faith in Jesus' way of peace, might help make their study more vivid. I was glad to accept this opportunity. But I was also glad that Ernest Bachman of Newton, also a Funston conscientious objector, and James Juhnke from Bethel College, who has published a study on the experiences of Mennonites during World War I, were also invited to accompany the group and share out of their experiences and insights. Our Sunday together on April 17 was exciting to all of us, I believe. Recalling some experiences of those days and how they were handled by the military and by conscientious objectors helped make clear what the issues were and how conscientious objectors were trying to be true to their witness. Looking back on those days from the perspective of almost sixty years, I know we had some problems that confused and worried us while in camp. Some of the Henry A. Fast stands on the grounds at Camp Funston in north central Kansas in 1918. The buildings present then have since been torn down, he said. [■bit )f SI ipeai problems focused in ourselves. Some grew out of our relations with military personnel, military orders, and the military way of living. It was not easy to be a conscientious objector in camp, consistent and convincing in all our conduct and in all our manner of life. What was our motive in making our claims of conscience? Was it merely to keep our own hands clean from bloodshed, violence, and the destructions of war? Or did we want to make a proud show of self- righteousness with a profession of clean hands and a pure heart? Or were we genuinely and consistently trying to witness against the evil of warfare and to the better way represented in the person, work, and! teaching of Jesus? Another problem was that, because the conscientious objectors were a small and unpopular minority in a military camp where they lived intermixed with personnel who held strongly to contrary convictions, they unconsciously felt the pull to adjust to the environment. They felt the pull to be regarded as the good guys, to avoid any appearance of being an oddball or a "d — CO." It was not always easy to maintain one's integrity as a conscientious objector and at the same time try to maintain fellowship with persons right and left with whom one strongly differed. Military officers tried to induce conscien- tious objectors to renounce their conscien- tious objection or force them to fall into line through various ways. These included ridicule, intimidation, discrimination, physi- cal or mental abuse, threat, being put in the guardhouse, and being court-martialed, ilk Occasionally the officers tried to "kill them with kindness," undercutting any reason for objecting. In retrospect it is easier to understand how difficult it must have been for the military to|n understand conscientious objectors. A vo lunteer army never had had COs. In our conscripted army no one was asked whether he wanted to fight or believed in war. So now the army had conscientious objectors on its hands, and it didn't understand them or ill IISl ■ Son HI OR ilura a? p lean ok The Rea islia be) (file turn V: two Ml Kshin Jyea Co thihi lei Ml Ik I ii k It Sep peal lied ttked know how to deal with them. Was the CO Dim claim merely a device to "chicken out"? If so, the military might try to shame him out of his cowardice or frighten him to rise above it. With a conscientious objector, that method did not work. Furthermore, the officers were puzzled on|jTh why the conscience of one conscientious objector led him to draw a line so different Jdfirs from that drawn bv another. Sometimes in tnmi subtle ways they tried out a conscientious 1 COI ips. hose 474 AUGUST 9, 1977 If ME iijector to see how far his conscience would him go. Eventually the CO had to draw a jie somewhere and his "1 can't do that" j>peared capricious to the officer. So the ificer felt frustrated even though he may |.ve tried to find out what conscientious ijection meant to this particular man. I just admit that sometimes I was not sure nere my inner commitment might lead me I draw the line. ^Sometimes it worried us that our CO testimony appeared so negative. We always appeared to be "objecting" to something. But the alternatives open to conscientious objectors in World War I were so restricted that this seemed the only option. The firm, but highly motivated no of the conscientious objectors in World War I was heard all the way to the highest circles in Washington, D.C. When World War II broke out, the discussion of the CO question was inevitable. Government officials were sure the CO problem had been poorly handled in World War I, and they did not want that to happen again. Revisiting Camp Funston reminded me that we always need people whose con- science is sharp, sensitive, and courageous enough not only to say no on strategic occasions to a government or some Pentag- on, but more than that also witness convinc- ingly and practically to the better alternative of Jesus. Alternatives for natural gas pipeline proposed I pnservationists prefer alternatives for a jitural gas pipeline other than the Arctic i|is proposal, according to Stan Senner, ilsearch associate at the Institute of Arctic jology, Fairbanks, Alaska. [The pipeline, if built, would link gas fields i Alaska and the Yukon to markets in ! uthern Canada and the continental United Bates. 'Recent recommendations by Canada's i stice Thomas Bergerand the United States heyenne peace curriculum riter chosen jpurriculum to teach Cheyennes about their (j'n peace heritage is being developed jointly 1; the Cheyenne Cultural Center in Clinton, (Hahoma, and the General Conference jbnnonite Church. Two researchers — Steve Linscheid of i wessel, Kansas, and Gene C. Miller of lishington, D.C. — spent about six months 1| t year finding information in Washington, 1C, on Southern Cheyenne peace treaties v h the U.S. Government. ! ;Now the project is ready for curriculum V'lting, and Kathryn C. Smart, a member of tl Trinity Mennonite-Presbyterian Church it Oklahoma City, has been chosen as a ' iter. She will be working closely with Ceyennes Marie Rowlodge and Lawrence rt. vlr. Linscheid said his research had found ti t the traditional Cheyenne peace chiefs v;re separate from the war society. Some of peace chiefs of the nineteenth century used to fight back even when directly t icked by U.S. soldiers. The curriculum, when completed, will be d first in workshops or other educational s :ings among the Southern Cheyenne in stern Oklahoma. However, the curricu- i 1 could also be used by non-Indian ! ups. "hose providing funds for the project have luded the General Conference's Commis- ll n on Education, Mennonite Central i < mmittee, and the Western District Men- lite Conference. Federal Power Commission regarding con- struction of the Arctic Gas proposal have been a boost to the efforts of conservation- ists in both countries, said Mr. Senner. In May the U.S. Federal Power Commis- sion recommended to President Carter that a trans-Canada pipeline be built, but the commission was evenly split on whether the route should be the one proposed by Arctic Gas or the one by the Northwest Pipeline Company. Northwest's proposal, the Alcan system, calls for a pipeline paralleling the trans-Alaska pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Fairbanks and then out the Alaska Highway to the southern Yukon Territory. The Alcan system does not depend on a Mackenzie Valley line, which is a crucial part of the Arctic Gas plan. Conservationists much prefer the Alcan alternative, although a third proposal by the El Paso Alaska Company has merit also, said Mr. Senner. The El Paso system would transport the gas to Alaska's Prince William Sound, where it would be liquified and shipped by tanker to California. Once in California, the liquid would be regassified and injected back into existing pipelines. Canada's Justice Berger recently recom- mended that no gas pipeline should be built across the northern Yukon and that con- struction in the Mackenzie Valley be delayed for at least ten years. If the Canadian National Energy Board concurs with the Berger Commission report, it would stop the Arctic Gas proposal, regardless of the decision by President Carter and the U.S. Congress, expected by September 1 and November 1, respectively. Protecting the integrity of the Arctic slope wilderness on both sides of the border is the crux of conservationists' opposition to the Arctic Gas line, said Mr. Senner, also president of the Fairbanks Environmental Center. In Alaska, the pipeline would traverse the length of the most pristine part of the Arctic National Wildlife Range. Conservationists' concern for the wide- ranging caribou goes beyond their personal interests in the caribou's welfare. Friends of the Earth's Jim Kowalsky points out that the caribou are a critical part of the life-style of native peoples on both sides of the border and that the pipeline threatens the basis for their subsistence culture. Mennonites attending the General Con- ference triennial meetings in Bluffton through August 3 were to participate in the international pipeline debate when they considered a resolution regarding a morato- rium on the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. Intergenerational Sunday school materials tested Intergenerational Christian education mate- rials are being tested this summer in three Mennonite congregations. The materials, developed by the Commis- sion on Education of the General Confer- ence, focus this summer on the parables of Jesus and were prepared by John Gaeddert, executive secretary of the commission. Congregations participating in the pilot program are the Tabor Church near Goessel, Kansas; the Goessel Church; and the Mountainview Church in Vancouver, Brit- ish Columbia. The materials are designed to be used in education settings which include both adults and children of at least school age. In the preparation of the Foundation Series (the new interdenominational graded curriculum), the Commission on Education was anxious that intergenerational materials be a part of the curriculum, said Mr. Gaeddert. Because such materials were not included for all denominations, the General Confer- ence Commission on Education is providing materials so that congregations can have intergenerational classes for one quarter per year. "We have had an increasing number of inquiries for intergenerational material, particularly for the summer quarter," said Mr. Gaeddert. After this summer's pilot program, the materials will be revised, and new materials will be written in succeeding summers related to themes of the Foundation Series. E MENNONITE 475 Record Workers Laurie Brandt, Tabor Church, Goessel, Kansas, has begun a two-year assignment with Mennonite Central Committee in Washington, D.C. She will serve as a secretary in the MCC Peace Section Wash- ington office. Laurie holds an AA degree in secretarial studies from Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas. She has been employed as part-time secretary to the dean of instruction at Bethel College. She is the daughter of Raymond and Grace Brandt of Hillsboro, Kansas. Clarence and Albena Deckert, Freeman, South Dakota, have begun voluntary service assignments at Swan Lake Christian Camp, Viborg, South Dakota. Clarence is doing maintenance work while Albena is assisting in cooking. Their term is indefinite, extend- ing at least through the summer. Elfrieda Driedger, Leamington (Ontario) United Mennonite Church, has begun a one- year term as a Mennonite Central Commit- tee volunteer in Essex County, Ontario. She is working with Mennonites who have immigrated to Canada from Mexico. Elfrie- da is a graduate of the Quo Vadis School of Nursing at Humber College in Toronto and has been employed with Peter Nursing Home in Tilbury, Ontario. She is the daughter of Jacob and Agnes Driedger of Leamington. Mary Epp arrived in Hanley, Saskatche- wan, on May 3 1 to begin a year of furlough. She has been teaching at the Secondary School in Nyanga, Zaire, under the General Conference's Commission on Overseas Mis- sion. Sven Eriksson has been named an instruc- tor at Columbia Bible Institute, Clearbrook, British Columbia, effective September 1 . He holds a BA from the University of British Columbia and a MDiv from Trinity Evan- gelical Divinity School. For the past five years he has been head of Inter- Varsity Christian Fellowship's campus ministries at the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University. Arnold and Grace Harder arrived in Elkhart, Indiana, on furlough from Zaire on May 8. They have been involved with SEDA, an agricultural development service, in Nyanga under the General Conference's Commission on Overseas Mission. Sandra and Seb Kenagy, Hubbard, Oregon, are serving one year in Wichita, Kansas, with Mennonite Voluntary Service. Sandra is working as a home health aide with People's Alternative Home Health Care, Inc. Seb is working in housing rehabilita- tion. Both are graduates of Canby (Oregon) High School and are members of the Barlow (Oregon) Community Church. M. Jean Krahn has been named associate director, central, of Mennonite Voluntary Service and its personnel coordinator, effective September I. Ms. Krahn has served for the past year as a Mennonite Voluntary Service worker in Arvada, Colorado, work- ing as community resource coordinator in apartment ministries with local congrega- tions. She is a native of Saskatoon, Sas- katchewan, where she is a member of First Church. In her new assignment at the Newton, Kansas, offices of the General Conference, she will administer four to six MVS units in the central states and will coordinate the personnel office for the Commission on Home Ministries and General Conference office personnel. Sandra Kenagy Seb Kenagy Krahn Wiebe Se ,1.:.. Anna V. Liechty arrived in Berne, Indi- ana, on May 31. She plans to remain in the United States through August before return- ing to her assignment under the General Conference's Commission on Overseas Mission at the Bible Institute in Kalonda, Zaire. Samuel J. Mikolaski has been named president of Columbia Bible Institute, Clearbrook, British Columbia, effective September 1. He has been serving as professor of historical theology and Chris- tian heritage at the North American Baptist Seminary, Sioux Falls, South Dakota. From 1960 to 1969 he was professor of theology at the New Orleans Baptist Theological Semi nary in Louisiana. He served as principal of the Baptist Leadership Training School, Calgary, Alberta, in 1971-74. Laura Zacharias, Rapid View, Saskatche- wan, is serving one year with Mennonite Voluntary Service in Hutchinson, Kansas Her assignment is with the Friendship House day-care centers. Laura has attended Swift Current Bible Institute, Swift Current, Saskatchewan, and has been a clerical worker. She is a member of the Emmanuel Church of Rapid View. Sr. irk mr. Dcto X -:' Mr. tool jrei: icem fen akei Ministers i in in::.:' oirci ion toot lousl lovei Henry Born has accepted the pastorate of the United Mennonite Church, Mission, British Columbia. He replaces Gary Loewen who will be attending Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg. Mr. Born formerly served as pastor of the Olivet (British Columbia) Church. Heinrich Esau has resigned as pastor of First Church, Greendale, British Columbia, effective next spring. His future plans a] indefinite. John Friesen will leave the pastorate of the Morden (Manitoba) Bergthaler Church October. His future plans are indefinite. Roland R, Goering has moved to Free- [> In man. South Dakota, to become pastor of the Salem Church. During the past year he was in director of alumni and church relations at \ ft Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, and previously was minister at First Church. Hillsboro, Kansas. Waldemar Regier will leave as minister of the Rosthern (Saskatchewan) Church, effec- k tive in spring 1978. His future plans are' I indefinite. 111 Robert S. Schloneger has received a call to b serve as pastor of the North Clinton L. Mennonite Church, Wauseon, Ohio, effec- 11 'ill Ban if raj s pai ( k \,\ 476 AUGUST 9, 197^ ; September I. He has been serving as >toral intern at Oak Grove Church, lithville, Ohio, while attending Associated innonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, liana. David Wiebe has accepted the pastorate of Arnaud (Manitoba) Church, effective Member 1 . He formerly served as pastor of Home Street Church, Winnipeg. Calendar September 11-16 — Camp curriculum wrkshop. Rocky Mountain Mennonite Qmp, Divide, Colorado i pctober 21-23 — Western District Confer- e e annual sessions, Buhler High School, Bnler, Kansas pctober 5-9, 1978 — U.S. historic peace c.nrch conference on a New Call to Pticemaking; Baptist Conference Center, •en Lake, Wisconsin; Mark Hatfield, aker Canadian September 17 — Making Music with Chil- dn workshop, Bethel Church, Winnipeg, Npitoba, supported by the educational npurces committee (Manitoba); resource p|son, Bettie M. Norman Central [pctober 27 — Illinois Mennonite Women's F owship, Carlock (Illinois) Church llovember 25-27 — Golden Jubilee, First Vinnonite Church, Iowa City, Iowa Northern j eptember 18-25 — Crusade '77, high sopol auditorium, Mountain Lake, Minne- sc t; Myron Augsburger, speaker u III i shod eace study packet for the New Call to cemaking, a two-year emphasis of the inonites, the Friends, and Church of the hren, is now available to congregations, :r groups, or individuals. Each of the e participating bodies has chosen mate- I for the mailing. The packet contains e books, six pamphlets, and a bumper sK:er. Packets can be ordered for $6.50 postage paid, from New Call to :emaking Packet, Marketing Depart- t, Brethren General Offices, 1451 Dun- Avenue, Elgin, Illinois 60120. jome Let Us Stand United, by Vernon R. Wjbe, a history of the Corn (Oklahoma) Bit; Academy, has been published on the se' nty-fifth anniversary of the Mennonite Bi|hren school. It is available for $12 Pfjrback or $14 hardback from CBA ory, Box 92, Corn, Oklahoma 73024. Help wanted MVS is an attempt to relate human resources to human needs in the spirit ot Jesus. We invite persons from varied religious, racial, and ethnic backgrounds to join together in different kinds of caring ministries. Persons age eighteen to eighty who can serve for one or two years are urged to contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 Voluntary service assignment: Rosthern Junior College, a Christian residential high school, is accepting applications from quali- fied counselors to work at the school for the 1977-78 school year. If you are interested in this kind of service, please contact: Robert J. Suderman Rosthern Junior College Rosthern, Saskatchewan S0K 3R0 Phone: (306) 232-4222 One-room, self-care apartments with meals, utilities, laundry, and housekeeping services, from $275 a month. New intermediate nursing care rooms, from $400 a month. Buhler Sunshine Home, Inc., Buhler, Kansas 67522; (316) 543-2251. Lonnie Rempel, administra- tor. Adriel School, a residential treatment facility for emotionally disturbed slow learners, is currently looking for a social worker with a master's degree in social work or a master's degree in clinical psychology. The duties include individual therapy, leadership of the cottage treatment team, and supervision of child-care workers. In attempting to meet the ever-changing needs of children who are slow learners, Adriel seeks personnel who are willing to work with children and their families in an effort to reinforce and strengthen the family unit. Personnel are challenged by the need to look for opportunities for these children in a world where few opportunities exist. Adriel is located in West Liberty, Ohio, along the picturesque Mad River. Interested individuals should contact Mr. James Burkett, Adriel School, Box 188, West Liberty, Ohio 43357. Letters It comes too often Dear Editor: While we enjoy receiving The Mennonite, we have long felt that it is published too often. I often have to catch up on a number of issues and end up skimming rather than reading carefully. May I suggest that you could save postage and publishing costs and produce a fine magazine published every other week? David Nicol, Box 1000, Campbellville, Ontario LOP 1 B0 June 14 Time to reevaluate Dear Editor: For the last decade the emphasis by the General Conference has been on nonresistance, the peace witness, and our Mennonite heritage. All we ever hear and read about is the social concerns. We have placed ourselves into a danger- ous rut. The social gospel is taking preemi- nence over the preaching of salvation by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. This emphasis on the social concerns of our day has been overemphasized to the extent that we hear very little about the importance of building up one another within the body of Christ. We spend so much time and energy discussing and writing about the social evils of our day that we give no time to the importance of our own spiritual growth and maturity. Christ's purpose in coming to the earth was not to take care of all the social injustices which existed in his day. He came to die on the cross for our sins. It is through his shed blood that we have forgiveness of sins, and it is through our new life in Christ that we are able by the power of the Holy Spirit to live lives that are pleasing before God. It is as we allow the Holy Spirit to live in and through us that we will bear lasting fruit and we will become more and more like Jesus Christ, which is our ultimate goal (Romans 8:29; Colossians 3:10; 2 Peter 1:4). I do not advocate that we ignore the social problems. We must deal with them; they are a part of reality. But social problems will always exist. To focus all of our attention and energies on the social problems of our day is only dealing with the externals and not getting at the root cause. Change needs to begin on the inside of a person, and change in society will only come in a lasting form as we seek to change men's hearts with the gospel of Jesus Christ through the power of the Tf|:. MENNONITE 477 Holy Spirit (Romans 1:16). It all comes down to a matter of priorities. The body exists for time only, but our souls exist for all eternity. Therefore, I believe that more of our emphasis ought to be placed on the soul. If we feed the hungry in order that we may minister to their souls and share the good news of salvation, that's great. But I am afraid that all too often we stop with providing for their body so that they can eventually die a comfortable death only to face eternity in hell. At a regular meeting of the Mennonite General Conference held at the Blough Church, Johnstown, Pennsylvania, October 25 and 26, 1911, a committee of ten was appointed to prepare a work on Christian doctrine, setting forth, from a scriptural standpoint, those things "most commonly believed among us" as Mennonites. These ten men prepared a treatise on the great doctrine of the Bible. This is what they had to say concerning the preaching of the Word of God: "Preach the Word; preach the funda- mentals of salvation; among these funda- mentals the subjects that should receive special attention are: repentance, faith, conversion, the atonement, justification, and holiness. Gospel ordinances and restrictions should have a prominent place among the topics to be presented to a congregation. Obedience to God and all the command- ments and requirements of his Word, to the authorities of the church and to civil authorities, wherein they do not conflict with the higher authority of heaven, demand recognition on the part of the faithful preacher. Possibly the line of teaching most vital for pulpit consideration is that of sin and the remedy for the same as offered through the grace of God and the appeal of the sacrifice of the Son of God for the salvation of the world" ("Bible Doctrine"). Menno Simons had this to say, "This command and word (I say), Christ com- manded all true messengers and preachers to observe, as he spoke; preach the gospel." He does not say, preach the doctrines and commands of man; preach the councils and customs; preach glossy ordinances and opinions of the learned; but he says, preach the gospel, and teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:20). I believe the time has come to reevaluate our purpose as Christians, as a church, as a conference, and as Mennonites. It is time to reaffirm our doctrinal statement and confes- sion of faith. It is time to once again begin to live and act according to our doctrinal statement and purpose. I believe that we have been sidetracked and it's time to stop and get back on the right track before it's too late. Bradley Graher, 132 North Mound, Bluff ton, Ohio 45H17 June 14 I the chose ministry I believe that the ministry is the most intimate vocation. The minister is there to welcome newborn babies into families, to share in the pledge of love and fidelity at marriage, to counsel a person in the process of accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior, to guide membership classes, to consecrate children together with parents and congrega- tion, to comfort in times of vocational stress, illness, accident, sorrow, and death. I chose the ministry step by step. My great aunt asked me one day to consider the ministry. That was the starting point. The example from other ministers provided the inspiration for further consideration. I came to enjoy the study of Scripture, and this led me on. The most frustrating thing for me as a pastor is to realize the blessings which God has in store for all of us and yet to see people ignore these blessings and seek the pleasures of the world. It has been a struggle because I have felt guilty for people making such choices. Today I know that my calling is to prepare the table with the Lord's food as best I can. This includes living my own life for the Lord. But then the people must make their own choices. The most fulfilling part of the ministry i to behold those people who are hungry for spiritual food, who partake liberally and are growing in their faith and discipleship. It is equally great to see them grow spiritually and get in touch with the power of prayer and the freedom to share their faith with others. I thank God for using me in the ministry, Gary Stenson, pastor, West Swamp Menno- ^ nite Church, Quakertown, Pennsylvania this pre*; fin Ilos Ihe [loo •fa Ihe Bull ma ad ai God answers prayer Parked in front of the grocery store waiting for my wife to return with the groceries I suffered a moment of reflection. We built our house too close to the road allowance. The lot we built the house on had yet to be subdivided and only upon approval of the subdivision would we receive the mortgage needed to keep the house. We were in a mess. So I sighed a deep concerned prayer to my Father and then opened my eyes to find them focused and fixed on the neth us, image in the side mirror spelling: HIS WAY »!':;> To me this was his answer: the Lord would ll'sj open all the right doors. The two words Joi' originated from a sign a hundred yards ph behind me across the street. The full sign e, W'h read: "This way ... to Supcrvalue." The pok ;> covered the T and the edge of the mirror oil off the rest. Everything regarding the house and lot i well now a few weeks later against all odd Dan Kobus lira 478 AUGUST 9, Wflfe Meditation Contents verybody here needs shoes 4ji his first Sunday with us, our new pastor told the story of a shoe company that sent two nresentatives to a far country to determine the possibilities for a factory there. In due time t ■ first man wired, "I'm coming home. No one here even wears shoes!" Presently came a tegram from the second, "This place is fantastic! Everyone here needs shoes!" I lost a bit of the sermon as I pondered that story. "I hope you are that second man," I said t the pastor (silently, of course), "because we have a lot of bare feet around here." [ looked about me in the congregation. There were the usual number of well-shod saints in tj- first few rows. Although I couldn't see their feet, I knew that their shoes were comfortable I the way they nodded and said amen occasionally. |But the people in my age group (thirty-nine and holding) didn't fare quite as well. There | re a few good pairs of shoes, but mostly I saw just sandals or house slippers. I shook my tjid and tch-tched rather smugly. The back rows of younger people I couldn't see without stretching my neck, so I & ermined to remember to look after church. To be truthful though, I didn't expect much in I way of footwear from that crowd. The sermon had continued, so I brought my mind back to the pastor. He was saying smething about this being a new beginning for him and his family, and he hoped it might be f us, too. "I hope so, too," I said to him (silently, of course). But this is pretty rocky territory around here for barefooted people. What with one thing an another, we've lost quite a few good families over the past few years. And while a lot of rav people have moved into the community, somehow their children aren't the kind that nike for a quiet Sunday school room. Now our children have been brought up in the church m know how to behave. But some of those newcomers have never been in a church before. Ad with that new development coming . . . you know what kind moves into subsidized a'ernment housing. . . . Ijrhe thought became too painful for me, and I came back to what the pastor was saying. Only by returning to Christ and allowing him to live through us, could we expect a new [ ;inning, he said. "Return!" I said indignantly (silently, of course). "We haven't been away! u're talking to third- and fourth-generation churchgoers here! Our church has been our Iress, our pillar of hope, our sanctuary!" hen I remembered the words of the member who had introduced the new pastor, "If his Drd here is anything like his immediate past record, we may be having two morning /ices before long." Vhy haven't we had two services before now? I wondered. There are certainly enough I pie within walking distance of this corner to fill the church twice on Sunday morning. ;re are three families within two blocks of my home that have come into our community lin the last few months. Actually, the only contact I have had with them is to chase the s out of the plum tree and watch to see that they don't ride bikes on the lawn. I always ak to the parents when I see them, though. It isn't as if I had been downright unfriendly, r all, they can hear the church bell on Sunday just as well as I can. They are welcome to le any time to the services. uddenly, my feet began to feel cold, and I rubbed them against each other to get them m. "Horrors!" I said (silently, of course). "My feet are barel" I glanced about rather ff ively to see if anyone had noticed, but everyone seemed to be listening intently. I tucked rffeet as far under the seat as I could get them and waited miserably for the end of the 'ice. I was too upset to hear any more that the pastor said. But I couldn't stop my horrid tiughts. It's a pretty sure thing," I said (silently, of course), "that this pastor didn't fill his church t\ :e on Sunday morning by just wearing out his own shoe leather. He must have had a lot of p pie with good stout boots backing him up. And he's going to need the same kind of group hi :. What was it he said about a new beginning? Allow Christ to live through us. Let him gj us a new life of prayer and devotion and service. Let him remove the spirit of apathy and i| fference and neglect." i Well," I said (silently, of course), "if I can just get out the door without the pastor and the o ;r members seeing my bare feet, I'll get busy on a pair of shoes." Arleta Richardson The Foundation Series 466 A mission of the church 468 Of good report 469 News 470 Record 476 Letters 477 I chose the ministry 478 God answers prayer 478 Everybody here needs shoes 479 A people of fire 480 CONTRIBUTORS Cornelia Lehn, Box 347, Newton, Kansas, is the General Conference editor for the Foundation Series. Donna Lehman, 5111 East State Boule- vard, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46815, is a free- lance writer. Henry A Fast lives in North Newton. Kansas, and is a member of the Commission on Home Ministries. Dan Kobus, General Delivery, Comox, British Columbia V9N 3Z0, is a free-lance photographer and writer. Arleta Richardson lives at 5736 Lomitas Drive, Los Angeles, California 90042. Leighton Ford, 5 Riverhead Drive, Rex- dale, Ontario M9W4G3, serves with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association Hisarticle is condensed from a recent text for "The Hour of Decision" radio broadcast. CREDITS Cover, Ati Forberg, Foundation Series; 466, Jim Stucky; 467, Loris Habegger; 468, John Hiebert; 470-72, Lois Barrett, GCNS, 473, RNS; 474, Henry A. Fast; 478, Dan Kobus. The Meiuioiiife Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347. Newton, Kansas 67114. Telephone; (316) 283-5100 Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Win- nipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schu- macher Art director: John Hiebert Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circulation sec- retary Marilyn Kaufman Special editions editors Central District, Lloyd L Ramseyer, 488 West Elm Street, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, LaVernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117, Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indi- ana 46805; and Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg. Manitoba R3P0M4 Tl|: MENNONITE 479 A people of fire Leighton Ford Millions of Christians around the world regard Pentecost (Acts 2) as the birthday of the Christian church. The wind of Pentecost blew, tongues of fire rested on believers, and beaten men and women became bold as the Holy Spirit invaded their lives. John the Baptist had prophesied that the Messiah would baptize "with the Spirit and with fire." Throughout the Bible God is often likened to a fire. It was as a fire that God spoke to Moses out of a burning bush. It was by a "pillar of fire" that God led the children of Israel through the wilderness. It was as a fire that he dwelled in the Holy of Holies. At Pentecost, the image of fire reappeared. As Tozer says, "The God who appeared to them as fire throughout all their long history was now dwelling in them as fire. He had moved from without to the interior of their lives. And so the church of Christ became the flaming fellowship — the people of fire! The same Holy Spirit is at work in the world today, and it wants to be at work in your life. Perhaps talk about the Holy Spirit makes you afraid. "What is this fire, this flame?" you wonder. "I'm afraid of the Holy Spirit. I don't want to be a fool or a fanatic." The Holy Spirit is God. There is no reason to fear it. It is the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Son. God the Father is God beyond us. God the Son — Jesus — is God beside us, walking on this earth to reveal the Father. And God the Spirit is God within us — God coming to the interior of our lives to bring the reality of Jesus Christ to us. Right now, let your imagination go. Think of "fire" and what do you see in your mind? A raging forest fire — millions of acres of woodland black- ened, charred, and ruined? A towering inferno — a hotel perhaps, wrapped in flames and smoke, with people leaping out of the windows to their death? Yes, fire can be like that — uncontrolled, terrible, destructive. But think again. Remember a night when the temperatures were at zero or below. The thermostat was turned down to save energy and in the fireplace the logs were blazing — a glow of heat and warmth for the whole family. That, too, is fire — contained, secure, warm. Or think of the mighty Saturn rocket rising from its launching pad at Cape Kennedy, millions of tons lifted by a rocket flame that burned for only a few seconds, but with power equal to a string of diesel locomotives stretching from Atlanta to New York. That, too, is fire — strong, controlled, purposeful. So when you think of the flame of the Holy Spirit, don't think of wild fire, out-of-control fire — think instead of the strong, pure, steady flame of God, the Spirit that we cannot tame, but which can bring God's power to bear on our lives. Fire warms and so does the Holy Spirit. It brings the warmth of God's reality. It is from the cross that we come to know the reality of God. On the cross Jesus Christ bore the fire of God's judgment for our sins, that we might have access to the God who is consuming fire. The Holy Spirit will warm your heart with the assurance that God has forgiven you. Fire also illumines — and so does the Holy Spirit. It brings to our minds clarity, understanding, certainty. Only God can teach us about the things of God. He enables us to see through faith what reason cannot see. It is not that faith and reason are opposed. But faith goes beyond reason. Faith gives a spiritual insight to our minds that reason alone can never provide. When we become Christians we do not commit intellectual suicide. In fact, it is often the act of surrender to the Holy Spirit that brings new life to our minds. Fire cleanses — and so does the Holy Spirit. Like a fire that burns out dirt and disease, the Holy Spirit will consume the sin from our lives. But if we do not let it consume our sin, then the fire of judgment will consume us. Fire fuses — and so does the Holy Spirit. Just as fire in a forge joins metal to metal, so the Holy Spirit joins believers together in one heart and one mind and gives us compassion for the suffering and oppressed and lost people of the world. Let me mention one more thing. Fire spreads — and so does the Holy Spirit. Once we have known it, we cannot keep it to ourselves. The fire of God went leaping among those early Christians from life to life, from community to community, beginning at Jerusalem and spreading like flame throughout the ancient world. Pray, first for yourself and then for the church everywhere, that the Holy Spirit will again come as fire — to warm us with the presence of God, cleanse us with the purity of God, fuse us with the love of God, and spread the good news of God throughout the whole, wide world. Following our summer biweekly schedule, the next issue of The Mennonite will be dated August 23. 1 Roots .for people move Anne Neufeld Rupp \\ In Mi spei There was much talk of roots even befoi Alex Haley's novel. There has been a increased interest in the past — from antiqu artifacts to family trees. This search for identity is tied in with th I" rootlessness experienced by a society cor P stantly on the move and accosted by endles p changes. The United States is the most mobillf? nation on earth; 40,000,000 citizens mov « each year. In seventy major cities, th »f average person's stay at one place is fou years. Between 80 and 90 percent of thjton young change residence within six years afte out high school. The average person move 1 fourteen times in a lifetime. I have movei seven times since 1960. America has developed a labor force ofoa> rootless, white-collar migrants. Does th; describe you and me? Nomadic life is not a new phenomenon, was the way of life for the patriarchs of thflw Bible. Mennonites have trekked out wail Ah across many countries and continents. Today's mobility is different in sever; respects. Nomads of the past carried horn tribe, and family along, thereby providing ongoing security. Mennonite migration tended to begin with groups and to settle i |»n. groups. The Even a city like Winnipeg, with its larg f. l Mennonite population, offers the security o mik "in-country-nomads" of family, church, am itr !; community groups with common roots mm Such urbanization is unmatched by th ind ; identity crisis and frustrations faced by tho who relocate as single nuclear family units ti| cities where all physical structures am community and church groups are of strange heritage. Robert Seidenberg, a Syracuse, Ne York, psychiatrist writes in the Wall Stn Journal, "Moving is a severe traumi probably as great as divorce. It's li uprooting a tree or a bush — you simply can' flourish transplanted five or six times, When you move, there is a rupture of all I \ existing relationships — friends, doctoijp, grocer, and mail carrier. You go through llflinr process of feeling "out of it." ft There are ways of once again getting t( feel "with it." Pastors have a whole congre 482 AUGUST 23, 197 Ration waiting for them; this can be a great lelp. Welcome Wagon and other communi- y hospitality groups can also take much )ain off the transition. Moving is accompanied by changes in q] ixpected life-styles and roles. Unless you are lexible, this may cause bouts of severe lepression and an inability to make deci- ions. Or there may be the clash of moving ight in on your own terms without testing he climate of your new home. Add to this he grief of lost relationships (especially for vives and children who may be slower to nove into new intimacies). In such situations, the pressure becomes trong for the family to become a portable oot system with instant demands for a amilial intimacy heretofore unattained. After a few moves, the temptation arises to :eep new commitments at a superficial level 0 avoid future pain of parting again. A ninister's wife said to me, "I can't bear to nake close friends anymore. The strain of liscontinued relationships every time we nove is too hard to bear." Alvin Toffler in Future Shock notes a elationship between change and illness. A lerson I know, although never putting such eelings into words, has been overcome by a ense of ill-being after a move, which has it esulted in long periods of severe physical >ain. The trauma of moving is no respecter of ge. Children may become withdrawn and ntisocial. An elderly woman, moved from er home to be near her children, was vercome by a sense of isolation, depression, nd anxiety, completely contrary to her sual behavior. What then does the mobility syndrome lean for Christians who are called to be strangers and pilgrims" on this planet? How an our churches help to cope with those in ransition? In our moving around, Alvin Toffler and 'ance Packard have helped me find meaning 1 the moving process. Here are twelve onclusions that they, the Bible, friends, and thers have taught me about mobility. 1. Moving is change and change precipi- ites crisis. If your family has been expe- i[i||iencing changes such as birth or death just efore a move, your coping level may be low. : might then be wise to postpone the change l br a few months if possible. 2. Be aware of what is happening inside of you. Plan for the change, but when those times of loneliness and depression come, take some action. It may mean a telephone call or a letter or inviting somebody over for a chat. 3. Put your roots down fast. Become acquainted with neighbors. In our fast-paced society, time will get away from you and you may find that you know nobody after several months unless you move in. Summer moves are an advantage because you see the neighbors outdoors. I used to take several months, but in our last move I was much more assertive. I spoke to the local merchants and other agencies. Whether it helped them, I can't tell, but it certainly helped me. As a Christian, I am looking for lasting and deep relationships. They are worth the risk of the parting pain. 4. Create a home environment. Even though we have lived here less than two years, we have planted a fruit garden and have begun to remodel the house. Get to it and enjoy every bit of it. 5. Toffler taught me that moving time is not always the best time to discard old things. These familiar items may provide the psychological value for the transition and may be disposed of later when we feel comfortable in our new home. 6. Moving is also a good time to carry over a project or responsibility from your previous home or job. To continue with an assignment at a new place, I found my last move much easier to adjust to. 7. Plan for continuity with the family. If you have a pattern of family worship, family night, or family celebrations, maintain those. 8. Keep up relationships with former friends as well as with your distant family. Tapes, letters, and calls are important. We find the contacts with our families impor- tant. They give us a tie to our past. 9. Plan for an extended family. There are aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandmothers all around who can become part of your family. A young couple and their son have been as much family to us as our siblings. An elderly woman in our block was a grandmother to our young son when his own was too far away to participate actively in his young life. 10. Find a church or a fellowship of which you can be a part. If Mennonite fellowship is important to you, and there is none in your area, you may seriously want to consider finding other families and beginning such a fellowship. 11. Be aware of the changes in you. Moving increasingly brings change in identity and life-style. People who move live in different worlds from those who live in the same place most of their lives. You become who you are by choice, not coincidence. Yet the changes you go through call for adjust- ments and understanding as you relate to relatives and friends who are not mobility statistics. 12. See your new community as an adventure. Explore the countryside, the tourist interests, and other places. In Kansas City, we explored the city and its numerous interests. Here in Middlebury, we have cycled to old cemeteries, explored Amish country, and attended auctions. Not only does it give you a feel for the community, but it also gives you a whole record of experien- ces to talk and reminisce about at later dates. There are positive aspects to being a mobile person if one can learn how to take advantage of that life-style. Mobile persons are more adaptable to change; they have more experiences, live in a variety of homes, and tend to escape provincialism. One learns many things from people. New ideas are formed. Wherever you go, there is a person you know, whether it's a conference, workshop, or meeting. My life and ideas have changed much more rapidly during the years when I was mobile than when I was not. What does this then mean for the God- life? Perhaps that is best characterized by the term adventure. Discipleship actually stands in antithesis to security. Your faith in Jesus Christ gives you a sense of identity. But that identity is acted out in your relationships to persons, past and present. This is where one needs some sense of roots or stability, of being tied to place and person. Mobility introduces the aspect of pilgrimage. The future is in God's hands. Added to the roots one has achieved is that exhilaration and spirit of freedom an explorer must feel when anticipating the new land. For people on the move who balance their sense of roots with their faith, this God-adventure can become the center of reality. ;: HE MENNONITE 483 "I am sorry, you just missed him," exclaimed the office secretary. I must have displayed some signs of surprise that this business executive was running. She continued, "Never mind, he always runs from office to car, car to project, project back to the car, and car back to the office." In my disappointment because I had missed seeing him, I pondered, Why was this WHY Alt! YOU successful businessman running? It could hardly be because he was "needy" or in need of more money because his estate already was valued in the neighborhood of one-half million, moving up fast, and he was a young man. Other questions came to mind. Was he trying to beat his competitors? Was he anxious to make it one million or even more? Or was he running simply because most of us seem to be running — if not literally, then emotionally or mentally? The most penetrating question was, Had he ever stopped long enough to ask himself why he was running? Certainly it is not wrong to run. Your doctor will say, if done in moderation and regularly, it is good for physical and emotional health. There are two special lessons in this experience. It is not wrong to run or be in a hurry. In fact, most employers resent a lazy person, one without a self-starter, or one who goofs off. Also a self-employed lazy person is not going to be highly respected or really get ahead. Generally, most of us could fit somewhere in between, as it probably should be. The second question is the purpose for running. If the motive for a Christian runner is no higher than to accumulate a large Harry E. Martens estate, the runner is to be pitied. If the motive i A- is not above that of leaving a large estate to the children and to leave a favorable impression with neighbors and friends, woe is the runner. To be remembered only as aj materially successful farmer, businessper- son, or professional is the motive of foolish people. Jesus teaches about the rich man, "But God said unto him, thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God" (Luke 12:20-21). It is not wrong to make money in itself or even to be in a hurry to make it. It has been said many times that it takes money to make money. But let us also say, "One must have money to give money." Let us not estrange the persons with greater riches or income or who make a profit, but rather have them feel that they are needed and wanted for the kingdom. Let us invite them, encourage them to be partners, in the great mission of the church of Jesus Christ. At the Mennonite Medical Association convention in 1976 (a meeting of Mennonite physicians and nurses) I said, "Money is also a gift from God, thus it behooves us to treat it that way. Don't refer to money as 'filthy lucre.' In short, it takes Christians who make money (honestly, of course) with vision to share a reasonable portion of it in order that the Christian gospel and Christ's love may reach all the people." Of course, the greater the holdings or the greater the income, the greater are the responsibilities and the opportunities. What really is our purpose for being here to live today? A better way to ask it might be, What really is God's purpose for me to live today? My best answer is, It is to make him my very own, to accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord of my life. It is also our purpose (our calling) to make him known to all the people — each in our own way as we are called. Every Christian is called to be a partner in the great mission of the church of ins Jesus Christ. All of us have received talents, mscic gifts from God, and are called to have those Ip ic gifts count for God whether we are doctors, sisna farmers, nurses, laborers, businesspeople, or adoj teachers. Each Christian called to a vocation or profession also is called to the other vocation, to be a Christian, a Christ-ian. piu h n is no i snni aiild icupi (slab VI MS lis.:;, SClS? lani lit i ore j iwai am:.: lie sigh Ivoi i If the motive is not above that of leaving B large estate to the children and to leave n favorable impression with neighbors and friends, woe is the runner. » nil ->"f 484 AUGUST 23, 1977 if A November 1976 issue of the Mennonite \Veekly Review had this heading on the front ;age: "Bountiful Harvest in Midwest, East." j — "At Belleville in central Pennsylvania, pere was a shortage of both silo and crib |:)ace because of the bumper corn harvest, jicking of a bountiful corn crop was ontinuing in eastern Pennsylvania. — "In the Kalona-Wellman vicinity in jutheastern Iowa corn yields were running igh and overflowed available crib space. — "In the large Mennonite farming area of juthern Manitoba harvesting of crops such 5 potatoes, sugar beets, sunflowers, and ipeseed was in progress last month. . . . ields of cereal grains were above average." A later issue of the Review reported again n this subject saying, "The storage capacity f Meadows (Illinois) Co-op was insufficient >r this year's bumper corn crop and nearly )0,000 bushels of corn were piled on the •ound there early in November. . . . Another ),000 to 50,000 bushels will be added to the lie." Admittedly, farmers have higher costs of aerating and purchasing of new equipment, nd we singled out only one occupation arming), but quotations like the above !>uld be shared regarding various other pcupations and professions. Articles can also be written about the smendous increase in assets and size of tates because of the unusual increase in nd values or properties in general in recent jars. Just what kind of influence does that have l members of the Mennonite church? Has is increased our desire for more and more sets? Does this help us to raise our indard of living or style of life? Or has this ade us more thankful and willing to share pre generously of our annual income? Has I awakened us to the importance of estate 1 anning? As we have our wills written and lake final dispositions of what God has I ade possible for us, do we consciously and j /fully designate a percentage of our i ildings to go to the Lord's work? Are we ijnscious of our Christian responsibility to lp to fulfill our Great Commission by I signating a percentage to Christian causes | adopt church causes as one child along Eh our children? V'But God said to him, 'You fool, this very j ;ht you must surrender your life; you have Hide your money — who will get it now?' tat is how it is with the man who amasses ijalth for himself and remains a pauper in |: sight of God" (New English Bible), iilf you are running, be sure you also run for .d. Harry E. Martens A U-haul and a hearse A familiar expression says, "You can't take it with you." But we try in every way possible. The U-haul has become a symbol for our society on the move. We rent the trucks and hitch extra trailers behind them to take all our possessions along. Some people will even hitch a U-haul to their hearse. They ask to be buried with some of their favorite things. Somehow there is a feeling that the material we accumulate in our lives is too precious to endure separation even in death. A college solicitor used the argument "You can't take it with you" as he was trying to convince an elderly saint to share a portion of his wealth with a Christian school. The man rebutted, "If I can't take my earnings with me, then I won't go." Jesus actually teaches that we can take it with us — only it won't be in the tangible forms of negotiable securities, savings accounts, statues, or other perishable commodities. Jesus says there is a way to "fatten your purses in heaven! And the purses of heaven have no rips or holes in them. Your treasures there will never disappear; no thief can steal them; no moth can destroy them" (Luke 12:33, The Living Bible). Again in Matthew 19:21: "Go and sell everything you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven." Jesus doesn't tell us all to sell our things and become poverty cases on earth. He reminds us that earthly treasures are temporary and therefore unworthy of worship. We need to set our sights for that which can stand the tests of time and eternity. Any time we give even such a little thing as a cup of water to a person in need, then we are using "things" appropriately. God put us in charge of things so we could learn how to use them in helping each other to live the full life in Jesus Christ. All that we do to help one another to achieve the forgiven, fulfilled, new life in Christ is going to be evident for eternity. It may well get there even before you do. But neither inflation nor corruption can ever erase a single effort that you and I make for God. And you don't need a U-haul behind the hearse for the transportation. ' MENNONITE seeks lo witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It is pub- id weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton, Kansas 671 14, by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonite Church Second-class age paid at Newton Kansas 671 1 4. and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions in United States and Canada, $8 00 one year $1 5 50. two years. $23 00, three years, foreign S8 50 per year Edito- Jffice 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P0M4 Business office 722 Main Street. Box 347. Newton, Kansas 671 1 4 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 347. Newton, Kansas 67114 E MENNONITE 485 News Many delegates vote on many resolutions A record number of about 2,000 adults, youth, and children attended the forty-first triennial sessions of the General Conference Mennonite Church July 28 to August 3 in Bluffton, Ohio. A total of 922 delegates carrying 1,743 votes registered for the conference sessions. Youth participants numbered 329, and over 200 children under fourteen were involved in special activities planned for them. A fuller report of the conference sessions will appear in the September 6 issue of The Mennonite. A summary of the major resolutions passed at the conference follows: Pastoral leadership: This resolution, recommended by the Pacific District Con- ference, asks that the General Conference place a higher priority on services to ministers, that funds be allotted for marriage enrichment retreats and spouses to attend "get-acquainted" seminars in Newton, that a minimum retirement income be guaranteed for pastors, that churches aim for base salary of $9,500 for full-time pastors plus housing and business expenses, and that every congregation work at recruiting students to enter the seminary to become pastors. Divorce and remarriage: "Be it resolved that we as a reconciling community seek redemptive programs for those whose marriages have failed; and be it further resolved that during the coming triennium we call on our General Conference congrega- tions to study and search their hearts on how ministries might emerge in their midst to persons whose marriages are failing, and that we call on them to 'lay down their stones' (John 8:7) and to seek not necessarily one mind, but hopefully and primarily one spirit with Christ. We call on our congrega- tions not to walk away from the problems that divorce and remarriage create, but to face the complex and difficult issues and to work toward a new spirit of reconciliation." Marriage Encounter, a program of mar- riage enrichment, was approved for adapta- tion to the Mennonite tradition. Church planting: The resolution encour- ages the Commission on Home Ministries, the Conference of Mennonites in Canada, the district and provincial conferences, and local congregations to increase their efforts and priorities in church planting. It sets goals of fifteen new congregations by 1980 and fifty by 1986. Christian stewardship of energy resources: The resolution asks for conservation of energy resources, abandonment of fast breeder nuclear reactors, and a moratorium on construction of the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline, among other things. Offender ministries: The resolution adopts a six-page statement as the official statement of the General Conference and asks that congregations use it as a resource for study and action. It also encourages MCC to continue exploring alternatives to prison systems. World Peace Tax Fund: The conference declared its support of the World Peace Tax Fund Act in the United States and asks that similar legislation in Canada be encouraged, if appropriate. Television violence: The three-page state- ment asks congregations to protest violence on television by writing sponsors, stations, federal commissions, and local newspapers. An amendment encourages families to engage in alternate activities. Civil disobedience and war taxes: The conference voted to wait another eighteen months before deciding whether to honor an employee's request that war taxes not be taken out of her paycheck. In the meantime, congregations are to study civil disobedience and war tax resistance and reconvene in midtriennium in an official conference to recommend actions. Bible studies: The resolution encourages the program committee for the next confer- ence to plan for Bible studies with a specific emphasis on outreach. Biennial sessions: A resolution, brought by dually affiliated congregations, to hold General Conference every two years was defeated. Governmental oppression and Christian witness: The resolution supports missionar- ies who witness against wickedness in high places while they are serving abroad. But it asks them to "walk circumspectly as children of light" and to consult with the churches they serve. Abortion: The resolution asks congrega- tions to use the resources of the conference to study the moral issues of abortion and practical ways to minister to those facing abortion or the financial and emotional crises of childbirth. The resolution which passed was a substitute motion for a resolution calling abortion murder and! asking congregations to speak out against abortion. Conference unity: The resolution asks all General Conference congregations to bridge the boundaries that separate them and' suggests interchange of church life experien- ces such as newsletters, musical activities, and ministerial exchanges. Indian ministries: The conference rejoices with the Indian congregations and the Mennonite Indian Leaders Council as they direct Indian ministries programs of the conference in a new way. German translation: The Commission on Education was encouraged to proceed "with vigor and vision to find ways to publish the Foundation Series in German." Next conference: The invitation was accepted to hold the 1980 conference in the Western District. lee lener Via K \ ■i\ ll Seci tali Gen rsis P: . re;. Divi Bl irth' linbo insas Com | ;laho Kh larks fors [d i-ye mi Ussei tlecif iirch, Menu Conferencegoers share communion on the opening night of the General Conference triennial sessions July 28 in Bluffton, Ohio. lection results ' ie f ollowing people were elected at the Mineral Conference triennial sessions in , uffton August 3: ; President: Elmer Neufeld. First Church, Hma, Ohio (reelected), three-year term ] Vice-president: Donovan Smucker, Stir- Ig Ave. Church, Kitchener, Ontario, three- ; ar term Secretary: La Vernae J. Dick, Grace purch, Dallas, Oregon, three-year term ■General Board: Loretta Fast, Toronto 1 Kited Mennonite Church; Lawrence Voth, 1 ith Mennonite Church, Newton, Kansas I elected); and Marvin Zehr, Maplewood j lurch, Fort Wayne, Indiana (reelected), all jr six-year terms hProgram committee: Ruth Naylor, First •liurch, Bluffton, Ohio (reelected), six-year 1 m, and James Schrag, Tabor Church, J 'Wton, Kansas, three-year term 'Division of Administration: Paul I. Dyck, -st Church, Bluffton, Ohio; Dietrich lldebrandt. West Abbotsford (British (hlumbia) Church; and Barbara Lehman, j prth Newton, Kansas, all for six-year terms i Commission on Education: Robert Kreid- « Faith Church, Newton, Kansas; Alice S.derman, Bethel Church, Mountain Lake, ! nnesota (reelected); and Frank Ward, IS inbow Boulevard Church, Kansas City, 1 nsas, all for six-year terms iCommission on Home Ministries: Law- iice Hart, Koinonia Church, Clinton, ( lahoma (reelected); Lynn Liechty, First C urch, Berne, Indiana; and Menno Wiebe, (farleswood Church, Winnipeg (reelected), a for six-year terms, and Erick Sawatzky, (face Church, Regina, Saskatchewan, t ee-year term Commission on Overseas Mission: Milton Classen, Faith Church, Newton, Kansas (i pected); Larry Kehler, Charleswood Cjurch, Winnipeg; and Harold J. Schultz, l.hel College Church, North Newton, ■nsas (reelected), all for six-year terms Mennonite Biblical Seminary board: lland R. Goering, Salem Church, Free- iiin, South Dakota; Dorothea Janzen, nth Church, Newton, Kansas; Waldemar lzen, First Church, Winnipeg; and Peter Sawatzky, Grace Church, Steinbach, ] mitoba, all for six-year terms, and ( rdon D. Kaufman, Mennonite Congrega- t l of Boston, Massachusetts, and Elbert ] ontz, Bethel College Church, North '. wton, Kansas, both for three-year terms, khowalter Foundation board: Alvin L. nk, First Church, Aberdeen, Idaho ( :lected), six-year term Vomen in Mission: President, Lora Oyer, 1 adows Church, Chenoa, Illinois; second > :-president, Elsie Flaming, Leamington ( itario) United Mennonite Church Mennonite Men: Chairman, Stan Fretz, Lansdale, Pennsylvania; vice-chairman, Irvin Goertzen, Hillsboro, Kansas Appointed to the General Board by the commissions were Bertha Harder and Ben Sprunger (COE members), Vern Preheim and J. K. Klassen (COM members), Menno Wiebe and Don Steelberg (CHM members), and Dietrich Rempel (seminary board member). Appointed by the General Board to the commissions and boards were Kenneth Bauman to CHM, Irene Dunn to COE, Loretta Fast to COM, Larry Voth to seminary, Marvin Zehr to Division of Administration, and Jake Tilitzky to com- muncations committee. Officers which each board or commission elected for itself include: COE — Helmut Harder, chairman; Alice Suderman, vice-chairwoman; and Marjorie Geissinger, secretary COM — Vern Preheim, chairman; Harris Waltner, vice-chairman; Larry Kehler, secretary; and J. K. Klassen, fourth member of the executive committee CHM — Don Steelberg, chairman; Menno Wiebe, vice-chairman; Waldemar Regier, secretary; and Joyce Shutt, fourth member of the executive committee Seminary board — Peter G. Sawatzky, chairman; J. Winfield Fretz, vice-chairman; and Helen Kruger, secretary Of those elected at Bluffton to General Conference boards and commissions, twenty-one are men, and six are women. Twenty belong to U.S. churches and seven to Canadian churches. The male-female ratio is exactly the same as in the 1974 elections, but twelve members of Canadian churches and fifteen from American churches were elected then. Barbara Lehman, who will teach econom- ics this fall at Bethel College, is the second woman ever to be elected to the Division of Administration or its predecessor, the Board of Business Administration. In 1974 eight persons nominated from the floor were elected, compared with four this year. MENNONITE 487 Toronto conference started slowly Under the theme "God's People Dispersed — Yet United," the Conference of Mennonites in Canada began its sessions July 23-27 with a short Saturday evening opening, a Sunday morning worship service, and then took an afternoon off to become acquainted with Canada's second largest city. A variety of tours were planned for the 389 delegates and other guests. A special youth presentation on alienation filled the evening. "It sputtered so badly on Monday morn- ing, I felt the conference would have to be prematurely aborted. The General Board did not have its homework done," commented one delegate. The General Board, in the first report to the business sessions, presented recommendations for editorial changes in the constitution and for changes in election of executive officers. Stating that they were "simply informing" the delegate body of the editorial changes, a point of order was called and the changes were adopted by resolution. When the elections issue was finally present- ed as a resolution, it was quickly voted down. The initial discussion of the Heritage Center proposal, the new archives and library building being donated to the conference through the P. W. Enns Family Foundation, also ran into trouble when several delegates expressed serious uneasi- ness about accepting and heralding large financial gifts from private business people. The early frustration quickly changed to dialog about family issues, ministry to native peoples, and MCC (Canada)'s statement of involvement with northern development. Henry Poettcker, president-elect of Menno- nite Biblical Seminary, commented, "I have rarely seen the conference display a greater willingness to deal openly with some of the real issues. And it was done in a spirit of mutual learning." Resolutions were passed: — to support a new work with the Umsiedler, or "resettlers" from the Soviet Union, in Germany. — to continue the U.S. -Canada relations discussion. — to accept the Heritage Center gift. — to work on a policy for soliciting and accepting large special donations. —to adopt a $911,700 contributions budget for 1978. — to encourage Canadian Mennonite Bible College in developing an endowment fund that would cover a portion of the operating expenses. —to support the MCC policy statement on northern development. Other resolutions defeated included: — a motion for the General Board to provide channels for assisting ministers and congregations when there are difficulties. — a motion to plan the next conference in the context of some native people, that is, a "tent setting." A resolution to make The Mennonite the official conference periodical was tabled. The conference began each day with a Bible study. Perry Yoder challenged the conference, in an encounter with the Old Testament prophets, to be God's communi- ty, where confession and life complement each other. Executive officers elected were David P. Neufeld, chairman; Jake Fransen, vice- chairman; and Lome R. Buhr, secretary. Bernie Wiebe A delegate speaks on the floor of the Canadian Conference sessions in Toronto. Canadians study church leadership "There is a growing awareness that the pastoral ministry does not rank highly among young people's vocational choices. We have vacant pulpits, and their number is increasing. Our committee has been chal- lenged to deal with this leadership crisis. Today is dedicated to that task." Waldemar Regier, chairman of the Con- ference of Mennonites in Canada committee on the ministry, introduced the annual ministers' and deacons' conference at Toron- to, July 23, to the resource people and then invited J. Lawrence Burkholder, Goshen College president, to speak on "The Future Shape of Mennonite Church Leadership." Mr. Burkholder said that cultural content, ecclesiology (the nature of the church), and the kairos (an opportune convergence of events and people) are the three factors which shape leadership. In the world, leadership has often devel- oped along a dominant style. People with machismo, eloquence, and calculating skills tadt IV KOI tncoi adf tas t ome win es b c ere ienni ;The n the on, MB ars h tie n iurcl are called forth by the times. In the Mennonite churches today, then seems to be an absence of such people. The bishops and Aelteste of the past did much to advance missions, evangelism, and educa- tion in our churches. Today, the secular model is that of consensus leadership, leaders who also bring about change, but they work with the people, not over them. Often these leaders may be shy, open, vulnerable, and not too colorful They realize that life is complex and solutions must be worked at carefully am cooperatively. In the Mennonite churches, this model h; also become popular. With problems theological uncertainty and identity crises, the servant-stance implied in this fits well with the Anabaptist heritage. However, there is a danger of becoming spineless and evasive toward controversial issues. For the churches, Mr. Burkholder stated, we also need to look at a prophetic style ofk~ Disi sn n fed i ft ; HIM kp tOlOj tool Biliei 1» tyl The i iftn idle il iht 488 AUGUST 23, 197 n 1 radership, the unpredictable, spontaneous, foly Spirit voice from the wilderness, which y its radicalness forces us to stop and ecome more discerning. Mr. Burkholder challenged the congrega- ons to become concerned enough to discern ifts for leadership among youth and then ticourage and affirm their growing into ■adership roles. One area often overlooked as been the women in our churches. When eople have a clear vision, leadership 3mehow emerges. Without it, leadership wanes, Mr. Burkholder said. Responses from several selected people and from the audience agreed that there is a leadership crisis in the Anabaptist confer- ence. Many affirmed the need to work more directly with youth in internship programs and other ways to make the pastoral ministry an option for youth. On the women's issue, John W. Miller of Conrad Grebel College startled the conference by warning against the fatherless family. Mr. Miller said that leadership in God's family is that of a good father, and there is a limit to the tasks we should assign to women. There was agreement that too often the church has taken its leadership styles from contemporary culture. If the Mennonite church is to be distinct and true to the Bible, then it must be more ready to incorporate a blend of the dominant (confronting and urging), consensus (listening and discern- ing), and the prophetic (unusual and free). Such a vision could help us in coping with future leadership needs. /lennonite Church looks to 'discipling mission \ Call to Commitment to a Discipling lission" was adopted by the Mennonite hurch General Assembly at its biennial eeting June 18-24 at Estes Park, Colorado. The churchwide meeting included 275 legates elected from the regional conferen- :s but over 4,000 children, youth, and jults as participants. The "call to commitment" statement died for a renewed emphasis on evangelism jid church growth. And urban missions iere designated a top priority in this ennium. The assembly also adopted two statements 9 the Holy Spirit and biblical interpreta- pn, which the denomination's congrega- pns had been studying for the past two ■ars. The five semiautonomous boards of the !ennonite Church reported to the assem- bly, but their lines of accountability to the General Board remained fuzzy. "To whom do they refer? Who gives them direction? Where does coordination take place? How do they hear the voice of the church they are to serve if the assembly is unable to provide specific direction?" asked David Groh, an Ohio pastor. The delegate assembly was held for the first time together with the youth conference, in which 1,800 young people participated. Willard Swartley of Harrisonburg, Virgi- nia, led seven Bible studies on the Gospel of Mark, assisted by a drama group, the Halsey Taylor Seven-Peace Band. An average of over 3,000 attended each Bible study session. Moderator Ed Stoltzfus sent out ripples when he said, "Brothers and sisters, the model of cultural 'separation from the world' is dead." He called for an incarnational model. "In the humanity of Jesus, God entered the structures of human life," he said. "Through the Holy Spirit, the church continues his incarnational presence in the world." The delegates endorsed the World Peace Tax Fund Act, now pending in the U.S. Congress. The Mennonite Church General Board was urged to update statements on peace and the state made in 1951 and 1961. And letters were to be written to the U.S. president and Canadian prime minister upholding human rights. Officially launched for study during the coming two years were papers on "Leader- ship and Authority in the Church" and "Affirming Our Faith in Word and Deed." Ivan J. Kauffman took over from Paul Kraybill as general secretary of the Menno- nite Church. /IBs raise identity question, endorse Foundation Series elegates to the sixty-sixth annual conven- >n of Canadian Mennonite Brethren lurches voiced strong concern that their hnic identity might be a liability in the urch's witness. Discussions at the convention, July 2-5 in aterloo, centered on the theme "Stewards the Gospel." In his keynote address, the denomina- m's moderator, Frank C. Peters, president Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, ted denominational identity as a major ue that must be faced by Canadian ennonite Brethren. He urged the 424 legates to make the quest for identity a eological, and not just historical, search. Roots are important, he stressed, but a entieth-century mission and fellowship th other evangelical groups must also be ught. The 19,500 members at the Canadian MB inference are scattered in some 130 urches in seven provinces. Some now feel it their denominational name or back- ound as an historic peace church may mper future growth. IE MENNONITE But there was also evidence at the convention that this need not be the case. Testimonies were heard from new Christians from Mennonite Brethren churches in Vancouver, several Quebec centers, and Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, none of whom shared any Mennonite ethnic origins. Taking up the theme of evangelism, guest speaker Myron Augsburger cautioned that an ethnic heritage should not be rejected, but transcended. "I've never been embarrassed to be Mennonite," he declared at one point in his address. Mr. Augsburger, president of Eastern Mennonite College in Harrisonburg, Virgi- nia, called the Mennonite Brethren to be agents of Christ's reconciliation in a frag- mented world, and to "make faith an option" to all people, but without violating the intelligence and personality of individuals through the use of "Madison Avenue tech- niques." The convention also looked toward increased cooperation with other North American Mennonite groups by voting to join an inter-Mennonite Sunday school curriculum project, the Foundation Series. Canadian Mennonite Brethren will be "cooperative users" in the production of the youth and adult curriculum, now under way. Some delegates stated that they would prefer to see the conference consider the materials once they are finished. However, the opportunity to provide editorial input was stessed by the Board of Christian Education, which sponsored the motion, and the move to cooperate was endorsed by a large majority. The convention ratified the appointment of an associate executive secretary of Christian education, Ron Penner, despite resistance from the floor to increasing the number of paid staff. However, there was strong support for the appointment of Mr. Penner to assist current executive secretary, John Unger, especially in youth work. The Board of Publications took time to commemorate the hundredth anniversary of the Mennonitische Rundschau, a German- language weekly published by the Canadian Mennonite Brethren. 489 Zaire schools go back to the churches Zairian Mennonites, like other churches in the country, are preparing to begin a new school year in September with the primary and secondary schools back under their administration. According to an agreement signed by government and church leaders last Febru- ary 26, the Zairian Government will transfer the schools back to the churches of Zaire: Catholic, Protestant, and Kimbanguist. Neither missionaries nor Zairian Menno- nite leaders are ready to predict exactly how things will change in September, but it is probable that religion classes will be reinstat- ed. The banning of religion classes was one of the new regulations when the government nationalized the schools on December 30, 1974. But the right to teach religion was one of the concessions gained by the churches in negotiations to take back administration of the schools. Under the new agreement, administrative and financial management is to follow state policies; however, the churches will have the power to hire and fire personnel. Churches are also allowed to set local policies and to hire people who uphold religious values. Churches may also offer religious and moral instruction in the schools. The state will continue to subsidize the schools financially, as it did before nationalization. Some have speculated that the transfer of the schools may be part of a government austerity program forced on Zaire by its creditors. It is uncertain what effect the permission to teach religion in the schools again will have on the congregation-based Christian education programs which the Mennonite Community of Zaire (CMZ) and the Evangelical Mennonite Community of Zaire (CEMZ) began after the schools were na- tionalized. The CMZ, for example, created a new Christian education department and began producing new curriculum materials. What will having control of the schools again mean for the church? "If, in fact, the church can recruit the kind of people they want, set standards, and structure curriculum, this could be an effective outreach again, as it was years ago," said James Bertsche, executive secretary of Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission, Elkhart, Indiana. "But, if it cannot, the whole matter of becoming responsible for the schools could become time-consuming and tie up a lot of personnel with minimal results for the church." Kazadi Muadianvita, CEMZ president now visiting Mennonite churches in North America, viewed the return of the schools to the churches as a good thing. "In the schools we try to do two main things: to help the development of the church and to help the development of the country. I don't know exactly what will change in the schools in September, but religion will be taught again. That won't affect the other Christian education programs that have been started." Grace Church, Chicago, will rebuild Supported by the Central District Confer- ence, the Grace Mennonite Church in Chicago has decided to build at a new location. Their original structure was recent- ly destroyed by fire. The church has purchased a lot half a block from their present location and plans are presently being drawn up for the new structure. The Central District Conference will be sponsor- ing a fund-raising drive this fall. Lee and Betty Hochstetler will continue to serve as pastors of the congregation. Words ffi deeds Provincial MCCs in Ontario and Manitoba have appointed volunteers to learner centers to acquire and transmit information to churches on the world food situation. Richard MacBride of Brampton, Ontario, has been assigned to the Global Community Centre. MCC (Manitoba) will have a volunteer working half-time with the Inter- cultural Development Education Associa- tion in Winnipeg. A circuit rider to visit pastors and congrega- tions on the urban mission front is planned this summer by the Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities, Salunga, Pennsylvania. Glen Sell of Lancaster, a pastor and evangelist, has been chosen for the circuit-riding assignment. He said he wants to help people get excited about studying the Bible and help them understand that evangelism is a team effort. Mid-America regional conferences for the organization New Call to Peacemaking, an emphasis of the Mennonites, Brethren, and Friends in the United States, has been set for September 30 to October 1 in McPherson, Kansas, and April 14-15, 1978. Delegates are expected from Kansas to Texas and Missou- ri to Colorado and New Mexico. The fall meeting will feature Brethren theologian Dale Brown of Oak Brook, Illinois, as speaker. New Call to Peacemaking is an effort of the historic peace churches to explore the implications of peacemaking over a two-year period. Although the overall position of black workers in the United States has improved somewhat over the past five years, the] improvement in percentage point changes is so limited, it can be termed miniscule. The report comes from a statistical study of black employment in the private sector conducted by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The report said enough blacks have the necessary schooling to close the employment gap if they were given equal opportunity for employment. Assuming that black employment availability rates and black participation rates increase in the future, it will be sometime in the twenty-first century before black employment experien ces equal black employment expectations. Swift passage of legislation establishing a World Peace Tax Fund was urged in July by the biennial General Synod of the United Church of Christ. Delegates to the synod, representing 1.8 million church members, recognized in their resolution "the dilemma of conscientious objectors who wish to pay their full share of taxes but cannot accede to their participation in war which is against their beliefs." Frank H. Epp of Waterloo and John \ Goddard of Peterborough, Ontario, have completed a project of intense listening to people of both sides in the Middle East conflict. With assistance from Mennonite Central Committee, the professor and the journalist completed their interviews of over 100 Israeli Jews in mid-May. The Israelis, to be published in 1978, will be a sequel to The Palestinians (1976), which was based on interviews in 1971 and 1974 with over 100 Palestinian Arabs. Mr. Goddard and Mr. Epp hope that their two books will better enable the world to understand both sides of the conflict and that the opponents will be better able to hear each other. Help wanted t;. You may be the answer to someone's needsl Current in MVS positions include: the arts, tutoring, nursing teaching, community organizing, housing recon- rem struction, mental health, welfare rights advocacy legal aid, day-care centers, prison work, emergency aid services, youth work, service with handicapped environmental concerns. Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 tl am t teat I, an h Iwinj 490 AUGUST 23, 1977 lecord 1 >cailis ivvid D. Eitzen, First Church, Upland, •\\ lifornia, was born in 1903 and died July 17 d Pomona Valley Hospital after a lengthy itiiess. Raised in Mountain Lake, Minneso- t he spent most of his life in teaching, al "aching, and counseling. He taught in { jntry schools in Minnesota and in two ii nsas high schools. He then was ordained si the Christian ministry and became pastor n the Immanuel Church of Los Angeles i )w Downey, California). He served there - lr years while also studying at the school •t religion of the University of Southern )i lifornia. Upon completing his master's ;(S gree in 1937, he became an instructor at i >C and was appointed officially to the rs ulty in 1940 after receiving his PhD. He m lght at that school (which became the ai uthern California School of Theology at KViremont) as professor of psychology of -itigion, religious experience, and pastoral ajnseltng until his retirement in 1968. - iring those years and until death, he was vi ive in writing, lecturing, and counseling. ii was a member of the General Conferen- l(i 5 Commission on Education from 1968 to is 7«. Workers ," TC (Ontario) has made several appoint- nts to provide services to Mennonites llfim Mexico. David Friesen, Port Burwell, f ... .... I tano, is involved in immigration and sjtlement, assisted half-time by his wife, len. Eleanor Mathies and Elfrieda ;' iedger, both nurses from Leamington, i tario, are working in public health. Tom and Ruth Friesen of Freeman, South kota, have begun a one-year Mennonite j ntral Committee assignment as country I I resentatives in Bolivia, filling in for |(^rald and Geraldine Mumaw, who are Burning to the United States for a year of -s dy. The Friesens previously served with (?fCC in Bolivia, working in rural develop- • cj nt and teaching. Before beginning their ;y«rent assignment in Bolivia the Friesens afe teaching at Freeman Junior College. I n, a native of Mountain Lake, Minneso- holds a BA in sociology from Bethel Gllege and an MAR in peace studies fi owing studies at the Associated Menno- n- r Biblical Seminaries and Earlham School o Religion. Ruth, also from Mountain -Ice, is a graduate of Bethel College with a Eit/en R. Friesen BA in languages. Before leaving for Bolivia, the Friesens were attending the Hutterthal Mennonite Church in Freeman, South Dakota. David G. Lutz, Hereford Church, Bally, Pennsylvania, has begun an assignment with Mennonite Central Committee in the Philip- pines to evaluate the possibility of beginning a program there. Should initial contacts be positive, David will begin a three-year assignment as the program's first person. He recently completed a three-year assignment with MCC as manager-advisor to a land- leveling project in Pakistan. He holds a BS in agricultural engineering from Pennsylvania State University. Arthur G. McPhee, pastor of the Lindale (Virginia) Mennonite Church, has been named speaker on the fifteen-minute weekly "Mennonite Hour" program. Richard Rutschman of Newton, Kansas, has been assigned to a new Mennonite Voluntary Service unit in the Lakeview area of Chicago. He will be teaching at an alternative high school during his two-year term. Richard holds an AA degree from Freeman (South Dakota) Junior College and a BA from Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas. He has also attended the Mennonite seminary in Montevideo, Uru- guay. He is a member of the Hutterthal Church in Freeman and is the son of LaVerne and Harriet Rutschman of San Jose, Costa Rica. Hilda Linger, Burnaby, British Columbia, has been appointed administrator of the two group homes for the adult mentally retarded operated by MCC (British Columbia). Mary Rae Waller, a Sister of St. Dominic, Adrian, Michigan, has been appointed as executive secretary of the National Council for a World Peace Tax Fund. She has four years of experience in public policy advocacy as a national staff member of NETWORK, a religious lobby for social justice. An educa- tor by profession, she has an MA in government from the University of Virginia T. Friesen Lutz and has taught eight years in parochial schools in Florida and Virginia. She has served as a member of the executive committee for Pax Christi, USA, a Catholic peace organization. Gail Wiens, Inman (Kansas) Church, has begun a three-months term of service with Mennonite Central Committee. He is super- vising construction work in Turkey in areas affected by the recent earthquake. Gail is the son of Walter and Kathryn Wiens. Ministers Virgil Gerig has resigned as pastor of the Salem-Zion Church, Freeman, South Dako- ta, to accept the pastorate of the Hively Avenue Church, Elkhart, Indiana. He will be taking work at Mennonite Biblical Seminary and Oaklawn Psychiatric Center, Elkhart, Indiana, in the fall before assuming pastoral duties at the Hively Avenue Church in early 1978. He has served previous pastorates at Oak Grove Church, Smithville, Ohio, 1947- 60, and Grace Church, Pandora, Ohio, 1960- 68. Henry W. Goosen, pastor of the Goessel (Kansas) Church, is supervising the tutoring program at Crossroads Community Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the summer. Fred Obold is serving as summer interim pastor at Goessel in Mr. Goosen's absence. He is a student at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana. Don McClintock has resigned as pastor of the Immanuel Church, Downey, California. John Nagle, part-time youth minister of the congregation, is serving as full-time interim pastor during the summer. Cynthia Neufeld, Bluffton, Ohio, is serving the Wayland (Iowa) Church this summer in its music and youth ministries. Abe Regier has resigned as pastor of the MacGregor (Manitoba) Church, effective this summer. IE MENNONITE 491 Discussion p i liirisl Dpntr fnn iej ;" suall ighei nplo; ireifp iople Foi irtici t IB! on: Tourists, look deeper! Gene Stoltzfus Tourists are coming to savor the wisdom and art of Asia in greater numbers than ever, but these travelers are not touching or being touched by the life of the local people. Many long-term residents in Asia share this conclusion and believe it needs to be faced by Christian travelers. Some feel that new models for tourism are urgently needed. Vacation-bound travelers swell the for- eign exchange earnings of Thailand, Singa- pore, Indonesia, and Hong Kong. Tours are designed to show artistic history and ancient religious life and to cater to the entertain- ment interests of money-laden travelers. While Indonesian dance may reflect the spirit of Indonesian history, it shows little of the weightier problems that confront the modern state of Indonesia. Tourists rarely develop lasting relation- ships with local people. They leave thinking of Indonesia as a land of interesting historical temples, great beaches, esoteric dancers, and poverty. For such travelers to consider themselves experts on the country is like becoming an authority on the United States by visiting Wall Street and Holly- wood, flying over the Rocky Mountains, and driving past a native American reservation. Tour leaders are not trained to explain the rice planting and marketing system which might show why increased yields still leave the majority desperately poor. To questions about peasant life, travelers are usually left with an explanation that Indonesia is still poor. Time is minimal for getting to know the country. Tourists are also vulnerable to almost any impulsive answer a bored guide might want to give. (He gets the same questions every day.) Why can't tourism, especially for church people, be designed to give a real feel for the country's present life, the problems of the church, and issues in development? In short, couldn't tourist efforts evolve into traveling seminars of third world concerns? Travel agencies, in business to make money, argue that their clients are hard- working, upper-middle-class people wh§ want a relaxing vacation. These agencies insist that travelers are turned off by hard- core poverty found in Asian village and urban life. Tourists fear that local food will make them sick, and they don't want to be distracted beyond an occasional sight-seeing tour in an air-conditioned bus. Most tourists, who spend only a few days in i country, must spend some time to rest uf Share Ch 1 jom the trip, look around at the common 'urist traps, and then move on to the next jiuntry to do the same thing. I Travelers should hardly be surprised that ;!ey often leave a residue of resentment. Isually their hotel bills for one day alone are gher than a month's salary of a single hotel I nployee. Most luxury hotels are owned by jreign chains or absentee owners, and local j:ople don't share in the windfall profits, i For local people who are not privileged to irticipate in the tourist industry, the |shionable sealed-off hotels remain a lystery of unexplained life-style. When they !e masses of deeply browned Caucasians petched out on the beaches under the hot ibpical sun, they are even more confused, iterations of experience have taught them i\ stay out of the rays of the sun if at all i'lssible. In Bali, village people ask over and over, why do foreigners want to come to Bali?" Miey can't understand what about their land attracts more than half a million jurists each year. Lurking in the back of lj;ir minds is the uneasy feeling that comes 1 >m being looked at without any effort on J ; part of the observer to get to know one as sberson. Christians are heavy participants in the tourist industry. The first question that church people should ask is whether some of their travel money shouldn't be bundled up and sent to a third world villager. This person probably deserves an air-conditioned vacation as much as anyone, although doubtless he or she might find more directly economical ways to use the money. Perhaps travel agencies that cater to church people should consider experiment- ing with some specialized third world tours that would introduce tourists to local people and pastors and help participants get to know the pressing issues of social justice. This would require altered vacation expectations. Out-of-the-way places would be on the travel lists. Some hotels would not be luxury plazas. Food might be less familiar, and buses would be a bit more crowded. Local people could organize, serve as translators, and generally host tourist groups. In some cases, local church bodies might be delighted to assist. Vital links between North America and the third world could be forged and mission and service programs would become more than regular press releases in church papers. Maybe tourists would even have more than photo- graphs to take back with them to show friends and family about the distant land. To see firsthand the problems of Asia's rural and urban poor might not be every one's vacation dream. But to fly high overhead or drive by in an air-conditioned bus with hardly a note of interest in people makes Christian charity look foolish. Tour- ism could be an opportunity to decrease the distance between rich and poor instead of to increase it. Voluntary service assignment: Rosthern Junior College, a Christian residential high school, is accepting applications from quali- fied counselors to work at the school for the 1977-78 school year. If you are interested in this kind of service, please contact: Robert J. Suderman Rosthern Junior College Rosthern, Saskatchewan SOK 3R0 Phone: (306) 232-4222 Give today for overseas missions, home ministries, Christian education, seminary. Our 1977 goal is $3,179,883. GENERAL CONFERENCE MENNONITE CHURCH Box 347 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard Newton, Kansas 67114 Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4 Letters y Editorial can help family Dear Editor: I appreciated the general intent of your June 28 editorial "Statistics can be a dangerous tool." Additionally, the current condition of the family can be understood helpfully in terms of comparative social history. Two different studies have influ- enced me to understand that, popular impressions and certain personal experien- ces notwithstanding, the U.S. family has not collapsed as a general social institution. Mary Jo Bane employed various demo- graphic tools to study the twentieth-century U.S. family compared to its nineteenth- century counterpart. Surprising even to her was the result: Here to Stay (Basic Books, 1976). One generalization held that the nineteenth-century U.S. family has been romanticized (for example, your extended family reference, Mr. Wiebe?). Consequent- ly, we are sensitive primarily to the weak- nesses of the twentieth-century situation. Therefore, Ms. Bane urged that the compar- ative strengths and/ or similarities should not be ignored (for example, a child now spends more time with at least one parent). Nor should the Mennonite family expe- rience be idealized. In his 1971 study (unpublished PhD, The Development of the Twentieth- Century American Mennonite Family as Reflected in Mennonite Writings), J. Marvin Nafziger found that since (at least) 1900 the family in the Mennonite Church in the U.S. has changed significantly despite warnings of despair, if not doom, from church writers at each shift. Nevertheless, some of the changes were constructive (for example, more shared parental responsibili- ty in child care, increased concern for the personal development of each family member). My attempted point is neither particularly dramatic nor comforting, but it is essential. Compared to its historical antecedents, our contemporary family experience is ambig- uous. We experience both strengths and weaknesses. This is the situation in which we are called to live, given the assumption of family life. Many of us frequently discuss important issues with black-and-white terms and images. However temporarily energizing an "atmosphere of frenzied panic" may be, complex and amhiguous ethical and pastoral concerns seem to require less sectarian analysis if more helpful judgments are to be drawn. Thanks to you for exercising your leader- ship in calling us to a more holistic, balanced view of the family issue. Keep up the helpful, though difficult, task. John K. Hershberger, campus and young adult minister, 405 Mvrtle Avenue, Iowa Citv, Iowa 52240 July 4 Rich content for God's family Dear Editor: My wife and I are serving a summer pastorate at Goessel and just got caught up on The Mennonite. Your brief article on decision making in the congrega- tion (June 14 issue) is appreciated. This seven-paragraph statement carries rich content for the family of God; particularly if it is to have a focus — communication. Frederick J. Obold, Box 38, Goessel, Kan- sas 67053 June 30 Write your representative Dear Editor: Rep. J. N. Erlenborn will or has introduced a bill in the U.S. Congress to exempt conscientious objectors from unions for religious reasons. We urge you to support this bill by writing to your local representative, c/o House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515, and your senator, c/ o U.S. Senate, Washing- ton, D.C. 20510. There is also an Ohio state need at this time. It would be good to write your local Ohio state representative, c/o Ohio State House of Representatives, Columbus, Ohio 43215. E. M. Burford, Sr., Route I, North Lima, Ohio July 7 Discipline and divorce Dear Editor: "Discipline and Divorce" (June 21 issue) portrays the story of Pilate in reverse. Pilate said, "I know he is innocent, execute him anyhow." Our church says, "We know that divorce is sin, but we'll overlook it." The article is full of contradictions, inconsistencies, and paradoxes. There are basically two aspects to disci- pline: ( 1 ) training that looks to the future and (2) punishment regarding the past. In the case of "John and Linda" there is no positive training — the divorce was carried out — nor was there any penalty — they remained members in good standing and Linda even continued as a Sunday school teacher. The story refers to "healing." Since the marriage broke up, was the so-called healing a mere appeasing of conscience? They both are reported to have been anxious to maintain their Christian commi \ ment. Do they violate the sacred marriage vow through divorce and thereby als ^ violate their prior baptismal commitment \ total obedience to Christ? The forgiveness of the church also seen • IP inconsistent. It sounds as if the divorce wj not final when the couple came for help. Trf church "helped" by finalizing the sin < divorce and giving the couple relief. It is well that "many of the older peoph had some reservations. That reminds us < Rehoboam, who rejected the elders an followed the whims of the peers, bringii '' disaster to the nation. Does the repo indicate any supporting texts from the Bibli The "Mennonite Articles of Faith" (Ri state that "two persons . . . may enter into (marriage), to be united and bound togethi 1 without any reserve even unto deatl (Matthew 19:5; Ephesians 5:28). "Tl" separation of such is, moreover, altogeth prohibited except for the cause of fornic tion" (Matthew 5:3 1-32; 19:7-10; 1 Corinth ans 7:10). C. B. Friesen, 400 North Mai Hesston, Kansas June ui i H id ol 'Ge irtbi OWc liter A a me I Inn S,ai mer ivee lave j ( No man can be called friendless when he has God and the companionship of good books. Faith and Life Bookstore Delhi! 159 West Main, Berne, Indiana 46711 Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Fellowship Bookcenter 302 Kennedy Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2M6 494 AUGUST 23, 1S ^E Meditation Set more out of life ead today's paper or watch an evening of television and you'll notice the slogan "Get more it of life" or a slightly different version. "Things go better with . . . ," or "Come alive " The advertising media brainwash us with e idea that if we use such and such a product or engage in a certain activity, we'll get more it of life. Get more out of life. Go to a movie," gives me instant indigestion when I then see the ads r the pornographic, perverted, or violent X-rated movies that dominate the screen today. 3 way could I come away from one entertained or uplifted, much less challenged to live a tter and fuller life. A certain soft drink, a new hair color, or even a new car may lift one's spirits for a while, but ne brings lasting happiness. It makes me sad to think how few people know the best way to t more out of life. The Bible explains it in John 10: 10, "The thief comes only to steal, and II, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly" (New jjjTierican Standard). Christ took our sins away when he died on the cross so that we could ve eternal life. Living forever is surely the best way to get more out of life. But scores of Christians could get a lot more out of life. What's their problem? Jesus tells us John 16:24. He tells his disciples shortly before he left them to go back to heaven, "Until 'W you have asked for nothing in my name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be ide full" (New American Standard). Think of all the ways you'd like to get more out of life, ive you prayed to God in Jesus' name asking that they'll be fulfilled? All of us, at one time or another, get some illness we wish we could be cured of. We say, "If I ren't crippled, I could participate in all the sports I love," or, "If my arthritis weren't so d, I could knit and crochet or go for long walks." Recently my specialist told me the joyous news that after eight years of struggling with a f-limiting muscle disease which ruled out all sports and strenuous work for me, the disease ntent in my blood was back to normal. I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that I'm well cause I never ceased for one day to ask God in Jesus' name to give me a healthy body again, k and you shall receive that your joy may be complete. Perhaps with you it may be an area in your life other than physical health that needs proving. It may be emotional or mental health. Maybe you break out in a rash when you're :ed with a crisis. You feel you could get more out of life if you weren't so nervous. Crowds tie you and so you stay home from all the lovely concerts, the family picnics, or the siness conventions. Maybe grief over the loss of a loved one has put you on the brink of anity. You could get more out of life if you had a job you liked. Ask God to direct you to a new e, if it's his will. It may be that he wants to use you as his witness right where you are tead. If so, ask him what you can do to like your present job better. Is jealousy keeping you from getting more out of life? You feel you'd be more useful if you aid play the piano or teach or write. Baking bread for a sick neighbor or caring for her ldren or visiting someone in the hospital will please the Lord as much as playing the piano church or teaching Sunday school. Ask and you shall receive. That doesn't mean God's answer is always yes. Sometimes it's in plan for you, to say no or "wait." I waited for physical healing for eight years. During >se years I learned to appreciate my friends and loved ones who prayed for me, encouraged , and did most of my housework. Hospital stays made me sympathetic to people, many , o were far sicker than I, some who have since become dear friends. ' While I convalesced at home, I learned to like quieter activities like reading, writing, itting, and embroidering. So don't let the slogan "Get more out of life" frustrate you so you frantically search for nething to have a fuller life. Ask God to take control of your life, content yourself with ing whatever he asks you to do, and you'll be amazed at how full your life will become. Marlace Berg Zacharias Contents Roots for people on the move 482 Why are you running? 484 A U-haul and a hearse 485 News 486 Record 491 Tourists, look deeper! 492 Letters 494 Get more out of life 495 Measuring from a zero base 496 CONTRIBUTORS Anne Neufeld Rupp, Box 447, Middlebury, Indiana 46540, is copastor of the Pleasant Oaks Church. Harry E. Martens, 2508 Ottawa Drive, Elkhart, Indiana 46514, works with the Mennonite Biblical Seminary Associates program. Gene Stoltzfus is an MCC volunteer assigned to Indonesia. Marlace Berg Zacharias, Fiske, Sas- katchewan, is a free-lance writer. CREDITS Cover, Lambert, Box 27310, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19150; 482, John Hiebert; 484, Taylor, Cordell, Oklahoma 73632; 485, Sla- baugh. Missionary Light, 1151 Greystone Street, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801; 486- 87, GCNS; 488, Rudy Regehr. The Meiuioiiite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg. Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street. Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Telephone: (316) 283-5100 Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Win- nipeg. Manitoba R3P0M4 Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347. Newton, Kansas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schu- macher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel Circulation sec- retary: Marilyn Kaufman Special editions editors: Central District, Evelyn Krehbiel, 229 Brookwood, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pa- cific District, La Vernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117; Encompass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indi- ana 46805; and Conference of Mennonites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P0M4. IE MENNONITE 495 Measuring from a zero ba Zero base is a new concept that may revolutionize some of the economic policies in U.S. President Jimmy Carter's administration. It also offers a creative and valuable new measurement of Christian growth and discipleship. A friend, employed in a state college, was telling how his department really didn't need all of its budget allotment in a particular year. So they were approaching year's end with a surplus. When the department head suddenly realized what was happening, he promptly sent a memo to all staff and requested enough orders to spend their budget. The staff complied and ordered equipment which they didn't need. Some of it remained unpacked for several years. The department head felt that a budget surplus could put him into a bad bargaining position when new budgets were to be presented. After all, you assume that an active, alert department will annually need increases. Such assumptions annually cost the taxpayers millions of dollars. Our budgeting is based on progress. Nobody questions the escalation of budgets from year to year. We begin with the assumption that last year's budget has been wisely spent and with the assumption that the department will expect an increase for next year. President Carter has challenged his administra- tors to do away with such foolish assumptions and to begin their budget-building from a zero base, that is, to justify each total budget from the first penny to the last. Others have applied this concept to family budgeting. Don't assume that you will need a certain amount just because that's what you spent last year. Begin at zero base and then carefully calculate your projected needs for next year. In our churches we have also been guilty of too many assumptions. As members of any congrega- tion we are likely to assume: — that our congregation has a clear idea of its purpose. —that the members of our congregation are regularly maturing in their experience with, and for, Jesus Christ. — that we believe in missions, our missionaries know what we expect of them, and their belief is the same as ours. — that the people "of the world" can understand our witness, and if they fail to respond, it is because they choose to reject God. There is nothing we can do to change such a situation. — that next year's budget will be similar to this year's, taking into consideration the rate of inflation and an unchanged membership roll. We could hardly expect a radical difference. What does our congregation really believe to be its purpose? How much annual or regular growth is there? in how many lives? through what motivation? What do others — and I — really do to increase the church's witness? How do we test the effectiveness of our missions, evangelism, voluntary service, and Christian education? Is each person doing his or her best for the kingdom? Do we know that people are giving or sharing as God has blessed them? How much is fact, and how much is assumption? If your congregational meetings have a tendency to be repetitious, zero base could change that in a hurry. Zero base challenges each Christian to assess what has happened to him or her this past year (week or month) that indicates spiritual growth. Zero base makes one look at each congregational program from the bottom and evaluate the whole thing. (I have seen annual meeting reports which simply added or subtracted a few numbers and words from the previous report.) Zero base provides a way to consider some new avenues of faithfulness. To go to zero base in evaluating our lives and our congregations means to examine each assumption. Either we have an answer or we don't. If this makes us suspect that we've been guessing a lot, then it is time now to begin being more honest. Some people will be quickly defensive and suggest that one can't measure the work of the Holy Spirit. Fortunately, God's Spirit does often break out in unexpected ways. The Bible repeatedly reminds us that we are accountable. Jesus says that we will give account for thoughts, deeds, words, and intents. Paul laments that he has to feed "milk" to Christians when they should be ready for "meat." In Revelation 2:4, the writer criticizes the church at Ephesus for having "abandoned the love you had at first." Sometimes we have come to a standstill and don't realize it. Measuring from a zero base could help us to discover it immediately. BW Following our summer biweekly schedule, the next issue of The Mennonite will be dated September 6. Trying to focus on a new commonality Lois Barrett What is it that ties the General Confer- ence Mennonite Church together? What is it that gives the conference a feeling of being a family, of having a common faith, of having a common ethics? That commonality was tested at the forty-first triennial sessions of the Gener- al Conference Mennonite Church July 28 to August 3 at Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio. But the results of the test were tentative in some respects. The decision was postponed another eighteen months on whether the confer- ence should break the law in honoring the request of an employee that her federal taxes which would go for war not be taken out of her paycheck and that she be allowed to refuse to pay them voluntarily. The delegates could not agree on the meaning of their faith for civil disobe- dience. The conference did not choose to take a stand on abortion. A hardline resolution drafted at the conference by a group of Eastern District pastors was dropped "so a better resolution could be conceived," in the quip of one delegate. The substitute motion asked for more study and for use of the resources the conference has already provided on the subject. Tensions between the General Confer- ence and the Canadian Conference and between the General Conference and the larger U.S. district conferences barely peeked above the surface. The only resolution on the subject, in effect, exhorted congregations to love each other more. Decisions on difficult issues were hard The commons between Founders Hall and Marbeck Center at Bluffton College was a place to test some commonalities informal- ly. CP 1>6 -Sel# ^ ^ \p\6 G>° r to reach. Yet the conference of 922 delegates and about 2,000 registrants was a family council — at the least, a family reunion. Present were the ties of common spiritual heritage (although all don't work that out in the same way), some- times of common ethnic heritage (al- though the General Conference has always been the most diverse ethnically of the Mennonite groups), of common experiences of working together on church committees and of meeting at previous conferences. A large proportion [of the participants had been to at least one earlier General Conference. Al- though some complained that the confer- ence's boards and commissions were [becoming too powerful, the delegates showed loyalty to conference programs. New things were in the process of becoming. More and more congregations are dually affiliated with the Mennonite Church. Six of the ten new churches admitted to the conference in the opening session are members of both conferences (or intend to be). A seventh is both Mennonite and Presbyterian. Most of the new congregations being started through the regional conferences ire urban, and many of them are house ;hurches without a traditional sanctuary and a desire for big-church organization. A resolution on church planting jrojects fifteen new churches during the lext triennium and fifty by 1986. The Indian ministries program of the commission on Home Ministries was officially transferred to the Mennonite ndian Leaders Council, which will now idminister the funds and pay its own staff. A new Sunday school curriculum for :hildren, the Foundation Series, was ledicated at the conference, and new :urricula for youth and adults are in the naking in cooperation with other Anabaptist-related church groups. The dea of an Anabaptist Bible commentary s being tested in Mennonite Church and General Conference circles. Overseas mission staff told of new work started or planned in Brazil, Bolivia, Botswana, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, and Upper Volta. But staff admitted that the goal of adding thirty new missionaries during the last trienni- um had not been met. In fact, the total missionary force has experienced a net loss of nine because of retirements, visa problems, and other kinds of termina- tions. Pastoral leadership in the conference is also experiencing a decline, delegates were told. Many of the conference's 313 congregations are without pastors. And although Mennonite Biblical Seminary has had a steady growth in enrollment over the last two decades, many of the graduates are not choosing the pastoral ministry. Part of the problem, it was reported, is that there is a gap between congregational expectations of the pastor and the seminary graduates' expectations of their role. The result has been the entry of a large number of pastors, particularly in the smaller district conferences, who have no Mennonite background or training. The commonness of the confer- ence churches then shifts or comes apart. A resolution on ministerial leadership encouraged a new emphasis on the ministry and support systems for pastors, including a guaranteed retirement in- come. The Division of Administration re- ported new heights in giving to the General Conference during the last three years — $450,000 more than budgeted. But 1977 receipts so far indicate that this year's giving may be only 90 percent of the $3,180,000 budget. No cutbacks are planned, partly because of an accumulat- ed cash reserve. Reports from the boards and commissions — and resolutions growing out of their reports — took most of the morning sessions, following singing and worship led by the Wiebe family of Winnipeg. George Wiebe directed the singing, and his wife, Esther, and their sons, Robert, Tim, and Peter, formed a string quartet which accompanied the singing and performed separately. Most of the hymns sung in the mass sessions were traditional chorales like "Now Thank We All Our God" and "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name," led by Earl Lehman of Bluffton. In the youth sessions, and twice in the evening sessions, Patty Shelly of Arvada, Colorado, led the conference participants in folk songs and rounds and got them clapping along with the music. The high point of the conference for some people was the Sunday afternoon song festival in nearby Ada, Ohio, where a larger gymnasium had been reserved for the day. Songs ranged from Andy Shelly's "The Mennonite Game" to Luther's "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." The grand finale to the music was the performance of several songs from the musical Godspell by a mass youth choir, led by Dennis Friesen Carper of Newton, Kansas, during the closing celebration. Speaking at the celebration was Mil- lion Belete of Ethiopia, president of the Mennonite World Conference, who was in the United States for a World Confer- ence planning meeting in Kansas at the end of the week. The questions of obedience to God or the state, raised by the delegates in the war tax discussion, are an issue in the church in Ethiopia, too, he said. He told of the church's struggle to write a statement of faith which included their concern for peacemaking in the context of war within the country. "The church in Ethiopia cannot discuss the issue as it does here," Mr. Belete said. "I tell you so that you may pray about the problems we are going through." For the Meserete Kristos Church in Ethiopia and for the General Conference Mennonite Church, the struggle to find a common ground continues — at conferen- ces and at the local level. E MENNONITE 499 The family: Was it in focus? Family was the theme for the General Conference triennial sessions in Bluffton. The program committee had tried to define the theme broadly enough to include singles, the divorced, and the aging, but narrower definitions kept creeping in. All of the "families" who gave formal presentations before the conference were mother, father, and children (mostly those still at home). Yet workshops, scheduled for early afternoon, covered a variety of topics from "Effective Parent- ing" and "Making Good Marriages Better" to "Singleness in the Church" and "After High School— What Then?" About two-thirds of the workshops were on the family theme, but about eight workshops each day were on topics chosen by the commissions and boards of the conference. A few lunch, dinner, and other ad hoc meetings covered some topics not in the scheduled workshops, such as balancing family responsibilities in the two-career family and a discussion of the movie Star Wars. Evaluations of the workshops ranged from very good to very bad. Some complained about the high proportion of U.S. males as workshop leaders. Some expressed appreciation for well-thought- out input. Three of the workshops — parenting, divorce and remarriage, and singleness — ran four afternoons and became minicourses on the subjects. Principal speaker on the theme was J. Winfield Fretz, sociology professor at Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, On- tario, who delivered the Schowalter Memorial Address on Sunday and Monday evenings. "Modified monogamy" will be the shape of the Mennonite family of the future, he said. Less than half the families in the United States are the American ideal: mother and father, married only once, plus children. The family of the future will have a number of marriage forms rather than just one, he said. Mr. Fretz suggested six modifications to traditional marriage forms: — egalitarian marriage that is neither matriarchal nor patriarchal. — a global family affected by cross- cultural influences. — the communal family, an alternative to the traditional extended family, since many people have no kinfolk close by. "Many marriages have little or no backup support," Mr. Fretz said. — the divorced family. "I am not in favor of divorce per se," he said, "but we must find other ways to strengthen marriage than to make divorce laws more stringent." He suggested a ministry of understanding and counseling to di- vorced people. — more adequate preparation for marriage by the church. He challenged the General Conference to develop an extensive marriage preparation curricu- lum. Marriage should have as intensive preparation as baptism, he said. — singleness. The church should re- spect every person's right to remain single by choice, he said. In spite of his affirmation of singleness, Mr. Fretz told the conferencegoers that it is in the family (defined by heterosexual marriage) where self-fulfillment is often possible to the greatest extent. He called the family "indispensable" and the social unit with the highest priority. "In the last analysis, the family has a higher priority than the church, the school, or the government," he said. His views were challenged at a late- night question period. What about Matthew 10:34-35 and 12:48, which call for the first commitment to be to the kingdom of God? asked one participant. Where can we discuss the possibility of conflict between the kingdom of God and the biological family? someone else won- dered. Mr. Fretz concluded his second speech with an appeal to the General Conference to recover three basic doctrines in Mennonite heritage to strengthen the foundation of the family: nonresistance applied to family relationships, mutual aid in and outside the family, and nonconformity to the world. Resolutions related to the family theme included: — a statement on divorce and remar- riage which called for congregations to search out ministries to those persons in their midst whose marriages are failing. — an endorsement of Marriage En- counter for adaptation to the Mennonite tradition. The weekend program of marriage enrichment for couples was begun in the Catholic Church, but has already been adapted by a number of other churches. — abortion. It asks congregations to minister to those facing abortion or the financial and emotional crises of child- birth. J. Winfield Fretz says the family has changed since the Industrial Revolution and with the advent of modern birth control methods. m THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holv Spirit It u Iished weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton, Kansas 671 14, by Ih© General Board of the General Conference Mennonite Church Second-claslJf'UllS poslaqe paid at Newton, Kansas 671 i 4 and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions in United Stales and Canada. $8 00, one year t1 5 50, two years, $23 00, three years, foreign, $8 50 per year EdHC^ rial office 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard Winnipeg, Canada R3POM4 Business office 722 Main Street. Box 347. Newton. Kansas 671 1 4 Postmaster Sena Form 3579 to Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. fCIH 500 SEPTEMBER 6, 1977 C Ml War taxes: Topic for midtriennium War taxes were the subject of the most vigorous debates on resolutions at the : General Conference triennial sessions. In three separate votes, the delegates first turned down, 1,190 to 336, an amendment which would have adopted an interim policy for eighteen months "instructing the conference to honor the requests of those employees who ask not to have withheld from their salaries that portion of federal income tax they believe helps the government prepare for war." The next evening, delegates adopted, l,178'/2 to 453 '/2, the main motion. Its effect is to delay any action on the request of conference employee Cornelia Lehn i that federal income taxes that would go I for war not be taken out of her paycheck. It also calls for a midtriennium official ' delegate conference to recommend ac- ! tions related to civil disobedience and war ^ tax resistance, including the question of Mennonite institutions serving as war tax 1 collectors for the state by withholding ; these taxes from employees. A second resolution that evening gave General Conference endorsement to the World Peace Tax Fund Act in the U.S. Congress and encouraged similar legisla- tion in Canada, if appropriate. The act would allow conscientious objectors to war to designate the military portion of their taxes into the peace fund. The resolution also "continue(s) to support | ndividuals who feel compelled by Chris- ian conscience to adopt other methods of II witness against payment of war taxes mch as voluntary reduction of income or i aonpayment of war taxes." Discussion of the war tax withholding ssue began with a testimony by Ms. ^ehn, who writes and edits children's oirriculum for the Commission on Education, who first came to the confer- . nee business manager two years ago with i l request that she be allowed to resist >ayment of war taxes. Presently the •usiness office is following federal regula- ions that estimated taxes be withheld f rom each employee's paycheck. The Cornelia Lehn tells of her struggle with war taxes. regulations do not apply, however, to ordained persons employed by the conference, some of whom are resisting voluntary payment of war taxes without implicating the conference as a whole. "It is a long journey from the little Mennonite village in the Ukraine, where I was born, to Newton, Kansas," she began. "It was a long pilgrimage until I came to the conviction to resist war taxes and was able to act on it." Ms. Lehn told of her struggle with the command to pay taxes, on the one hand, and the knowledge that her tax dollars were being used for killing. "I can't extricate myself from the system, but I finally have to take a stand against a demonic armaments race," she said. "I do not know where this will lead, but . . . , for my part, I must obey the Spirit of God as I understand it to be revealed in the Bible and leave the consequences to God." Delegates kept coming to the micro- phones to speak to the resolution until debate was cut off. "As a pastor, I could not advocate civil disobedience," said Dan Dalke of Bluff- ton. "The taxes Jesus said to pay were to the Roman Government," said a former IRS employee. "I have proper respect for laws, but I also recognize that if Felix Manz, Conrad Grebel, and Menno Simons had had greater fear for the law than for God, we would probably not be here today," commented Lauren Friesen, pastor from Seattle. "This morning we passed a resolution supporting missionaries for acting faith- fully in oppressive situations abroad," said Steve Linscheid of Goessel, Kansas. "We should not expect more from our missionaries than we are willing to do ourselves." "Many people are concerned about our tax dollar, but we should work much harder trying to come to a common mind with other Mennonite groups," said Henry A. Fast of North Newton, Kansas. "We should keep on pushing the World Peace Tax Fund Act." Donovan Smucker of Kitchener, On- tario, cited many Christians throughout the ages who have obeyed God rather than man and said, "The problem is, When do you stop the democratic process that is pushing you into something that is evil?" "It's best to work through the system and use the privileges we already have," said Art Waltner. "Our right to conscientious objection to military service did not come through petition in Washington," Ted Koontz of Boston reminded the delegates. "It came because our forefathers spent years in prison in World War I." The World Peace Tax Fund resolution, which supports legislation to allow people to resist war taxes without breaking the law, passed later in the evening by voice vote without audible opposition. Most of the U.S. district conferences had already adopted resolu- tions supporting the proposed legislation. TE MENNONITE 501 What else happened Thursday, July 28 Ten congregations were admitted as members of the General Conference: the Ames (Iowa) Mennonite Fellowship; the Assembly, Goshen, Indiana; Cincinnati Mennonite Fellowship; College Park Mennonite Church, Saskatoon, Sas- katchewan; Martensville (Saskatchewan) Mennonite Mission Church; Mennonite Church of the Servant, Wichita; Michi- gan State University Mennonite Fellow- ship, East Lansing; Rockway Mennonite Church, Kitchener, Ontario; Trinity United Mennonite-Presbyterian Church, Oklahoma City; and United Mennonite Church, Thompson, Manitoba. Ed Enns, vice-president of the confer- ence, led a communion service, saying, "Let us be the family at table as we are gathered here in this way." Friday, July 29 Division of Administration report: Giving so far this year is $80,000 behind last year at this time. Delegates re- sponded by explaining that conference urging for more local involvement may be one of the reasons for more giving to local causes and less to central offices. Service night: Sandra Liechty, mis- sionary to Japan, said, "In the process of saving others, we ourselves are continual- ly being freed from the bondage of sin." Saturday, July 30 Commission on Home Ministries report: Responsibilities for Indian minis- tries were officially transferred to the Indian churches themselves. Administra- tion of CH M's Indian ministries program is being moved this year to the Mennonite Indian Leaders Council, which is hiring three staff people for Montana, Oklaho- ma, and Arizona to replace Malcolm Wenger, Indian ministries staff person in the central offices in Newton, Kansas. "I give you responsibility for the good news among your people," said Mr. Wenger as he handed Bibles to represen- tatives of the Indian churches. "We are thankful you continue to be our brothers and sisters as we take this responsibility," responded Nadenia My- ron of Oraibi, Arizona, secretary of the council. The General Conference began its first "foreign" missions in 1880 with the sending of Samuel and Susie Haury to the Cheyenne and Arapaho in western Okla- homa. A resolution on individual and corpo- rate stewardship of energy resources passed with resounding affirmation. It asked all congregations to reduce con- sumption of energy in their own build- ings, perhaps by 30 percent, by 1980. Recycling systems were encouraged. Native land claims are to be settled before new development of energy resources, such as the proposed Mackenzie Valley pipeline, proceeds in northern Canada Nuclear energy should be internationally regulated, and fast-breeder reactors abandoned. Solar energy and other alternative sources should be promoted more vigorously. Sunday, July 31 Anne Neufeld Rupp, copastor of thqjM Pleasant Oaks Mennonite Church, Mid dlebury, Indiana, led the morning wor- ship service. A scriptural litany affirmed the family of God. "In this new family, with God as Father, we are accepted and affirmed," she said. "As a community ol believers we support, share, and enable our Att repoi in Ik "0 Evan Zaire Malcolm Wenger, far right, hands Bibles to Nadenia Myron, second from right, and Anola Waters, members of the Mennonite Indian Leaders Council. Seated (from left) are Ted Rising Sun and Ric and Carol Dalke, new staff people for MILC. hwh, k ( mm 502 SEPTEMBER 6, 197! 2^ A0 Ae a skit on marriage \\uring the Commission on 'ducat ion report. churches with Kabangu Lubadi, a pastor in the Mennonite Community of Zaire. The two groups, which had split during the revolution, have now been reconciled, and their joint visit is evidence of this. Kazadi and former missionary Archie Graber were honored at the conference during the presentation of the book War To Be One, by Levi Keidel, another former missionary in Zaire. Kazadi and Mr. Graber are the main characters in the book. On Monday afternoon, Women in Mission elected Lora Oyer of Chenoa, Illinois, as president and heard from Betty Epp, missionary in an Old Colony Mennonite area of Mexico, talk about the family in that setting. Mennonite Men elected Stan Fretz, Lansdale, Pennsylvania, as chairman. It A delegate stands at the microphone ready to speak on the resolution to study civil disobedience and war taxes. is the business of every Christian to work for the welfare of the city, John Frazer of Columbus, Ohio, told the meeting. "Its welfare is our welfare." Tuesday, August 2 Determining the form of the future of the seminary was the focus of the morning's report by Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Indiana. Uneasiness by the delegates over the crisis in congregational leadership started discus- sion on how the seminary can better meet the leadership needs of congregations. Some graduates stay away from the pastoral ministry because they sense congregational apathy towards visionary leadership. "People are not so easily led today. There is a need for a new kind of leader," observed board member Helen Kruger. This will require more training, not less, she said. Comments from the delegates under- lined the need for a continuing emphasis on sound biblical teaching and a calling of persons to the pastoral ministry. Wednesday, August 3 After expression of concern from German-speaking congregations in Can- ada and South America, the delegates voted to encourage the Commission on Education to translate the Foundation Series curriculum into German. In the final seconds of the business session Wednesday evening, a resolution commending Anita Bryant and con- demning the evil of homosexuality was introduced. But the motion was ruled out of order because the resolution had not gone through the resolutions committee and there was no time left to discuss it. The closing celebration included one final resolution: a singing of thanks to the hosts and planners of the conference to the tune of "Amen," led by Peter Ediger of Arvada, Colorado. T ; MENNONITE 503 The U.S. caucus that didn't happen One of the sore points in U.S. -Canadian relationships in the General Conference has been the agenda at General Confer- ence sessions. It has included too many issues that were strictly U.S., some people have said; strictly Canadian issues are taken care of at the Canadian Confer- ence. The solution, the General Conference's General Board felt, would be a low-key meeting of U.S. delegates only sometime during the General Conference sessions. And the program committee had reserved a late-afternoon time slot on Monday for "caucuses," meaning "U.S. caucus." At that time, U.S. delegates were supposed to deal with any issues which the resolutions committee felt were of U.S. interest only. But the caucus never happened. It was to have been called by the U.S. district presidents. But early in the conference, James Gingerich of the Western District reported for the five U.S. district conference presidents that they had found no agenda for such a caucus. If people felt the need for a U.S. caucus, they should contact the district presidents, who would then call one. But they never did. The one resolution which most people had felt sure would go to a U.S. caucus was the resolution asking support of the World Peace Tax Fund Act, a piece of legislation in the U.S. Congress. But that resolution was reworded to encourage "similar legislation in Canada, if appro- priate," and the resolutions committee declared that it was indeed enough of a binational resolution to be considered on the General Conference floor. It passed easily. Some Canadian-U.S. tensions did surface on the conference floor. An amendment to the war tax withholding resolution would have made the mid- triennium conference on civil disobe- dience and war taxes a U.S. conference only. But the amendment failed. "It's difficult to understand the underlying emotions of this issue," said Darrell Fast of Toronto. "In Canada there is more a mood of conscientious participation in the processes of government." "It is more of an emotional issue in the United States," said David Neufeld of North Battleford, Saskatchewan. "But that is not the basis for moving it into a U.S. conference." A resolution, drafted by Norma Yoder of Goshen, Indiana, was passed near the end of the sessions, asking U.S. and Canadian congregations to break down the barriers that separate them and engage in ministerial exchanges, ex- change visits, and so on. But before the motion was passed, it was amended to strike out the words "U.S. and Canadian" on the grounds that the wording should not exclude the South American member churches. The mood of the conference seemed to be not to push the issue to a crisis point but to continue to work at the tensions through the channels that have already been set up, particularly the four-member committee set up by the general boards of the Canadian Conference and the Gener- al Conference. Jake Harms, outgoing president of the Canadian Conference, read a statement to the conference body Tuesday evening assuring "the delegates of this conference that any fears of Canadians' isolating themselves from the General Conference are wholly and totally unfounded." "In conversation with several of my Canadian brothers, we agreed that a word of affirmation, an expression of continued goodwill and commitment toward mutual cooperation, would be in order," he said. "At our recent Canadian conference sessions, the delegate body supported a statement calling for a strengthening of relationships through ongoing discussions and negotiations. "I want to reiterate that at this time, emphasizing our desire and intent further to cultivate the spirit of oneness and to work out those concerns and situations that arise in the course of our working together at our common goal." The tensions between the Canadian Conference and the General Conference have not gone away, however. In fact, it appears that some of the same tensions may be arising between the General Conference and some of the larger U.S. district conferences. Walt Neufeld, a member of the Western District executive committee, moved an amendment to the church planting resolution, drafted by the General Conference's Commission on Home Ministries. As drafted, the resolu- tion asked the districts to "secure ade- quate staff." A General Conference resolution can't tell the districts to hire staff without providing any financial help, said Mr. Neufeld. The amendment asked CHM to "discuss with each regional conference adequate staff." L v values "St fcpoii M m feli Hues, 504 SEPTEMBER 6, I977if v:- fouth look at family, church issues More than three hundred youth came to the General Conference Mennonite Church triennial sessions in Bluffton, Ohio. They joined the adults for afternoon workshops and evening sessions, but had their own speakers on the "Family in Focus" theme during the mornings at First Mennonite Church in Bluffton. Interspersed with singing, led by Patty Shelly of Arvada, Colorado, and with drama by the Halsey Taylor Seven-Peace Band, the high-school-age youth heard speakers on sexuality, life-styles, the world Mennonite family, intergenera- tional communication, and voluntary service. Bruce Woods of Wichita, Kansas, helped youth understand their own family difficulties as caused in part by a difference in each generation's perception of the world. "Your parents don't know what to say to you about the world that's coming," he said. "They used to know. What they can say, and what they must say, is, 'I love /ou.' And somehow you must have the courage to say, 'I love you, too,' even when your world is out of focus." Mr. Woods, who is completing a year is family life consultant for the conferen- :e's Commission on Education, ended the session with small groups of youth; in :ach group was an older person to tell ibout life "when I was your age." Bob and Phyllis Carlson of Newton, Kansas, talked about discovering one's /alues of sexual morality. "Sex dare not dominate our lives," they ;aid. "Second, we must treat others with "espect, as persons created in the image of Uod." Perry and Liz Yoder of North Newton, Kansas, former People's Teachers of the Word for the conference, asked youth to espond to ethical issues such as alcohol ind marriage. Religion is not necessarily related to 'alues, said Mr. Yoder. People can >elieve in God without it making any Youth discuss sexual values at Friday morning's session at First Mennonite Church. difference in their life-style. Yet the message of the Bible is that Christianity is a way of life, a transformation of values. Dale Suderman, an associate director of Mennonite Voluntary Service, made a plea for youth to give time to others through voluntary service. For many Christians, following Jesus is easy; they just put on a smile and feel good, he said. It's not easy, he implied, for it means helping the poor and needy of our society. The worldwide Mennonite family was put into focus by Frank Epp of Waterloo, Ontario, who emphasized the need for Mennonite unity. "My generation, people in their fifties, isn't going to do it. I had thought I wouldn't go to the grave before Menno- nite unity took place. Now I think I will," he said. "But I don't think your genera- tion should." Following his speech, Patty Erb, daughter of Mennonite missionaries in Argentina, told of her imprisonment and torture there last year because of her work with the poor in Buenos Aires. | ■E MENNONITE 505 J News lo Charismatics: A gentle invasion David E. Hosteller "Everything's up to date in Kansas City." When Gordon McCrea sang that line in the musical Oklahoma, he had something else in mind besides the charismatic invasion July 20-24 called "The 1977 Conference of Charismatic Renewal in the Christian Churches." The city of 51 1,600 had to come to terms with an influx of more than 500,000 people for five days. What kind of people were they? There was David DuPlessis of South Africa. From Belgium came Leon Joseph Cardinal Suenens, Catholic archbishop of Malines-Brussels. Kevin Ranaghan of South Bend, Indiana, active in the Catholic renewal movement almost from its inception, was a main speaker and chairman of the Kansas City planning committee. Also there were Bob Mumford, Larry Christenson, Maria von Trapp, Ruth Carter Stapleton, and Catherine Marshall. Yet it seemed the people would have come whoever the speak- ers. Chester Raber, psychologist in Goshen, Indiana, says the charismatic movement meets three legitimate human needs: the need for authority, the need for emotion, and the need for fellowship. Although "authori- ty" is open to question, since two schools of charismatic leadership were recognized in the workshops, the other two needs were met, at least temporarily in Kansas City. Friday evening, near the end of Bob Mumford's speech, the crowd erupted in a mighty roar of cheering and outstretched id it lick I hands that lasted for ten minutes. Slowly what started as a cheer formed into a chant: "Jesus is Lord." On the fellowship level, David DuPlessis emphasized the ecumenical aspects of the movement in his workshop, "All Together — Charismatic and Ecumenical." "The charismatic movement will not change the world," he said, "unless it is ecumenical, and it will not remain ecumeni- cal unless it is charismatic." Another recurring theme was evidence of God's presence and power in the lives of believers. Testimonies in the public sessions, workshops, and denominational meetings told of participants' "experiencing" the Lord. In the separate Mennonite sessions, Paul Swarr spoke about the charismatic renewal in Israel and how he longed for local believers to have the experience given to some of the workers. Gerald Derstine, an ex-Mennonite from Florida, introduced Mark Landis, who has been an active charismatic for many years, and reflected on the time when they were thrown out of the church for their spiritual preference. In "Spirit-Filled Discipleship," John Smucker drew heavily on Anabaptist theol- ogy and values in his comments on the work of the Spirit in discipleship. Dan Yutzy, who teaches at Taylor University, said he was surprised how much the Book of Isaiah spokeabout thejoy of the Some 50,000 charismatics — Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Baptists, Episcopalians, Menno- nites, Presbyterians, Methodists, and other Christians — met July 20-24 in Kansas City, Missouri, under the theme "Unity in the Lordship of Jesus." Below, part of the crowd stretches their arms in prayer. nice Lord. He described his discovery of joy i \t I forgiveness and cleansing in detail. hurch When Nelson Litwiller, retired Mennonit jihai Church missionary from Goshen, led , Octc "brief testimony meeting among the 400 tj istill 500 Mennonites present, he could hardly ge afc! them stopped. A long line formed of thos who had special words of healing, liberationk or fullness of the Spirit to report. Dan Kauffman of Leonard, Missouri will observed, "I have been walking in thejoy o cia!. the Spirit for quite some time, and the peopl iffi in our community do not recognize me as f ld-Th charismatic. ... I think the time is here whei jfc we need to come out in the open and let thi — people in our community know where w^.v, stand." mk R. Herbert Minnich of Goshen, a leader i $>[ Mennonite Renewal Services, summarize ciiti the relationship of Mennonites to thijfe charismatic movement. There has alway jefc been a trickle of those who have "entered thi^ experience," Mr. Minnich said, "but fe Eh many, I'll put it bluntly, it was either shut u] L| or ship out. — "We are dedicated to charismatic renews m( in the Mennonite church," he continued olfe "That means we do not run off and leave ouj rase brotherhood. We are in this brotherhood e C; God has placed us in this brotherhood. Wiirac;; thank God for the teachings, the emphases m the Anabaptist-Mennonite heritage ancy theology. And we only pray for charismatii renewal in the Mennonite Church. We're no m seeking to run out of it." Mennonite Renewal Services is planninj to publish a directory of prayer groups s that charismatics can get in touch with eacl other. Are there contradictions in the movi ment? Of course, just as there are in aniLv, movement. A missionary reported that fo the past four years it was as if he had stoa jj back with folded arms watching the Lord d< his mighty works. But he also admitted U\a) exhaustion and the need to recuperate There was talk of ecumenicity, but it ha( f, to be on charismatic terms. A number of charismatic leaders wer|ft, uneasy about the use of the term "charismat ic movement," but were forced to use it o allow it to be used for lack of a better term Ml Also having separate meetings within th< larger assembly were Roman Catholics la Lutherans, Baptists, Episcopalians, Presby terians, and Methodists. 506 SEPTEMBER 6, 197*[v isiai les IV: (\ ltd It! lords ffi deeds mie Apostolic Mennonite Church, Trenton, Inio, has officially changed its corporate I me to Trenton Mennonite Church. It has jld at least five former names, many of !]iich had been simultaneously in use. 'Me Fairfield (Pennsylvania) Mennonite | lurch is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary * th a series of special services from July 24 ^ 1 October 9. The church is inviting each of ''lb still living former pastors or significant gliders to return on a separate Sunday for a 10jrvice of worship and celebration. On i01||ptember 4 will be a service of historical rrative and music. Saturday, September , will be a birthday party and ice cream eial, to which the church is inviting the irfield community. September 25 will be 15 d-Timers Day, with J. Lawrence Burk- Bs lder of Goshen, Indiana, as speaker. w Neil Avenue Mennonite Church, Co- nbus, Ohio, welcomes all students at Ohio ate University to its activities, according to :ith Lehman, spokesman. The church ilding is located at Sixth and Neil avenues, e blocks from the university campus. The ngregation has a student group of about '< enty who meet weekly for Bible study and least once a month for fellowship. ank Epp, president of Conrad Grebel >llege, Waterloo, Ontario, may be vying a seat in the Canadian Parliament during next election. He announced this Timer that he is seriously considering ing for the Liberal nomination in the aterloo riding, which was recently redis- :ted to include the city of Waterloo and rounding area, including St. Jacobs and nira. dozen Indian tribes, including the leyenne, controlling at least 55 percent of : United States' uranium and 30 percent of coal, met several times recently with mbers of oil-rich Arab nations to learn rgaining techniques of the Organization of troleum Exporting Countries, an Indian Dkesman told United Press International, ter MacDonald, a Navajo and member of : Council of Energy Resource Tribes, said, 'e've found how energy companies have alt with them (OPEC) in the past— bad ses and one-sided operations. We wanted see if they could give us some technical listance we can't get from the United ites Government." The Northern ieyenne reservation in southeastern Mon- rn (where four Mennonite churches are ated) sits on top of some of the nation's hest coal reserves. MDS busy in tornado, flood cleanup Families affected by a tornado that struck the St. Malo area of southern Manitoba July IS have been getting help from volunteers organized by Mennonite Disaster Service and Christian Disaster Service as well as from neighbors (left photo ). Christian Disaster Service is a program of the Church of God in Christ, Mennonite (Holdeman). The tornado, which claimed three lives, is the first causing extensive damage in southern Manitoba since 1955. M DS volunteers are also at work in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and the nearby towns of Scalp Level and Seanor (shown at right ) after eleven inches of rain July 20 caused creeks and rivers to flood and the Laurel Run Dam to break. After the water subsided, more than fifty persons were dead and more than 100 missing. One of the volunteers' first tasks was to clean out the First Mennonite Church of Johnstown, located along the river, to serve as a center to coordinate other cleanup needs of the city. The coordinating board of the U.S. Menno- nite Brethren Church has voted to recom- mend to its U.S. Conference that it take responsibility for U.S. concerns in Menno- nite Central Committee. The U.S. Confer- ence meets in September in Rosedale, California. The board also affirmed MCC regionalism and the establishment of region- al organizations like MCC West Coast. Previously, representation of U.S. Menno- nite Brethren to MCC has been through the binational conference. The second Alberta MCC sale July 15 in Coaldale raised $69,120 for overseas relief and development through MCC (Canada). Although financial support to Bluff ton College set records in almost all categories in 1976-77, the college is expecting its first deficit in seven years because of lower enrollment. Last year giving to the annual fund increased 22 percent, and Campaign 75, a $1.8 million capital improvement cam- paign, was successfully completed. In the atmosphere of a country fair, a Riley Creek Humanities Festival is being planned at Bluffton (Ohio) College September 24. "The idea for a festival," said sociology professor Kay Hardesty, "is to bring people together to talk about issues facing rural communities and small towns, and at the same time have fun. The program is made possible in part by the Ohio Program in the Humanities. The Frederick (Pennsylvania) Mennonite Home is planning a roast beef dinner, open house, flea market, and bake sale September 10 to mark its eighty-first anniversary. The Eastern District Conference has operated it as a home for the aged since 1896. Mennonite Disaster Service's Youth Squad, active over the past five years, had forty-nine participants this summer in six locations: Colorado, Texas, Mexico, Alabama, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Although good harvests around the world during the past few years have caused a lull in MCC wheat shipments overseas, the need for relief aid has not come to an end, said Edgar Stoesz, MCC associate executive secretary for overseas services. "The harvest pattern is cyclical," he said. "There are indications that weather patterns are not good this year. Areas of need are emerging in West Africa and central Asia. May 31 a request was received from the MCC country representative in India for 300 tons of wheat. ; IE MENNONITE 507 Affluence of Manila crusade questioned {( The following interpretive report was sent by Dorothy Friesen and Gene Stoltzfus from Manila in early August. Churches in Manila are draped with posters and announcements of the Metro Manila Billy Graham Crusade November 23-27. Preparations have been in process for over a year. But as the plans unfold, some Filipino Christian leaders are raising questions about the appropriateness of the campaign. The United Church of Christ in the Philippines, a union of six denominations, formally withdrew its support. They have charged that the cost of the campaign is not in keeping with "the economic situation obtaining in the Philippines" and that the general character of the crusade runs counter to "the ways and means of the life of Christ." A group of thirteen Protestant pastors and lay leaders also wrote August 3 to Mr. Graham in support of the United Church action. Coordinating the crusade is Henry Holley, veteran Billy Graham advance man and retired administrator from the United States Marine Corps. Concurrent with the crusade will be a School of Evangelism to be held at the plush International Convention Center. Mobilization of massive numbers of people required for a Graham compaign is not possible without government consent in the Philippines, where martial law has ruled since 1972. Press freedom has been terminat- ed, and about 7,000 people have been detained under an antisubversion decree. The NPA, a revolutionary underground army, poses real opposition to the govern- ment in some parts of the country. Other internal opposition comes from a Muslim separatist movement in the southern islands. In the countryside, unemployment is grow- ing. Many church people have paid dearly for acting on their biblical concern for the poor and oppressed. Detention of pastors, priests, and nuns usually follows publication of literature critical of the government. One pastor who was a former detainee must now submit his sermons to the authorities for clearance before he is allowed to leave Manila to hold evangelistic meetings in the provinces. In contrast, crusade director Holley talked about the cooperation he had received from President Marcos. "Just yesterday," he emphasized, "the First Lady called to inform us that Rizal Park, the projected site of the campaign, has been reserved for our use." Beside his desk hung a picture of himself and local organizers meeting with President Marcos. Mr. Holley insisted that there were no restrictions on religious practice in the country and challenged his critics to "find one person who has been detained because of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ." Opposition to Crusade 77 broke into the open recently when the local organizing committee for the crusade sponsored a $ 1 50- a-plate fund-raising dinner. A spokesperson for the angry clergy charged that a dinner like that, limited to the elite, is inappropriate in a poor country like the Philippines. For many people $ 1 50 ( 1 ,000 pesos) is equivalent to three-months earnings. Several of the church leaders had already committed themselves to help in the crusade, but would like to drop out. This could be tricky, especially when the two honorary chairper- sons of the crusade are members of President Marcos' inner cabinet. The church leaders' letter to Billy Graham hits the question of economics directly. "You are coming here as an evangelist, with the sole purpose of spreading the Word of God. And if God's Word is to touch the lives of our people, should not God's messenger seek the people's welcome by trying to understand the fears which haunt them, the pains which try them, the hopes that sustain them? But in your cause, you will be billeted in one of the best hotels and your reception will be as grand as the reception often given to kings and monarchs. In short, you will be isolated from the very people you seek to lead to the saving knowledge of our Lord." Crusade director Holley dismissed these charges as erroneous or irrelevant and pointed to the thousands of people who would be reached for Christ as the momen- tum of the campaign builds. The promotional literature for the Manila crusade highlights the moral question, "The spiritual impact of such a crusade could provide the moral bulwark against the tidal wave of crime, confusion, and carnality which seems to be inundating society." Many Filipinos feel that these sins, along with corruption, have escalated in their society since martial law in 1972. These critics would be Mr. Graham's first suppor- ters if they thought the upcoming evangelis- tic extravaganza would really bring conver- sion to the ethic and life-style of Jesus. In a country beset with economic and social problems, a Communist alternative is increasingly attractive because of its concern for the welfare of the poor. The church is under particular pressure to live out the love of God in concrete ways among the people. Some church leaders are aware that the crusade will be seen as a symbol of the church's collusion with continued American influence and affluence in the Philippin The Protestant group's letter to Mr. Graha commented, "Like you, we believe in t P, cause of evangelism. But your style something we cannot afford." Graham fund said "public' but not publicized a >ctob Billy Graham is defending a $22.3 milli e fund which has been "on the public recoi hler but not publicized." The fund belongs to a foundation call >ept« the World Evangelism and Christian Edu( two tion Fund, formed in 1970 by the Bi Graham Evangelistic Association to giburce money to various mission, evangelism, ai Christian education projects. The existence of the fund was first mapclob public this summer by the Charlotte (Norian Carolina) Observer. In a statement released to the press f publication August 14, Mr. Graham tried justify the lack of publicity about the fu "Extensive publicity, we knew, would mei we would be inundated with requests fjw help which we could not begin to meet. \ |rc already knew of far more projects than could support." Previous statement by the Graham asso ation about its financial assets had disclosed the existence of the fund. Audiovisual* arch r 111 MS nni n nil, Oi A forty-minute audiotaped presentation c the life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer has be< prepared by the Office of Mennonio'ui Brethren Media Ministries. A copy of tl lege tape is available for a donation of $3.00 more to the Bonhoeffer Film Project, Offi of Mennonite Brethren Media Ministrie 4824 East Butler, Fresno, California 9372 III Help wantet Social worker needed in Lakeview (northsi |W Chicago) community. Immediate opening church-related community service program. Imtr diate opening for either grades one and two grades seven and eight elementary teacher at He lei Mission School. Oraibi, Arizona. Room, boa y , transportation, medical coverage, and $30 a mor provided. Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 If 0„Y eCo 508 SEPTEMBER 6, 19: ty( Record I falcndar curriculum Mennonite eptember 11-1 6 — Camp kshop. Rocky Mountain np, Divide, Colorado )ctober 21-23 — Western District Confer- £ annual sessions, Buhler High School, ller, Kansas Canadian eptember 17 — Making Music with Chil- i workshop, Bethel Church, Winnipeg, nitoba, supported by the educational turces committee (Manitoba); resource ;on, Bettie M. Norman Central •ctober 20 — All Indiana Women's Mis- lary Rally, Brookside Mennonite irch, Fort Wayne, Indiana Ministers lert Dalke was installed July 24 as or of the Turpin (Oklahoma) Church, was formerly pastor of the United inonite Church, Atwater, California. ike Froese, currently studying at Lon- Ontario, has accepted the call to >me part of the pastoral team at Nutana k Church, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He previously served the pastorate of the bert (Saskatchewan) Church in 1973-75. W. Goering has retired as pastor of the igh (Kansas) Church. He will continue to in Lehigh. >hn Kroeker will leave as pastor of the ege Park Church, Saskatoon, Sas- hewan. Iff ichard Tschetter of Huron, South ota, will become pastor of First Church, ty Prairie, Kansas, the first part of ember. es Zacharias will serve as interim pastor mmanuel Church, Rapid View, Sas- hewan, for one year while Albert Esau hes his studies at Canadian Mennonite i College, Winnipeg. oaths '*< in) M mJr F. Funk, Aberdeen, Idaho, was born aim ember 16, 1879, and died July 11. He sb ;d as representative in the Idaho state lature, 1935-37, and was a member of >oard of directors of Mennonite Bethany ;oness Hospital, American Falls, Idaho. irbara Hirschy Habegger, Bethel Col- I Church, North Newton, Kansas, was born July 8, 1892, and died August 14 after an auto accident near Syracuse, Kansas. After memorial services in the Bethel College Church and at the White River Cheyenne Mennonite Church, she was buried in the Busby, Montana, cemetery. She and her husband, Alfred, who died in 1956, served forty years as missionaries to the Northern Cheyenne Indians in Montana under the General Conference Mennonite Church. Workers Jay and Linda Goering have begun a three-year term assisting the Mennonite Central Committee country representative in Botswana. Previous to beginning this assignment, both were working at the MCC office in Akron, Pennsylvania. Jay also participated in MCC Teachers Abroad Program for five years in Kenya. Jay is a member of Eden Church, Moundridge, Kansas, and is a graduate of Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas. Linda is a member of Yoder (Kansas) Mennonite Church. She attended Messiah College. Mary Frances Grasinger, a doctoral candidate from Syracuse (New York) Uni- versity, has been named associate professor of education at Bluffton (Ohio) College for the 1977-78 year. She is a graduate of Duquesne University and holds a masters of teaching science from Catholic University with specialization in math and physics. She has sixteen years experience in secondary and elementary teaching in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Harold Petkau of Winnipeg, formerly of Morden, Manitoba, has been appointed as the regional manager of the Mennonite Foundation of Canada's Winnipeg office. Mennonite Foundation is a nonprofit agency of four Mennonite denominations of Canada which promotes stewardship of accumulated possessions, provides estate planning counsel, and offers investment services. In 1966-76 Mr. Petkau was manag- er of the Faith and Life Bookstore, later the Fellowship Bookcentre, in Winnipeg, owned by the General Conference Mennonite Church and the Mennonite Brethren. For the past year he has been a sales representa- tive for Pioneer Life Assurance. Mark and Jane Thorley Roeschley have begun a three-year term of service with Mennonite Central Committee in Jamaica where both will be teaching in secondary schools. Mark holds a BA in math and business accounting from Bluffton (Ohio) College. He is a member of the Flanagan (Illinois) Church. Jane holds a BA in home economics education from Bluffton College. She is a member of the Northwest Christian Church in Columbus, Ohio. Both have been employed as dormitory head residents at Bluffton. Edgar and Karen Schmidt, Niverville (Manitoba) Church, have begun a two-year term as volunteers with Mennonite Central Committee (Canada) working in agriculture and resource development among native peoples. Edgar holds a BTh from Canadian Mennonite Bible College in Winnipeg and has also studied religion and English at the University of Manitoba. Karen holds a BTh from Canadian Mennonite Bible College and attended the University of Manitoba where she studied religion and psychology. Edgar has been employed at Temro Auto- motive in Winnipeg and Karen at Canadian Mennonite Bible College. The new executive committee for the South American Conference of the General Conference is Peter Wiens, Filadelfia, Paraguay, chairman; Willy Dueck, Menno, Paraguay, secretary-treasurer; Peter Dueck, Neuland, Paraguay; Werner Braun, Asun- cion, Paraguay; Reinhard Fast, Uruguay; and Peter Pauls, Brazil. Funk J. Roeschley J. Goering M. Roeschley L. Goering E. Schmidt Petkau K. Schmidt MENNONITE 509 Letters Read from cover to cover Dear Editor: Thank you for The Mennonite. It helps keep me in touch with happenings in the church at home. Reading material here is not abundant. I read The Mennonite from cover to cover. Helena Peters, MCC, Egypt July 14 Show tolerance to Old Colony Dear Editor: I enjoyed your article "Rubber tires, schools, and a mission." However, I feel that only one side was expressed. Mr. Rempel says that the Old Colony people "do what they do because of ignorance." Perhaps it's because they don't want to become extinct through assimilation. There are no longer Amish in Europe, as an example. Could the elders feel, "It was good enough for us. Why not for our children?" It may seem cruel to keep their lives separate and harsh to make manmade rules, but as Mennonites aren't we supposed to have a more open mind and show tolerance for others? I'm sorry, but I must sympathize with not only the Old Colony people, but Hutterites and Old Order Amish as well. I feel there will always be Anabaptists, but like Atlantis, the Roman Empire, and the Garden of Eden, these people's days may be numbered. Fern Ganzales, Summer field, Illinois 62061 August 3 King's Fold Foundation Dear Editor: The Bible says "Where there is no vision the people perish." Bob and Janet Ball had a vision. After spending a year at L'Abri, Switzer- land, they returned to Canada. They felt God's call to the ministry which they describe as follows, "In an increasingly depersonalized culture we want to make ourselves available to people of all sorts in an JHENND & Mfl BAPTIST intimate and personal way through this extended-family ministry. We are praying earnestly that as we make King's Fold our home, it will become a place of rest, renewal, and spiritual discovery for many others who will come to eat at our table and share their lives with us for awhile." In the midst of the fast moving, goal- oriented life-style which characterizes our society, even the most adequate and well- adjusted among us must stop periodically for the soul to catch up with the body. Jesus clearly perceived this need and set the example. When there was such an endless stream of people coming and going that they scarcely had time to eat, he said to his friends, "Come with me to some quiet place and rest a little." It was our privilege to spend three days as a family on holidays at King's Fold. The work crew consisted often to fifteen people. The staff volunteers were of various back- grounds. Some were students from Waterloo University; some were people from Calgary who were supporting the project; we were from the Vancouver area on a holiday trip through Alberta. Some young men were already in the program. They had kicked the habit of drugs, accepted Christ, and were being helped by Bob Ball, the other fellows, and the community fellowship. We as a family worked hard those three days, but we came away refreshed in spirit and body, for we had been part of God's beautiful creation and the working of the spirit in people's lives. King's Fold Foundation is interdenomi- national, desiring to work with and comple- ment the healing and caring ministry of individual Christians and local churches. It is located at Cochrane, Alberta. Who may come? All, regardless of race, creed, social or economic status ha ltd iixiet Individuals and married couples Persons wishing to investigate the claims ( Christianity Persons wishing to study the Scriptures an , modern culture for personal growth Persons requiring time away from home ant office for selective reading, meditation and prayer (e.g., pastors, teachers, lsLj leaders) Persons under stress seeking to replenis „ their inner resources Persons in tension (e.g., relationship^! vocations, etc.) who desire counseling ar j time to think through their situation in relaxing, supportive environment Persons requiring work-recreation therap in a Christian setting Persons referred by pastors, doctors, soci workers, and psychiatric counselors Daily activities Assigned tasks related to the needs of tl community Hiking, trail riding, photographic trips, et Learning arts and crafts under skilled leade l; ship Reading, tape listening, discussion In addition to periodic lectures, extensive library of books and tapes w provide ample opportunity for serious stud Mrs. Helen Wiens, 9851 Herbert Roa] Richmond, British Columbia V7A 1T6 August ken i 'heir jmai se or demi In Director-staff openings: Swan Lake ChristiLen Camp, Viborg, South Dakota (Northe!(j District Conference retreat grounds). Sti involvement includes responsibility for car operation (maintenance, cooking, renta , development) and the year-round retreati \^ program. Contact: LeRoy Epp Retreat Committee Chairman Marion, South Dakota 57043 (605) 925-7635 kfMl sair of all -the cooking, dishes* cleaning, £ . laundry- What do you contribute around I do the. Seasonal Work. But it's b^n 25 yean: t your season \ hasn't come i 510 SEPTEMBER 6, 19 i Meditation Contents hank you, Mom mple living conserves energy." The words were plainly printed on her cardboard placard, mom's graying hair was tied back in the familiar roll. She was smiling gently as she tted with a fellow demonstrator. And then the camera moved on. ixteen hundred miles away, halfway across the continent, I sat dazed in my living room ir. I had seen my mom on television! I was watching one of my favorite CBC programs, ■ws Magazine." This time it was devoted to the current nuclear energy debate. It portrayed response that this controversial subject is receiving across Canada. My mother was one mple of the antinuclear response. The camera had caught her as she walked along in a ceful demonstration against nuclear development in Saskatchewan, lowly my shock turned to gratitude. My Mennonite mom, who avoids cameras of any 11 i, suddenly appears on national television! Why not? 1 find myself grateful to my parents for stating their opinion. Mom's placard is more than nuclear, it is prolife. It is consistent with her life-style. Our home always throbbed with aI|| The furniture was never fancy and the meals never elaborate. Mom and Dad never ted energy trying to create selfish impressions. Now, almost by chance, my parents have ken their quiet word, and it has reached me and millions of others, heir word was a good reminder for my tendency to intellectualize, to weigh options, to be gmatic. It was good advice because I saw confident hope on Mom's face and common ie on her placard. Her position by now seems credible in both the practical and the iemic sense. As nuclear development continues, the chance of miscalculation also tinues. The longer we experiment, the greater the inevitability for destruction, s we continue to look for new and creative ways to be "the quiet in the land," I pray that will again become aware of the beauty and hope that lies in simple living. Thank you, m, for reminding us. Jake C. Froese he auto man in trusty old car was giving trouble. I decided to check around to see how much it was worth, talked first to the salvage yard manager. He enthusiastically encouraged me to leave it him, offering to pay me a nominal fee. "He's too excited," I thought as I drove on. he new car dealer was the next consultant. He took one look at me, glanced at my car, and mented, "In your situation I would recommend new." I was amazed at the computerlike ;h|fld with which he could analyze my situation and the condition of the car — it seemed rammed. ten I went to the repair shop to see a mechanic. He listened to me and to my car. Then he d up his sleeves and commented with confidence, "I believe we can do it." jften encounter people whose religion is like an old car. They carry with them the dents of les which happened years ago. Their engines sputter with oil-fouled plugs. The oil, which ild lubricate the motor, has become the engine's worst enemy. Many of these cars have had the proper care and now the internal corrosion is beginning to blister the paint, s a minister I ofter wonder who I am. Am I the salvage dealer who is happy to receive hing that runs? Am I the new car salesman who recommends new? Am I the mechanic rolls up his sleeves with confidence? Or should I sympathetically shake my head and emn the rust, the dents, and the clouds of smoke as I amble home to wash my hands? Mel D. Friesen prse racing jr local post office I asked for just three stamps. I watched the clerk search through her /er lifting up sheet after sheet of stamps but looking frustrated. nally she said, "You don't want stamps with horse racing, do you?" !o not recall ever having taken a stand on horse racing, but it was interesting to know that elt she had scrutinized my conscience. Ward W. Shelly General Conference 1977 498 The family: Was it in focus? 500 War taxes: Topic for midtriennium 501 What else happened 502 The U.S. caucus that didn't happen 504 Youth look at family, church issues 505 News 506 Record 509 Letters 510 Thank you, Mom 51 1 The auto man 511 Horse racing 51 1 The meaning of resolutions 512 CONTRIBUTORS David E. Hostetler is news editor of Gospel Herald, Scottdale, Pennsylvania 15683 Kathy Bartel is a layout artistat Mennonite Central Committee, 21 South 12th Street, Akron, Pennsylvania 17501. Jake C. Froese, 1609 Huron Street, Lon- don, Ontario, has been in clinical pastoral training at London. He will become assistant pastor at the Nutana Park Church, Saska- toon, Saskatchewan, this fall. Mel D. Friesen, 304 South Main, Hillsboro, Kansas 67063, is the pastor of Trinity Mennonite Church Ward W. Shelly, 109 East Adams Street, Washington, Illinois 61571, is the pastor of Calvary Mennonite Church. CREDITS Cover, 502, Dan Gerber, Chicago; cover, 501, Leland Gerber, Bluffton, Ohio; cover, Vic Reimer; 498, 500, 503, Lois Barrett; 505, Gerald Loewen. Winnipeg; 506, RNS; 507, The Carillon, Steinbach, Manitoba; 507, Sarah Ann Eby, MCC; 510, Kathy Bartel. McMinoiiitc Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781 Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Associate editor: Lois Barrett, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circu- lation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Evelyn Krehbiel, 229 Brookwood, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, La Vernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street. Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117; Encom- pass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805; and Conference of Menno- nites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. MENNONITE 511 The meaning of resolutiot After the passage of seventeen resolutions at the General Conference sessions in Bluffton, some cynics are wondering what they all mean. In a denomination with a congregational polity, will all the congregations study the issues they have been asked to study by the General Conference delegates? Will all the issues which were supposedly given priority by the resolutions indeed get priority during the coming triennium? Did all the delegates understand everything they were voting for? The answer to these questions may be no. Nevertheless, I am not cynical about conference resolutions. The reason is that conference resolutions are not, by and large, the place where programs and policies are initiated. That happens in more informal ways and over more extended periods of time — in board meeting after board meeting, in small groups of people concerned about a common issue. But resolutions at General Conference are important because they are the vehicle for testing consensuses in the conference body. First of all, resolutions are a barometer of the mood of the conference. They tell us what issues were on the minds of the delegates, and they tell us what issues are on the minds of the commissions and boards of the conference. The 1935 conference sessions passed resolutions on Sabbath desecration, lotteries, publications, and persecution of churches in Russia. The 1977 conference voted on abortion, war taxes, divorce, and television violence. Second, a vote to study an issue is not necessarily a cop-out, but an indicator that consensus has not yet been reached on an important issue. Decision making on the conference floor operates by a mixture of consensus and democratic vote. Delegates usually show a reluctance to push to a vote sharply divisive issues, but try to put together a resolution which will pass more easily, even if it is only a motion to study. We are too much a family and know each other too well to break relationships because of a vote. On both issues for which ballot votes were asked (war taxes and abortion), the final resolutions which passed did not take positions, but asked congregations to study the matters. On less controversial issues, on which there is clearer consensus, stronger positions can be taken — as on the World Peace Tax Fund Act (the legal version of the war tax issue) or church planting. I personally would have liked to see immediate action on the war tax withholding issue. The conference boards and commissions have already been studying the issue for two years, and the conference sponsored a weekend meeting on war tax issues and published a study packet in 1975. But I am also committed to the process of corporate decision making in the General Confer- ence, and if broad support for a course of action is not there, I am willing to wait. But whether our decision to study such matters further is a cop-out or a waiting for the Spirit to bring unity depends on whether congregations take seriously the requests to study the issues. Let us devote the next months to study and discernment and prayer concerning the issues which need our action. LB Jacob A. Loewen The following three models for missions are presented "snapshots" with commentary rather than full documentaries. Mission to Chaco Indians — a whole-man approach Es mina kyere Mensh woare. "One wants to become a [first-clas: person." (The language is a Low German Creole developed by tr Indians. The sentence pattern is Indian, the verb is from Spani: Three. . .models for missions s querer, "to want, desire," and all the other words are from Lcf German. Note the Low German possessive pronoun form is used subject.) This was the universal and burning desire of Lengua an Chulupi Indians in the Paraguayan Chaco when the writer learne P to know them in 1963. Furthermore, the Indians had some fin ideas on how to achieve this first-class status 1. They had to become Christians and have church buildings an ; choirs which would rival those of their Mennonite neighbors. F( this reason the first permanent building the Chulupi settlers Yalve Sanga started was a church building that was several mete longer and wider than the biggest Mennonite Brethren church Filadelfia. Besides that, each church had to have choirs: a churc choir, a male chorus, a women's chorus, a young people's choir, ar frequently even a children's choir. When the author attended tl church services and had listened to the choirs he was invariab asked: "Es mutso shmock? (Is it very good?) Is it as good as tl Lencos sing?" (Lenco is a corruption of the word gringo used I Chaco Indians for Mennonites.) 2. They wanted schools so that both children and parents cou receive an adequate education. This, first of all, meant a full day school. Since the Mennonite school day was from 9:00 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Indian teacher set the clock at nine when the last pup arrived in the morning and then continued until it was three o'cloc 3. Above all, they wanted to own their farms and all tl necessary farming equipment just like the Mennonite colonis beside them. i A Lengua farmer brings beans for storage. The presence of the fw functional Mennonite colonies alongside the Lengua and Chulu Indians upset the limited traditional mission goals. '(■■ m ■( Sldl Licht den Indianern, the Mennonite mission to these Indian ribes, visualized itself as a traditional mission responsible to bring he gospel for the salvation of the soul, and in the meantime it was /illing to help maintain the health of the body by means of a limited ledical ministry and to nurture the mind with minimal education, lowever, the presence of the fully functional Mennonite colonies longside the Lengua and Chulupi Indians upset the limited -aditional mission goals and forced the mission to appeal to ■fennonite Central Committee and other agencies to help them stablish probably one of the finest examples of the whole-man pproach to mission to be found anywhere in the world. I can think f no other mission field that has as complete a microcosmic model f a functioning Christian society next door according to which it in model itself. Mble teaching that "converts" one's superstitions After Ewandama, "God," had created the Waunana Indians and jitablished them in a Garden-of-Eden-like situation on the Pacific oast of Colombia, he told them of his purpose to teach them how I) make people well in case they got ill. Before he could put his itention to action, however, he was forced to make a trip across the ig sea. When he was delayed, Dosiat, "the devil," seized the Ipportunity and offered to teach the Waunana a "cute" little curing •remony. But the price of the tuition was a hand-giving contract hich put the people under Dosiat's authority. The Indians polishly (so say present-day storytellers) accepted the demand and lade themselves servants of Dosiat. When Ewandama returned ind discovered what the Indians had done, he was so angry he ithdrew from them in disgust and left them entirely to the wiles of vosiat. I The above is the first step of a Bible study program of the Chaco Biurch in Panama under the able guidance of John and Janice oertz. As a background for the study, the people are encouraged i tell all the pertinent myths and stories from their own culture, hen one of their Bible teachers reads or tells his own informal anslation of the Genesis account from the Bible, and an intense scussion follows. The Bible, they discover, shows that it was not od who withdrew from humanity, but humanity who withdrew om God because of guilt. The result is that the community decides at all of them must return to God and get forgiveness for the evil hich separates them from God. A rather similar approach was used in the Mennonite seminary in ist Africa by Don Jacobs for teaching theology to pastors-to-be. le missionaries had been deeply discouraged to find that so much their teaching was being restructured and syncretized by the istors who had been exposed to the ordinary lecture-type eological education. So they decided to make an experiment in hich the entire first semester was spent in discussing the African lgious beliefs and presuppositions of each of the members presented in the class. The result was that points of similarity and fference with Christian theology came into clear focus, and the ople could consciously modify their views of reality in the light of riptural teaching. urch building on foundations laid by others On the outskirts of Lusaka the followers of Apostori, "apostle," hanes Maranke are preparing for a meeting. It is going to take ice undera large tree. All those desirous of entering the "kingdom God" first help to build the walls of the kingdom — a large circle stones enclosing an area under the tree. They leave only one small trance to the kingdom — a narrow gate, the "posts" of which are o apostori. All those entering the kingdom have to squeeze ough the narrow opening between the two apostles who stand re with uplifted hands. From time to time the hands of the Irene Weaver, left, recently relumed missionary in Botswana, was involved in Bible teaching among members of African independent churches. apostles come down like a boom on some person's shoulder while they solemnly proclaim: "Brother (or sister), you are either a witch or becoming one. However, if you will confess your sin, God is faithful and he will forgive your sin." The person may insist on his innocence and refuse to confess. The apostori will let him into the kingdom because both they and the individual know that just inside the gate there is a bonfire named Gehenna. Anyone entering the kingdom of God unworthily will have his soul destroyed by the fires of Gehenna just as surely as the flames are now consuming wood. The followers of Johanes Maranke are but one of many thousands of different independent church groups in southern Africa. South Africa alone is said to have more than 10,000 of them. They are made up of people who have decided to become followers of God and Jesus Christ, but have rejected the mission and its approach to the church because it left too many needs in their lives unmet. They are usually founded by prophets and are firmly rooted in African religious tradition. However, since many of the prophets have minimal education, the fires of their movements frequently burn out quickly because there isn't enough biblical information available to prevent entropy. Realizing this weakness, many of the wiser prophets are today appealing to sympathetic individuals (and there are few) within the established Christian churches to help them develop means of educating their junior prophets. In Rhodesia, Inus Daneel, who wrote his doctoral thesis on the development of several independent churches in Rhodesia, has today put himself at the disposal of the church groups he described and is helping them in nurturing their churches and bringing them to full Christian maturity. Similarly, several Mennonite churches have also responded to these calls for help, and so Ed Weavers from the Mennonite Church, Ervin Friesens from the Mennonite Brethren Church, and others have helped a series of African independent churches in Botswana. Similar links have been established between the Mennonite churches and the Kimbanguist movement in Zaire and other independent churches in West Africa. In all of these cases prophets had already launched the church, and Mennonites are merely helping such churches to get the necessary biblical information and guidance so that the churches can develop adequate approaches to solve their problems and to aid their growth and development. Such churches will never wear the Mennonite label, but the assistance rendered to them is a true expression of the principle expressed in the Gospel of John: when the grain of wheat dies, it bears much fruit. A Meetinghouse article IE MENNONITE 515 The fraternal church-church relation not only is more biblical, but would avoid the imposition of a cultur over one that, for being the receptor, is unconsciously thought to be inferior. \ „ philosophy and structure of the missionai a .., task, understanding this as the primary tas ;i\ of the church and not the directive of th re- mission board hierarchy. We cannot continue talking of th |ul0 missionary task behind the back of the thircj •, world churches. The mission board, it is sail v is the agency of the sending churches. No », ■ be THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and Ireedom under the guidance ot the Scriptures and the Holy lished weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton, Kansas 671 14. by the General Board ol the General Conference Mennonite Churc postage paid al Nowion. Kansas 671 14, and at addiiional mailing oflices Subscriptions in United States and Canada, $8 00, one year, $15 50, two years, 123 00. three years, foreign. $8 50 '- '• " " «•■ • '■ , 1 1 aid Wiru -i < ana da R3P OM4 liu-,tn»-,s nMu i- ,w M.nn Mm»i.| Hn. 14/ Newt, .n Kansas K7I M P. .si mast pi Svmi , oi m l!>M to Ho > ;14 i Newlon 516 SEPTEMBER 13, I9i l{M£ bday a fraternal relationship between churches of different Fresno could form a relationship with a church in Call, or a church 7gions should have primacy in mission thinking. A church in in Hillsboro with a church in Curitiha. hen, does that sending church have any ijiterest in how the receiving church is iiinking? I believe that the recruitment and mding of missionaries into the world as an irmy from the world of wealth" smacks angerously of invasion or imposition. It is Dmmon to hear arguments such as, "As '>ng as there is work to be done, the lissionary is needed," or "As long as there re people to evangelize, the missionary is peded." These generalizations, because of I heir ambiguity, leave the solution in the jands of those who make the rules of the lame, in this case, the mission boards. The Spanish saying El que paga el bade panda en la fiesta ("He who pays for the sance, directs the party") is appropriate I Efe, and it is not the invaded church that J irects the party! The boards have economic, political, and iieological power structures that they do not ire to change. Of course, there have been ipme changes — but often it is only replacing I he chain on the same dog. There is talk of inoperative missionary labor; paternalism I ill be avoided; the decisions of the I dividual church in each country will be I spected. Nevertheless, the mission board | troduces changes, by which, against the wishes of the churches, new programs are established. In these "new" programs mis- sionary personnel are recruited under other names: Christian Service, Pax, Good News Corps. The problem cannot be solved only by changing the name. The mission-church relationship would be dynamically solid if the church felt at liberty to develop its own vision of service to the people within its own context. It is a great heresy to use the fact that "there is work to be done" or that "there are people who need the gospel" to justify the intervention of a foreign missionary in a country where the indigenous church is capable of making its own decisions. It is the church that is called to determine mission projects, and it is the church that should decide when, under what circumstan- ces, and with what kind of personnel these projects are to be carried out. So, today in the missionary task, a fraternal relationship between churches of different regions should have primacy in mission thinking. For example, a church in Fresno could form a relationship with a church in Cali, or a church in Hillsboro with a church in Curitiba — much like the "sister cities" concept prominent in the United States — and, in a mutual and cooperative way, fulfill the missiological project and thereby generate mutual edification, inter- change of personnel for specific tasks, and economic cooperation. The fraternal church-church relation not only is more biblical, but would avoid the imposition of a "superior" culture over one that, for being the receptor, is unconsciously thought to be "inferior." In the church- church relation (the church being what it is, a congregation of faith), both communities give and both communities receive. What, then, would be the role of the mission board in this relation? It would serve as a bridge between the two churches. It would not look for missionaries to send, but for churches with which to relate, studying requests and resources. It could feel out the needs felt by the churches in both countries. The churches in North America should awaken to the reality that it is not by sending people to another country that a church performs its role as the salt of the earth. It is rather in a mutual and fraternal relationship that the kingdom of God is evidenced. Only by giving and receiving can we be measured to the stature of the perfect man of Ephesians 4:13. A Meetinghouse article HE MENNONITE 517 / News Patricia Erb: Torture and testimony Patricia Erb, nineteen-year-old daughter of Mennonite missionaries in Argentina, was kidnapped by government agents on Sep- tember 13, 1976, in Buenos Aires, tortured, and released without charge three weeks later. She is now in the United States, not allowed to return to Argentina. Patty's story is not unique. In the last three years, 5,000 to 6,000 people have been imprisoned in Argentina without charges or trial. An estimated 4,000 Argentine police — like thousands from other nations — have been trained by the U.S. military since 1950 either in the United States or in the Panama Canal Zone. The uniqueness of her story is that she, unlike most others, was released alive because she is a U.S. citizen. "For many months after my release it was hard for me to speak," said Patty. "I had been encouraged by the U.S. State Depart- ment not to speak. When I got out of prison, I felt a lot of guilt because I was free and others were still in prison. But then I realized that they didn't need my guilt; they needed my voice." The following is her story, given in her hope that it will help stop the denial of human rights in Argentina and the U.S. Government's complicity in it. The story has been compiled by Lois Barrett from three interviews Patty has given, two of them in public meetings at the General Conference triennial sessions this summer in Bluff ton, Ohio. Question: What were the events that led to your arrest? Patty: I began at the University of Buenos Aires when I was sixteen. At that time under Peron there was democracy. The university was governed half by the director of the university and half by the student assembly. I was elected to the student assembly by my department of sociology. After about a year, the political situation changed. Newspapers were closed. The university was closed. Most of the professors at the university were arrested or disap- peared or had to leave the country. Some were killed. Terrorism grew. There were bombs thrown by both rightists and leftists. The rightists were supported by the police. They started breaking into houses and taking people. The assembly was declared il- legal. The sociology department was closed. The sociology students had been working in a poor ghetto of the city, connecting it with our studies. We helped the poor to form cooperatives, tried to improve the medical system, and worked to bring running water to all the houses. Q: Was your attitude different from the other students'? P: We had many things in common. We all saw the poverty and injustice and wanted those to change. Some students thought change could come only by violent revolu- tion. But as a Christian, I couldn't take part in violence. Q: What sparked this concern in you? P: Because I had always lived in Argenti- na, I was accustomed to poverty. When I was fourteen, our furlough came up, and we moved to the States. I saw the richness of the people: the rich churches, big cars, plenty of food, the blue water in the toilets, and perfumed toilet paper with little flowers. It hurt me deeply; I couldn't understand. As we were going back to Argentina, we stopped in Bolivia to see the work of Mennonite Central Committee there. Boli- via was poorer than Argentina. We stayed in a house made of mud without windows or running water. We saw the funeral proces- sions for little kids who had died of unnecessary sicknesses. I decided I had a call to work with the poor. Q: Could you do this in the church? P: The church in Argentina was divided. Some thought it was important to work with people who were poor and suffering. Others said there was no solution to poverty, so we should just work on the spiritual level. I saw true things in both groups. In reading the Bible, I saw that it said to serve the whole person. I started working with the Catholic church as a volunteer in a nursery for very poor children. I tried to get hospitals to treat them and tried to get food for them. I was fifteen then. I was in a hurry to finish my studies in high school so I could start the university. By the time the university closed, fifteen of us had formed a church community called the "commitment" group. At first, every- body did his own thing. But after about two years, we formed a direct group that worked in a ghetto. We couldn't live together — that would have meant going to prison. But we put our money together and worked with the people, telling them about Christ and also being interested in their material problems. Our Sunday meetings were sometimes eight hours long. Ghetto people came, too, sometimes fifty, up to 100 people. Q: What happened the night of Sep tember 13, 1976? P. It was strange that I was taken then, wasn't doing anything that could have beer called subversive at the time. I was already sleeping. Seven armed mei dressed in civilian clothing came into rm room at my parents' house and woke me anc the lady sleeping with me. They knocked ou heads with machine guns. I asked the reasoi I was being taken, and they said, "Yoi know." I asked to see my mother, but the; wouldn't let me. They blindfolded me and took me to place where I heard other people crying, started to sing, but they told me not to. So sang softly. Finally they laid me on th ground and chained me. The next morning they took me to th torture house. They wanted to know th names of students with socialist ideas, peopl in our church, what kind of work ourchurcf was doing in the ghetto. Everything I saidi they said it was a lie. They hit me with fis and beat me with rubber clubs and kicke me. When I was almost unconscious, the stopped and carried me back. Then I hear them unchain another person. The next day the same thing happened They said, "If you don't want to talk, we'' have to get heavier with you." They woul immerse the head in water almost to th drowning point. Later they put fecal mat rial in the water. They always undressed yo They started putting electric shocks to m body on an electric bed and poured on wate to make it hurt worse. They shocked m body in the most sensitive places. Because was singing, my face wasn't hurt. At night, they poured seeds around ou bodies so the rats and mice ran around us Many people were screaming because of thi wounds. The girls were raped by the officials It was not a part of the torture, but the; could if they wanted to. We were at th mercy of the officials. They took only about one week of tortur with me. It is generally one month. Then yoi have a war trial and they decide whethe death will be by shooting, by a little bomb, o by cutting the body into little pieces. Afte they didn't take me to torture for three days I thought, Maybe I won't be killed. Ever time I could, I tried to talk to people, memorized many names. Then they took me to a federal prison. 518 SEPTEMBER 13, 197 cnew I wouldn't be tortured there. I had no >Iindfold. I felt almost free. I had a Bible I :ould read. What I ate was very different. |>limy noodles and bread — that doesn't :ound very good, but to me it was delicious. I lad been drinking only water with grease in it. Then I flew to the States. Q: What kind of people were in the •oncentration camp? ' P: After the first day, I lifted my blindfold It little and tried to look. There were all kinds )f people: students, professors, profession- als, Jews, members of political and religious organizations, workers, poor people, even 'little kids. One child two years old was !ortured. Many people didn't know the Reason they were in prison. \ Q: Is there any connection between this md the policies of the U.S. Government? I P: The torture wasn't a brutal torture. It jvas a systematic thing — well done, with Medical people around us. The last day I was iortured, the man torturing me told me he bad been taught to do this torture in the J'anama Canal Zone by U.S. officials. As ihey were torturing me, someone came and L| old him to stop because I was probably ii;oing to be freed. He said, "I don't Understand . After they teach us how to do it, [jlhey get mad at us." I Even though there is no more direct ifnilitary aid coming from the U.S., the ;ortures still go on. They don't spend much i money to construct concentration camps. If hey are in old barns. I Any pressure from the American Govern- ment or Congress is important. The econo- jjriy in Argentina is based on what North Kmerica says. The big industries are all Uorth American. We can ask that all the j j eople taken into prison be released, families don't even know where their loved i nes are. { When the military took over, they said they were establishing the western. Christian way of life. They know many innocent people are killed, but they don't care if they kill them in order to kill the subversives. Jews are being imprisoned and killed. Two hundred Catholic priests have disap- peared. The only people who can do anything for human rights are out of the country. You can work for change when a few rights are left, but not when there are none left. Q: Your parents finally gave their bless- ing that you should speak out and come to Washington. You had no political clout, no power base. Yet in your gentle way, you shared your witness with people in power. After meeting with five members of Con- gress who had shown strong empathy, you said, "I guess I'll have to change my mind about some of the people in the U.S. Government just as I had to change my mind about the Argentine military, or at least some of the people in it. " What made you change your mind? P: The first day I was in prison, I was lying there very scared when someone knelt down, untied my hands, and put a piece of candy in my mouth. It was a friend of mine who was working in the counterinsurgency police. I asked about my parents, and he told me. He let a spark of humanity through him. It is important to encourage that. So after I was in the U.S., I wrote a letter of appreciation to him, but in such a way that it would not endanger him. The last night of torture, I was lying there almost weeping — it was my worst day. In the middle of the night, they woke me up and unchained me. I thought I couldn't take another session of torture because I was in so much pain. As I was walking, I had to hold the arm of the guard because I was blindfolded. I felt that the arm was small. "How old are you?" I asked. "Twenty-one," he said. "What are you doing here?" He responded, "I was born in a very poor family. 1 had always liked the military career. So to better my situation, I enlisted. After two months they sent me here. They said I had to be here for two months to get strong." He said he could hardly sleep. He started crying. I explained my Christian beliefs and told him what my work with the poor was. Then he took me back and didn't do anything to me. In half an hour he brought me a cup of coffee. The people who are caught in a system like that are suffering by it almost as much as the prisoners are. Q: What does being a Christian mean to you? P: To be a Christian isn't to say that something happened to you. Being a Christian is a style of life. It goes on at all levels of your life. Richness is not compatible with Christian- ity. In the Bible the rich man who comes to Jesus goes away sorrowful. Both he and Jesus are sad because he can't give up his wealth. Now I go into a church. I see a young man crying. He is looking for God and can't find him. The pastor says, "If you believe in God, he will pardon all your sin. Salvation is free. It's very easy." So the boy goes happy out of the church. What is the gospel? Is it what the first story says or what the second story says? Q: Is it possible to preach the gospel in Argentina? P: Sure, if you are ready for the conse- quences. I want to go back to do the same thing again. Being a Christian is hard. We're not Christians for what we get out of it. Q: What sustained you through the tor- ture? P: It was a very ugly experience, but during the experience I had lots of strength. I felt many people were with me and were praying for me. I didn't say anything I shouldn't have, and I only had an ulcer. [A damaged kidney was discovered later.] As Christians we have strength, and I was convinced of what I had done, working for the poor. Love gives a lot of strength. When I was there, I had bigger strength than my own. I could feel that tangibly. I'm happy about the life I've had. It is meaningful. I get sad, but I never get depressed like kids here do. I have no pity for myself. Everything that happens to me I can use for myself and for others. Now that I am here, I can work more for my people. I am thankful for everything that happened to me. Even in that experience I had the joy of believing in what I was doing. It was a profound spiritual experience. A Meetinghouse article 'atty Erb, center, speaks at the General Conference sessions July 30 in Bluff ton, Ohio. A t left ; Thomas Capuano, MCC volunteer who was arrested in and later expelled from Brazil. At i'ght is Delton Franz, MCC Peace Section representative in Washington, D.C., who \tterviewed the two. Words & deeds Two new catechism curricula for Mennonite churches will be available in late 1978. Frank Keller, pastor at Inman, Kansas, is writing a book of twenty-six lessons intended for grades nine to eleven. Its central theme will be the historic position of Mennonites as people of the covenant. A second curriculum is intended for adults and older youth. Edited by Larry Kehler of Winnipeg, it will consist of a systematic theology written by Helmut Harder, professor at Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg, and a set of models on how adult catechism classes might be conducted. A number of pastors have been invited to write on what they are doing in adult membership classes. A record year in gift income was recorded at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, for the fiscal year ending June 30. Total gifts were $1,530,601. In the past seventeen months, $3,970,311 has been given or pledged to the development drive fund. President Harold Schultz noted, "The future of private colleges that accent values, scholarship, and service is dependent on such support to survive and be healthy." The college's enrollment is up 43 percent since 1972, to 638 students last fall. MENCOLDES, the Colombian Mennonite Economic Foundation, sponsored business education classes for Bebedo, Colombia, residents recently. Courses in mathematics and accounting were taught by Eligia Murcia, secretary of MENCOLDES. Ms. Murcia was a Mennonite Central Commit- tee trainee in North America in 1974-75. Also a part of the team were M ENCOLDES director Luis Correa and Paul Stucky, son of General Conference missionaries Gerald and Mary Hope Stucky. The teaching team explored community needs in Bebedo as a basis for projecting M ENCOLDES' involve- ment in the center over the next three years. A new work in the Philippines is currently being studied by a five-member Mennonite Central Committee delegation. The group is to determine whether conditions in the country are stable enough to allow a program to function effectively, the kinds of needs which exist, the receptivity of local organizations to an MCC presence, and the alternatives in location and program. Con- tacts have included Protestant and Catholic Christians, Muslims, and government per- sonnel. The island of Mindanao is the most likely region for a new program. Members of the investigative group are Atlee and Winifred Beechy, David Lutz, Gene Stoltz- lus, and Dorothy Friesen. Since Mr. Quilts made by men, women, children Fifteen of the fifty-one quilts made by the Grace Mennonite Church in Phoenix, Arizona, foi distribution by Mennonite Central Committee in Bangladesh, were knotted in a joint effort which involved men and women, girls and boys from the congregation gathering arouna seven quilt frames following a pot luck supper in the church fellowship hall. The congregation had planned to make thirty-nine quilts, one for each family, in response to a request from M CC for lightweight bedding for Bangladesh, but the enthusiasm of the congregation for tht project resulted in fifty-one being made. Stoltzfus and Ms. Friesen have been unsuc- cessful in obtaining Indonesian visas to become MCC country representatives there, they, together with Mr. Lutz, will initiate the Philippines program if it is viable. Objections to the World Peace Tax Fund Act were stated in the first prize essay of the C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest. Winner Phil M. Shenk, student at Eastern Mennonite College, Harrisonburg, Virginia, points out that the fund would not reduce the military budget and may lull the consciences of nonresistant persons, diluting "the church's prophetic voice against the world's ungodly love for war." The fund is a proposal in the U. S. Congress in which conscientious objectors could designate their federal income, estate, and gift taxes for a special fund devoted to nonmilitary pur- poses. Sponsors for Vietnamese refugees are needed. Another 15,000 persons from Southeast Asia are being allowed into the United States during the next year. About half of these are Vietnamese who have sailed in small fishing boats to Malaysia, Thailand, and other neighboring countries. These countries are refusing to accept these refugees. In a second category are 70,000 tribal Hmong refugees from Laos who have crossed into Thailand. The U. S. Goverment plans to allow about 7,000 of these people to come. Donald Sensenig, director of a Mennonite program to help Vietnamesel refugee resettlement, is encouraging] churches interested in sponsoring refugees to write him at Mennonite Central Committee,! 21 South 12th Street, Akron, Pennsylvania 17501. Interest in peacemaking is strong according I to a study paper by Dale W. Brown, theology) professor at Bethany Theological Seminary,|. Oak Brook, Illinois. "There are new stirrings!! of the spirit amongst us to witness to then gospel of peace," he said. The paper is part of! . a cooperative program of the Church of the| Brethren, Friends, and Mennonites to: increase constituency education in peace-J| making. Fall conferences have been orga-j' nized (see "Calendar" page 523), and a larger j, conference has been scheduled for October! 1978. Coordinator of the program, entitled' "New Call to Peacemaking," is Robert Rumsey, Box 235, Plainfield, Indiana 46168 520 SEPTEMBER 13, 1977| The Mcmionite Overseas Mission Edition encompass September 13, 1977 SNew Dawn Center Extends Hope mn 1969, a year after we came to Taiwan as missionaries, our second child {was born. Stevie was diagnosed a mongoloid. Two years later we adopted la cute, bright-eyed Chinese girl. After some time, we knew that Paula, too, \was retarded. . . . Now six years later the Lord has amply restored to us ithe years of hurt, suffering, and doubting by giving us many joys and bless- ings through our children, by training and refining us further in our spirit- ual lives, and not least important, by letting a dream come true. Otto Dirks When the Otto Dirks family moved to Hwalien, Taiwan, they came with the hope and intention of starting a school for retarded children. Two of their own would need it. The Social Service Com- mittee of the Fellowship of Mennonite Churches in Taiwan (FOMCIT) sponsored the project and a local committee of ;even (five Taiwanese business and pro- fessional people and two missionaries), chaired by Otto Dirks, made plans and doI icies. Early in 1977 the vision became real- ty. The New Dawn Center began its first '.lasses on March 17 with five children in ittendance. By June 4, the official open- ng and dedication date, seven were en- olled and seven others had applied for idmission. 'urpose Readiness for this type of program is evident in Taiwan; the government has New Dawn Center children performing at the official opening and dedication program on June 4, 1977. HE MENNONITE E-1 Miss Yang, who holds an MA in special education, with children in the main classroom. sponsored eighty classes for mildly re- tarded children, but none for the moder- ately retarded. The New Dawn Center accepts children of this type (with IQ's between 31 and 51) who are trainable and not presently accepted by the public school system. The purpose of the center is not to babysit the children, but rather to help parents love and train their children more effectively and to help the children be- come more self-reliant and better equip- ped to live a normal life. The center at- tempts to set up a model of what can be done, so that parents, clubs, churches, and schools may be stimulated to start additional similar and needed programs. Children do not live at the school; in fact, "classes" are held only from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. A program is set up for each child according to individual abilities, problems, and needs. School and home work together to set goals for each child. Frequent parent-teacher consultations, home visitations, and evaluations of each child's progress are encouraged. A present goal for the school is to have two classes of seven or eight students each, with a teacher, an assistant, and several volunteers for each class. Children between the ages of four and ten are ac- cepted. They should preferably be able to walk, eat by themselves, and be toilet trained. Program As of June 4 the center employs two part-time teachers and one full-time teacher. Teacher qualifications are high school graduation, practical teaching ex- perience, and orientation or training in special education. New Dawn Center meets these requirements easily: Miss Yang has a master's degree in special edu- cation for the retarded from the Univer- sity of Mississippi, Miss Kau has ten years' experience in kindergarten and nursery teaching, and Miss Loa has four years' teaching experience in primary school. Volunteers need no prior special training, and parents are especially encouraged to volunteer. Activities include music, physical edu- cation, crafts, daily living tasks (sweeping, dusting), self help skills (brushing teeth, tying shoes), field trips, story time, read- ing, writing, counting, and play. The chil- dren are encouraged to socialize and learn to get along with people. Each afternoon the full time teacher and volunteer direc- tor Elaine Dirks together write a brief re- port on each child, discuss problems, eval- uate progress, plan the next day's lessons, and hold parent-teacher conferences or visit homes. Facilities The New Dawn Center is housed in two large classrooms at the Meilun Men- nonite Church. One is used as a recrea- tion room. In it are floor mats, balls, painted car tires, tricycles, small bicycles, and an organ. The other room is the main classroom containing toy and sup- ply cupboards, blackboard, tables, chairs, sink, towel rack for each child, etc. The outdoor playground is reasonably large and well equipped with large muscle toys and equipment. Funds and educational toys have come in from various overseas and national sources. Budget Since the student-teacher ratio is low, the cost of running such a center is very high. The 1977 budget is set at $182,600 NT. ($4805 U.S.). Although tuition is $1,000 N.T. per month, each family's economic situation is taken into consider- ation. The main support comes from vol- untary contributions, such as FOMCIT social service, a Chinese family friend, county government, and specially spon- sored events. Change and Progress Already improvement in child behav- ior is evident. Elaine Dirks reports some typical examples: "For the first two months Syu Hwei- hwa would climb through the window and run out the front gate, refusing to cooperate in any way unless her aunt was present. Now she is adjusting much better and is more willing to participate even when her aunt is not there. "Steven Dirks, for the first four weeks or so, refused to participate in the action songs and group activities because it was I all in Chinese and he could not under- stand. Then suddenly one day he sang all j| the songs in 'Chinese' and did the actions | almost perfectly. "Lu Li-jwan scratched herself, hit her head on the floor, and had two or three fits of anger and non-cooperation every A volunteer with two of the students. E-2 September 13, 19: Hi School Alumni Form Core of Bogota's Second Mennonite Church (day. At first the teachers responded in 'anger, then decided to try love. After a Week or two of this treatment, Li-jwan jbegan to relax and is now much more co- joperative, although she still has occasional periods of frustration. The father, who pad used severe physical punishment with per, was so impressed with her progress :hat he recently said, 'I hope my child will believe in Jesus, because the Christians are doing something for her that the Bud- dhists are not doing.'" Physical and Prayer Needs The Center must meet teacher and fi- nancial needs in order to survive. Teach- ers need a large measure of love, patience and wisdom for their special task. Found- ers of the center hope that its Christian witness will touch the families of the chil- dren in a personal way. Benigno Aguazaco, one of the first two children to enter the school in Cachipay, Colombia, in 1947, made his confession of faith on Pentecost Sunday, 1977, and was baptized in the presence of his wife and three children. This day, reports Gerald Stucky, veteran missionary to Colombia, also marked the official organi- zation of the second Mennonite church in Bogota. Located in the Chapinero area of the city, it is known as the Bogota Mennonite Fellowship. The group of believers has been meeting regularly for about four years as a house fellowship. It consists largely of the many people in Bogota that have at one time or another had a relation- ship with the Mennonite school in Cachi- pay, either as students, teachers, other workers, or relatives of these. Seed sown in the hearts of little children over the years has been growing and is now bearing fruit. Over thirty people signed the state- ment of faith and declared their intention of officially becoming part of the church fellowship. Others indicated their desire to take catechism classes and to be bap- tized. The congregation, which varies in attendance from forty to seventy, is com- posed largely of students, professionals, and young people between the ages of fifteen and thirty-five. This group has no special church build- ing in which to meet, but will continue to assemble in the apartment of Gerald and Mary Hope Stucky. Members feel that they, the people, are the church, and as yet have not seen the need to have a spe- cial building. The spirit of the group is one of mutual aid, social consciousness, and a desire for spiritual growth. eachers, volunteers (some of them parents), and students ready to leave on a field trip. HE MENNONITE E-3 Poverty Programs Make the Difference Mennonite Christian Hospital in Taiwan has developed a number of projects to as- sist people with special needs. These pro- jects are supported by Poverty Program funds. In 1976 $5,500 was sent for this work. Tuberculosis Control Program "Recently I have been confronted nu- merous times with the needs of tubercu- losis patients," writes Helen Willms, mis- sionary nurse at Mennonite Christian Hos- pital. Proper diagnosis and consistent treatment are of utmost importance. "When we go on mobile clinic and to our outstation clinic and discover tuberculosis suspects, we ask them to go to MCH for a chest X-ray. It is a real blessing that we can offer them a poverty fund sponsored X-ray. Once the diagnosis is established, we try to get the family members checked. After establishing how much a patient can afford, an assistance plan is set up. Where patients have cooperated the re- sults have been gratifying. Approximately 200 patients received assistance during 1976, some for X-rays only, others for varying lengths of time. "One widow who received assistance for over a year was finally declared well. This help meant very much to her and to her family of young children. Her oldest daughter is now in nurse's training." Village Health Project Home environment improvement classes are held for representatives of mountain villages. These contact women then teach others in their villages. Topics such as family planning, disease preven- tion and treatment, nutrition, and com- mon illnesses are discussed. In the toilet building project villagers were required to contribute $2,500 and $3,000 was obtained from the poverty fund. Fourteen toilets in four villages were constructed. "Family Breadwinner Medical Assistance Program Twenty-eight family heads were helped through this program. Most of them have recovered and returned to their own so- cieties to support their families. Social worker W. Tsai cites a representative case: Filmstnps and slides are used extensively in teaching health classes to representatives of mountain villages. Public health nurse visits tuberculosis patient in his home. Wang Yion-Yi worked as a daily laborer with only enough income for his family of four sons and his pregnant wife. The oldest child, a ten-year-old, is at the Deaf school far from home. One day Mr. Wang, whistling while riding home on his bicycle was struck down from behind by a taxi. \ Now, months later, he is still lying on his bed at MCH. His left eye is blind, his left foot and hand are in casts. Poverty funds were used to assist him with his hospital bill. "We will give Mr. Wang plenty of counseling, such as encouragement, read justment, and handicapped vocational training until he is able to stand on his own feet," concludes Mr. Tsai. Village children and public health nurse in front of sanitary toilet built with Poverty Fund aid. As [ E-4 September 13, 19771 Thoughts of a Missionary Leaving for Home Virginia Claassen As my term here in Nobeoka comes to a close I have to think about what has been ! accomplished during the past four and one half years. Many people have come i to study English at the Nobeoka and i Hyuga churches. There have been classes ifor children, for students, for women, for anyone in general. The gospel has been (presented in various ways: through Chris- tian literature, discussion, direct Bible 'study (the Gospels of Mark and John, the book of Acts, the Old Testament), (through Christmas and Easter activities, i with tapes, slides, and movies. Since my ability in the Japanese lan- iguage has improved I have had more [meaningful relations especially with mem- bers of the Atago Church. But has the Kingdom of God grown in .these four and one half years? It seems to me that all my efforts haven't borne jmuch fruit. Few of my students have in- dicated any particular interest in Chris- tianity. Yes, there are good teachings; it l is one way to study English; a knowledge jpf the Bible is helpful in understanding 1 western culture. . .these are not uncom- [non ideas. But that Christianity should [pecome something personal is another ^matter. And when a mother would like [to have her son continue studying English after I leave and asks about the possibility jpf having him study with teachers of one pf the sects, I feel that my teaching and Jj my position have not been made clear. I must pray, "Father, forgive me for |ny failures." I must acknowledge that Ivhat I taught in a Bible lesson is true: I hat "all things are possible with God." ' must believe that the Holy Spirit we studied about in the book of Acts is still working today! What great things He can do for Miss Kurogi who said, "During the difficult time of taking university en- trance exams I thought about the things we had studied in the Bible lessons;" or for Miss Ando who wrote, "From now on I will remember the things you taught me from the Bible," or for Miss Hidaka who wrote, "I want to continue reading the Bible." And I must thank God that He can still use an unworthy servant. Virginia Claassen VARIEGATED WOODSTOCK Woodstock School in India, the tradition- al school for missionary children, has this past year welcomed a variety of national- ities to its staff, reports Leona Cressman, registrar and teacher of commercial sub- jects. Where once the majority were Amer icans, now only one might be a member of a group or committee. The principal and vice-principal are New Zealanders, the chaplain Canadian, the business manager Indian, and the superintendent and coun- selor American. On the teaching staff are five from the United Kingdom, five from New Zealand, seven from Canada, many Indians, and a number of Americans. The student body is composed of ap- proximately 40% Indians, 40% Americans, and 20% others. The development office is trying to recruit more Asians, so that the ratio will be one third for each group. The enrollment remains at a steady 330. NEW MISSIONARIES ARE GETTING OLDER Forty-seven missionaries and mission as- sociates were sent into assignments during the last three years, and thirty-five mis- sion volunteers went into short-term as- signments. This has been a time of transi- tion. During these three years there was a net decrease of fifteen persons. New placements have just barely kept pace with terminations, and so more long term workers will need to be sent out if the missionary force is to increase, states John Sommer, Overseas Personnel Secre- tary. Who are the new workers? Sixty percent came from the United States and forty percent from Canada, exactly the same ratio of nationalities represented on the total missionary roster. The largest number of persons sent out in the past three years were between the ages 30-39. Only ten of the forty-seven long term people came from the student world, with the others coming from either pastoral or teaching experiences. Where did they go? The largest number of new workers went to Zaire, with Taiwan and Mexico close behind. Projections for the next few years indicate that increasing num- bers of missionaries will be sent to Brazil, Japan, and Upper Volta. The Commission on Overseas Mission presently has invita- tions for new workers from churches in eleven countries. LAY SUNDAY INCLUDES LADIES At our annual church meeting it was agreed that we have a "lay Sunday" once a month, when one of the church mem- bers takes care of the Sunday morning service. This includes the message, and it includes the ladies. We are happy with the arrangement. Thus far these Sundays have proven to be very special. Anna Dyck, Takajo, Japan HE MENNONITE E-5 Faith When It's Pouring by Bau- Yu Rau, as told to Hilda Epp Miss Rau, clinical in- structor of senior nursing students at Mennonite Christian Hospital in Hwalien, Taiwan, is a member of Bo-Ai Mennonite Church in Hwalien and leader of the youth group there. Last September I began to think of the coming Christmas season and of God's great love. I thought often of the or- phans and prisoners, many of whom do not have faith in God. I felt very sorry for them and wished for some way to tell them the good news about Jesus Christ. How to do it? In my prayers I was di- rected to organize a bazaar. So I began to prepare. But I couldn't anticipate the problems I would face. We arranged for the bazaar to be held on October 31. As the time drew near the weather was beautiful every day. I thanked and praised God with all my heart. But on the morning of October 31, rain fell steadily! What shall I do. . .? What shall I do. . .? It was already past nine and the rain was still heavy. I went to every stand to see what the people were doing. All were huddled under their canopies, hiding from the rain. The expressions on their faces seemed to say, "You're responsible (i.e., You and your bright ideas!)." At that time my sorrow seemed to cut to my heart. So I prayed a short prayer. Then I looked out again. Although the rain seemed lighter, it didn't help our situation. At that moment Miss Lin, a very devout Christian, passed by and I invited her to pray with me. When we got into a small room to pray, my tears flowed. I prayed aloud, sobbing, "My Lord! You were leading me from beginning to end, show- ing me very clearly what Your will is. But today it is raining so hard! If this is also Your test of my faith in You, I be- lieve deeply that You will let the rain stop. I would like to exchange my tears for the rain!" When we stopped praying my tears slowly stopped. I opened the curtain, and saw that not a drop of rain was falling! The sun came out gradually. Later many people of the church told me they had also been praying. Certainly, in many things, if it's according to God's will and you ask in faith, He will give you peace and joy when you least expect it. The bazaar not only finished success- fully, but the income also exceeded what we expected. The money was used to witness about our faith to the prisoners and orphans in this area. Food preparation in bazaar booth. Please, people, I can't eat another bite. Si1" E-6 September 13, 19771 v Evangelical Seminary Speaks to Social-political Scene in Latin America LaVerne and Harriet Rutschman •Seminario Biblico in San Jose, Costa Rica, Jprobably has the finest theological faculty ifanywhere in Latin America, according to (Howard J. Habegger, COM Executive secretary. He and Latin America COM secretary Hector Valencia made a frater- 'nal-administrative visit to Costa Rica and IColombia in June, 1977. LaVerne and ^Harriet Rutschman, former General Conference missionaries in Colombia and Bolivia, have been teaching at the semi- nary since 1976. The presidency, the administration, and seventy per cent of the seminary's faculty are Latin Americans, many of whom have been trained in Europe. They attempt to speak biblically and theologically to the Latin American scene in the Latin Ameri- can context. "Liberation theology" and "contextualization"themes receive serious consideration. The seminary retains an unapologetic evangelical-biblical stance and at the same time addresses itself to the socio-political problems which face Latin America. The seminary has grown from a traditional Bible institute during the fifties to a full-fledged theological seminary in the late seventies. The school is, in Habegger's opinion, the key theological training center in Latin America. holombian pastors, I. to r., Jose Cante, Polidoro Daza, Jaime Caro, and Antonio Arevalo. The /lennonite Church in Colombia has agreed to train its pastors and potential pastors at Seminario liiblico, San Jose, Costa Rica. Earl Roth How Do You Feel When Your Student Replaces You? My latest term of service with the Menno- nite Community in Zaire was spent as director of the Bible Institute and as mis- sionary counselor on the Central Admin- istration. Reflecting on the term brings a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. It was encouraging to share the spiri- tual growth of fifteen families, preparing for Christian service at the Bible Institute. It was satisfying to be a part of an evange- listic ministry in the community, a prac- tical outgrowth of their training, and in a vocational orientation which helped put food in the homes. The culminating ex- perience came last July, when Rev. Malembe Tshingudi, who as a high school student sat in my classroom, and who in the past two years worked closely with me as a teacher in the Bible Institute, replaced me as its director. It was also a satisfying experience to pray, plan, laugh and cry with the admin- istrators and missionaries of the Menno- nite Community. These men and women responsibly fill their positions. The ex- perience of sharing burdens, responsibili- ties, and difficulties at times was crushing, but overall the presence and love of Al- mighty God prevailed. There were de- feats and victories and through them we matured spiritually. The young Mennonite Church in Zaire desires and needs the presence of mission- aries to share its leadership training pro- gram, its Christian education and evangel- istic efforts, its moves toward self-financ- ing and, because of the recent government move to return education to the churches, its revitalized educational program. Earl Roth HE MENNONITE E-7 by Cynthia Lehman I am a teacher. At one point in my career I realized I was tired: physically, mentally, emo- tionally. I needed a change. An op- portunity arose, I accepted, and soon I was bound for Taiwan. My assignment ... to teach the children of missionaries. What was it like leaving the familiar for a life in a distant country with a foreign culture? To me this experience has meant Teaching two years in a multi-grade, two room school. It involved busy teaching days, long preparations, many extra duties- Lots and lots of hard work. I have experienced a variety of emotions- Barrels of laughter . . . fountains of tears. Living in a small missionary community has been like a musical composition, beautiful harmony and at times clashes of discord. I have enjoyed companionship, suffered through loneliness, Grown through fellowship and desert experiences. I've hated my situation and loved it. Teaching in Hualien Christian School has provided opportunities to know Christian children, to share their enthusiasm and disap- pointments, to rejoice with each child's growth and development, and to pray about our prob- lems. Living in Taiwan has offered opportunities; Opportunities to meet unfamiliar people, Opportunities to become acquainted with different customs, Opportunities to learn the Chinese language ... or try to! Living in Taiwan has also meant teaching English classes to Chinese who sought a social outlet, leading a Bible study with genuinely interested people of many religions, slowly getting a glimpse of a deep- rooted culture. learning to appreciate people different than myself, and broadening my awareness of the world, its needs, its problems. Are you a teacher? are you looking for a change? Have you just graduated from colleg and don't know what to do and and where to go? Then please consider Christian service. Consider Hualien Christian School. There's an ongoing need for experience dedicated Christian teachers. Oh, it's not been easy teaching in HCS. A challenging, growing experience, yes However, not an easy one . . . But God never promised it would be. »veoard with the North American brother- iood and the Mennonite Brethren repre- entatives who will be attending Mennonite Vorld Conference, he said. "It may not be long until Mennonite Jrethren Missions and Services, like the 'aris Evangelical Missions Society and the London Missionary Society, can vote itself rut of existence in favor of a mission that Represents all of the Mennonite Brethren '[round the world," Mr. Wiebe said. I The Mennonite Brethren board currently ; ponsors fraternal visits of overseas church j;aders to North America and, in addition, | as instituted a biennial "cooperative con- j ultation" which brings all national leaders j a the United States and Canada for a joint jieeting with the North American MB mission board. "apuano returns to he United States i homas Capuano, the MCC worker in i irazil who, with a Catholic priest, was held icommunicado several days in May in a Brazilian jail, has returned unexpectedly to le United States. He came back July 22 when the Justice linistry of the Brazilian Government idicated it would not renew his visa because is continued presence there "was not in the est interest of the country." [' Mr. Capuano received international lublicity when he and American priest I awrence Rosenbaugh spent several days in I Recife jail without charges or a hearing and |:veral weeks later were able to share their pulting concern for human rights in the ils with U.S. First Lady Rosalynn Carter hen she visited Recife. Mr. Rosenbaugh is jill in Recife. The two men began their work with the 1 porest of the poor in Recife shortly after I st Easter. They packed a few essentials and j oved out into the street with the poor who |eep under overhanging roofs, bridges, or j/erpasses. I With a pushcart they collected discarded I'getables from the markets for a nightly j»up shared with others who lived on the idewalk. Nightly soup was the occasion for forming friendships, for sharing God's love and what it means to pray, said Mr. Capuano. The police officers often stood around watching. "We had good relations with the military police," Mr. Capuano told a late- night session at the General Conference meetings in Bluffton, Ohio. "But there were state security police who sometimes broke up our meetings and usually carted away a couple of people." It was two of the state police who arrested Mr. Capuano and Mr. Rosenbaugh. "The state police, with their anxiety about subversives, probably saw us as living with the poor to try to incite them," Mr. Capuano explained. Upon their arrest the two men were stripped naked and placed in a cell already overcrowded with men, also nude, and lacking sanitary facilities. Although the two were not beaten, others were beaten and tortured by prison officials. Mr. Capuano is not bitter about his imprisonment and subsequent visa refusal. His concern instead is for the prisoners who remain in jail incommunicado, not knowing when they will be released. "We felt the Lord's leading and presence in what we were doing," he said, "and I feel each of us has a responsibility to identify with the poor in some way wherever we are." Because his return to the United States was unexpected, Mr. Capuano of Altamont, New York, is not sure what he will do or where he will go from here. He would like to return to Brazil someday. Canadian Women in Mission look to future Canadian Mennonite Women in Mission demonstrated recently that anniversary celebrations are not only a time for reflection but also for goal setting. During the twenty- fifth anniversary conference of the organiza- tion, held July 23 at Toronto, Ontario, past presidents Katherine Hooge and Mary Harder interpreted the history of the group and projected new emphases for the future. Although Ms. Harder saw the continua- tion of material aid programs, she predict- ed a greater involvement by the Canadian women in people-oriented projects such as social welfare programs. She also predicted a higher profile by urban Mennonite women in community affairs and an effective spiritual ministry through contacts made in benefit shops and drop-in centers. Both past presidents noted that since the early 1960s there had been a growing participation in Canadian Women in Mis- sion (CWM) by younger and more educated women. This has had a positive influence on relations among the provincial women's organizations and between CWM and the Canadian and General Conference boards. Four missionaries assessed the support they felt for missions among Canadian women. If the number of letters written to missionaries is indicative of interest and prayer support, then there has been a decline, they said. The conference decided to continue the publication of a separate women's page, "Die Frauenseite," in the German paper Der Bote. Anne Neufeld, Coaldale, Alberta, was elected to the position of secretary-treasurer. Margaret Ewert and Mary Anne Boschman continue as president and vice-president of CWM. Dutch Mennonite resolution supports Jews A resolution asking Mennonites to support Jews "by word and deed and in true friendship in their struggle for the renewal of their national existence" may be presented by Dutch Mennonite Karel E. de Haan at the Mennonite World Conference next year, July 25-30, in Wichita, Kansas. The statement, presented in May by Mr. de Haan at the Mennonite European Regional Conference, was prepared in accordance with the written bequest of Frits Kuiper, Mennonite minister who died in 1974. The statement confesses Mennonite guilt and silence "during the heaviest persecution of the Jews in human history and during the efforts to rebuild the state of Israel. For the very reason that we as Mennonites rejected the ties between Christ's cause and the Roman Empire ... we ought to show comprehension of the right of Jews to an independent national existence." Out-Spokin' bike tour of Europe planned for 1978 The Out-Spokin' bike program of the Mennonite Board of Missions, Elkhart, Indiana, in cooperation with TourMagina- tion of Scottdale, Pennsylvania, will again offer a European Mennonite history tour next year. On the first of May, 1978, a group will leave New York headed for Amsterdam, Holland. Tour leaders are Jerry Miller and Jan Gleysteen. College credit for participa- tion in the tour is available from Mennonite colleges if study plans are approved by the college dean prior to departure. For more information write: Jerry Miller, Out-Spokin', Box 370, Elkhart, Indi- ana 465 1 4. HE MENNONITE 521 We have the nicest work "We've never been so hugged and kissed in all our lives," exclaim John and Helen Doerksen about their ministry to the Umsiedler, or "resettlers," from the Soviet Union. "Welcome to Germany. God bless you in this new land," is the warm welcome the Doerksens give to households of German-speaking Mennonites and Baptists as they come to the Durchgangswohnheim, or transit compound, in Unna-Massen. Although the transit compound contains immigrants from a variety of countries, the Doerksens focus on those from the Soviet Union, and particularly those who are Mennonite or Baptist. The Umsiedler may require several weeks there before getting proper residency documentation and decid- ing where they want to live in Germany. From here they also make contact with relatives living in Germany or Canada. John and Helen, Mennonite Central Committee volunteers from Winnipeg, Manitoba, spend considerable time visiting with the Umsiedler. Their purpose is three- fold. Files with biographical information are kept on each individual. They are useful in matching Umsiedler with relatives. A second purpose is to share with them information about spiritual supports that are available. These include church services and one year free subscriptions to Der Bote and Mennoni- tische Rundschau, German-language Men- nonite papers printed in Canada. "We also just let them pour out their hearts," said Helen. "When they learn that John and I are Mennonites, were also born in the Soviet Union and lived in Canada until we came to Unna-Massen, they feel we're almost relatives. Most of them have a lot of experiences and feelings that they need to pour out to someone they trust. "We can also share from our heritage. We have mission and service programs — such things aren't allowed to develop in the Soviet Union," said Helen. Claiming that they have the nicest work of all the MCC workers, the Doerksens share with the Umsiedler, read Scripture with them, pray, give them Russian postcards to send back to friends or relatives in the Soviet Union, and provide a ministry of comfort. The Doerksens are part of a cooperative program between the International Menno- nite Organization of Europe and MCC. They work at helping Mennonite immi- grants integrate into the social and religious life of West Germany. Well cared for financially by the government, the immi- grants struggle to adjust after living in a society where they were treated as second- class citizens and struggled to maintain their faith. John and Helen Doerksen, left, and Walter Sawatsky, right, MCC volunteer, visit with the Pankratz family who recently arrived on the compound at Unna-Massen, West Germany, from the Soviet Union. African refugees seek alternatives The heartbreak of being a refugee continues to be a problem in Africa. Thousands of people have been displaced from their homelands by the political and social forces agitating the continent. Problems of acceptance and employment continue to plague 20,000 to 25,000 Angolan refugees in Zaire. Many of the Angolans were lower-level officials in the former Angolan Government or businessmen who backed the losing side. These people have been in Zaire one to two years and are increasingly faced with the longer term problem of integration into Zairian culture because the welcome mat is not out for them to return to Angola. "We are switching from handouts to a more normal life development situation," reported Mennonite Central Committee country representative Phil Rich. "How do you integrate Portuguese-speaking children into the French-speaking Zairian school system? How do you get city-dwelling office workers into a life-style involving village life and farming?" Projects have included the distribution of garden seeds, assistance to Portuguese speaking schools, medical clinics, and providing sewing machines to the Methodist Center in Kinshasa. Another group of refugees with which MCC is working are in Swaziland. Many young blacks from South Africa, seeing no alternative to injustice except to fight, pass through Swaziland on their way to neighbor- ing majority-ruled countries for military training. Some of these angry fugitives from racism are now attending a refugee school, initiated by MCC and the Council of Swaziland churches at Thokoza. Thirty-five students, one only thirteen years old, are enrolled in the pilot project, which began in April. Harold Koslowsky, headmaster and MCC volunteer from Winnipeg, Manitoba, said there is growing rapport between staff and students. The students are increasingly willing "to open themselves to the teachers and discuss problems and negative feelings," he reported. MCC Africa secretary Ray Brubachersees Thokoza school as one small attempt to quietly foster a third alternative to frustrated Africans, an alternative to militancy on the one hand or complete subservience on the other. ... lam, iO!M iysii Or* niv k\ IHt V. h inn % Urn i mi njm I?. It ftni StM, 522 SEPTEMBER 13, 1977 r; Canadian Conference will do Umsiedler work i Ministry to the 6,000 Umsiedler, or "re- j>ettlers," from the Soviet Union now living in West Germany will be done through the 'Conference of Mennonites in Canada on behalf of the entire General Conference iVlennonite Church. At this summer's annual sessions the Canadian Conference voted to begin a new ,vork with these immigrants, many of whom ire Mennonites and have relatives living in Canada. They have come to West Germany iuring the last five years under an agreement j^ith the Soviet Union for family reunifica- ion. According to the Canadian Conference esolution, the Canadian Conference will, |ipon request from Germany, make available personnel, literature, and finances. These )lans already include the sending of Jacob Tilitzky, Abbotsford, British Columbia, to 1 Germany in October for a short term of Bible jeaching and preaching. The General Conference's General Board ■tad earlier, in September 1975, invited the Conference of Mennonites in Canada to issume administrative leadership and re- ponsibility for the Umsiedler work on lehalf of the whole General Conference. This was recommended partly because of the stronger ethnic and language ties between Canadian Mennonites and the Umsiedler. A number of North American representa- tives have visited the Umsiedler recently. Gerhard Ens, editor of Der Bote in Winni- peg, was there this summer. Jake Harms, then chairman of the Canadian Conference, and Henry J. Gerbrandt, general secretary of the Canadian Conference, and their wives, visited February 15 to March 2. The two men said that although the distance the Umsiedler have to travel from the Soviet Union is not great, the cultural dislocation is immense. First of all, they said, it should be noted that the Umsiedler' 's experiences in Russia varied. Some went through suffering; others did not. Some received the benefit of corporate worship and Mennonite preach- ing; others did not. All of them felt the pressures of living under a dictatorial regime, and they longed for greater freedom. Although their world was small, they knew how to cope with it. Now they find themselves in a new world where women wear slacks, pornography is on the news- stands, living quarters are high-rise apart- ments instead of rural houses, new occupa- tions are often required, and the dividing line between Christian and atheist is not as sharp as in the Soviet Union. The Canadian Conference is not intending to send long-term missionaries to the Mennonite churches in Germany which the Umsiedler are attending or to try to establish "General Conference" churches in Germany. The intention, instead, is to make short-term teachers and ministers available to serve the smaller clusters of Umsiedler. make litera- ture available to church leaders, consider the possibility of helping financially in building new structures to replace overcrowded church buildings, and help the Umsiedler develop leadership among themselves. Mennonite Central Committee is also carrying on a social service ministry to the Umsiedler through Hans Niessen and Maria Sawatzky, in cooperation with the Interna- tional Mennonite Organization (1MO), the European Mennonite relief and service agency. MCC is also coordinating funds to be used in building church buildings in Germany. Record Workers ■"ranees Allen of Newton, Kansas, served j uly I to August 3 1 as a mission volunteer in J'aiwan under the General Conference's Commission on Overseas Mission. She is a { hysician and was substituting at Mennonite Christian Hospital in Hwalien while other hissionary doctors were in language studies. Ms. Allen has served as an MD, specializing |K internal medicine, at the Bethel Clinic in Uewton since 1944. Theo D. Beels, Grace Church, Regina, askatchewan, has begun a three-year term yith Mennonite Central Committee serving s a medical doctor with the United Mission j) Nepal. He is a graduate of the University jf Utrecht Medical School and completed le university's family medicine residency Srogram. Theo is the son of E. J. Pfeiffer of j pe, The Netherlands, and of M. A. Beels. ; David and Teresa Birky have begun a jiree-year assignment as Mennonite Central j'ommittee program coordinators of the ,rrande Riviere du Nord project in Haiti. I he Birkys had been serving with MCC in jlaiti and returned to the United States for a lort home leave before beginning their I Beels C. Graber second assignment there. They have also both worked in the MCC Akron, Pennsylva- nia, office, David as a bookkeeper and Teresa as a secretary. Tim and Carol Graber have begun a thirty-months term as Mennonite Central Committee volunteers in Santa Cruz, Bo- livia. Tim will be working in agricultural development and Carol in elementary education. Tim holds an AA degree from Freeman Junior College and a BS in education from Goshen (Indiana) College. He taught sixth grade at Topeka Elementary School in Topeka, Indiana. He is a member of the Salem Zion Church, Freeman, South Dakota. Carol holds a BA in elementary T. Graber Tilitzky education from Goshen College. She has taught second grade at Honeyville Elemen- tary School in Topeka. She is a member of Oak Grove Mennonite Church, West Liber- ty, Ohio. Jacob Tilitzky, who terminated as pastor of the Eben-Ezer Church, Abbotsford, British Columbia, on September I. has accepted the position of conference coordi- nator for the Conference of Mennonites in British Columbia, effective January I, 1978. He has formerly served as moderator of the British Columbia Conference and of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada. He is a member of the General Conference General Board. HE MENNONITE 523 Deal Iks Ahbie Ann Harder, First Mennonite Church, Newton, Kansas, was born Febru- ary 9, 1919, and died August 4. She and her husband, Waldo, served as missionaries to Zaire in 1951-61 and 1971-73 under Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission. Thiessen Jacob Johann Thiessen, Saskatoon, Sas- katchewan, was born August 31, 1893, at Klippenfeld, Molotschna, south Russia, and died August 25, just prior to his eighty- fourth birthday, and a diamond wedding celebration scheduled for September 3. He was baptized May 24, 1914, and married Katharina Kornelsen, Tiegenhagen, Mo- lotschna, September 16, 1917. There were five children in the family, but the eldest predeceased him in 1921. Prior to his immigration to Canada in 1926 he taught in Tiegenhagen, Russia. After several years in Waterloo, Ontario, he moved to Saskatoon in 1930. From that time on he was a leading spirit in the establishment and work of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada. He attended his fiftieth conference of the Canadian churches at Toronto in July. From 1930-64 he was a mission worker; he was ordained to the ministry in 1932, founding and pastoring First Mennonite Church in Saskatoon. He was the moderator of the Canadian Conference in 1943-59. Deeply concerned about Mennonite immigrants, he was active in the work of the Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization from 1934, and served as chairman of the board in 1946-64. In 1947-67 he was also chairman of the board of Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg, Manitoba. J. J. Thiessen also served as a member of the General Conference Mennonite Church Board of Missions in 1948-58, and on the editorial board of the German language periodical, Der Bote, 1 955-77. In 1 955 he was granted an honorary Doctor of Divinity by Bethany Biblical Seminary, Chicago. Calendar October 21-23 — Western District Confer- ence annual sessions, Buhler High School, Buhler, Kansas Pacific September 23-25 — New Call to Peace- making conference, Ben Lomond (Quaker) Retreat Center, Santa Cruz, California Western September 30-October 1 — New Call to Peacemaking conference, McPherson (Kan- sas) College Conference budget Budget for 1977 includes: Ministers Henry Braun has served as assistant pastor during the summer for the Inman and Buhler (Kansas) churches. He is a second-year student at Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Indiana. Mel Friesen, pastor of the Trinity Church, Hillsboro, Kansas, was ordained in that church on August 21. C. Dwain Holsapple, Portland, Oregon, has accepted the pastorate of the Emmanuel Church, Salem, Oregon, effective September 1. He holds a BA from Columbia Bible College, Columbia, South Carolina, and a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas. He has been serving as pastor of the Grace Bible Church and as part-time instructor in Bible and theology at Mult- nomah School of the Bible, Portland. Bill Shumaker has been selected as the first full-time pastor of the Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Mennonite Fellowship. He will begin in October. He has served as pastor of the Benton Mennonite Church, Goshen, Indiana, for six years and has studied at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana. Ernest Wiebe, Winnipeg, Manitoba, has accepted the call to serve as pastor of the Springstein (Manitoba) Church, effective October 1. He holds a BTh from Canadian Mennonite Bible College. He has previously served pastorates at the Bergthaler Church, Winnipeg, and St. Andrew-Elgin United Church, Winnipeg. Paul M. Zoschke has resigned the pasto- rate of the Woodland Church, Warroad, Minnesota, effective November 1. I T Ric Br h 1977 BUDGET: $3,179,883 Commission on Education $234,048 Commission on Overseas Mission $2,084,949 Commission on Home Ministries $579,918 Mennonite Biblical Seminary $280,968 Total $3,179,883 $3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 P' t 1,000,000 ' ■dll 500,000 *' II IIW ind ( Sona Coll; liH i in Sidei iapli histor foor, in >;-. k osio % ' . HIII0H m , lain The conference financial position continues to deteriorate. General Conference has received ^ 36.8 percent of its budget by the end of July compared to 42.4 percent of budget received by ^ the end of July in I976. We are $100,000 behind last year's total at this time. Receipts for June and July last year were $206,068 and $196,407 respectively. This year June receipts were $158,562 and July's were $180,677. Please consider what you can do to allow conference programs to continue. Ted Stuckey, conference treasurer bis hi (o« Books can inform and in- spire you. Best of all, what you get out of a good book remains with you always, long after you've finished reading it. So discover— or rediscover— the satisfaction and pleasure of reading.— Melody Yoder Faith and Lite Bookstore 159 Watt Main, Berne, Indiana 46711 Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Fellowship Bookcenter 302 Kennedy Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2M6 524 SEPTEMBER 13, 197 Review Two books on life-styles Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger: A Biblical Study, by Ronald J. Sider (Inter- Varsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 1977, ' 250 pages, $4.95), and Tools for Conviviality, by Ivan Mich (Perennial Library, Harper & Row, New York, 1973, \120 pages, SI. 50), are reviewed by S. Roy Kaufman, pastor of the Pulaski (Iowa) ' Mennonite Church. For those concerned about our affluent, industrial way of life and its effects on problems of world hunger, pollution, scarce ( resources, and injustice, there is a growing iVolume of source material. These two books jihould surely rank high on our reading list. Rich Christians is a particularly important book for those who are concerned about a biblically faithful response to these issues. I Ipave read many books on world hunger and pome away uneasy as a Christian because although many problems were analyzed and many proposals made, the rationale for faction and concern was rooted in self- interest. Here is a book that discusses world jiunger in the context of biblical faithlulness ind God's concern for justice for the poor. Donald Sider, who teaches at Messiah College, has provided the Christian commu- nity with an invaluable tool in this book. In the two chapters of the first part, Mr. •Sider contrasts world poverty with the 'affluent minority" that we are. But the lecond part of the book is its heart, a biblical .tudy of wealth and poverty. In the first lhapter of Part II, Mr. Sider reviews biblical listory to discover God's attitude toward the |)oor and hungry. The next chapter presents ome biblical models for economic relation- ships among God's people, including the Old Testament Jubilee principle, the teachings of Jesus and Paul, and the practice of the 'jtpostolic church. Another chapter deals jpecifically with biblical teaching about [private property, possessions, and wealth |:nd their relationship to righteousness. The linal chapter of Part II deals with structural Br institutional evil, that is, political and conomic systems which foster injustice and poverty for many in exchange for the wealth iff a few. The last part of the book discusses implementation or action, beginning with a >ersonal simpler life-style, going on to I iscuss patterns of Christian life together hat foster concern for God's justice, and oncluding with an analysis of structural changes we ought to seek. This book is easy to read, informative, and practical. But it is not a comfortable book for rich Christians to read, for it restates uncompromisingly the biblical message of God's justice and his concern for the poor. The book does not let us off the hook so that we can continue to pursue our affluent way of life at the expense of the the world's hungry and poor. But if we mean what we say when we cry, "Lord, Lord," this book's restatement of what biblical faithfulness means is something we need to hear — and heed. Ivan Illich's book Tools for Conviviality is of a different order, but no less relevant for the Christian community's concern about life-style. Mr. Illich is with the Center for Intercultural Documentation in Cuernava- ca, Mexico. This book deals with the "industrial mode of production," that is, with the tools humankind uses. Mr. Illich analyzes the "tools" humankind needs for his vision of a "convivial society." Mr. Illich defines a "convivial society" as "the result of social arrangements that guarantee for each member the most ample and free access to the tools of the community and limit this freedom only in favor of another member's equal freedom" (p. 12). The scope of tools in such a society would be governed by three values: survival, justice, and self-defined work (p. 13). Mr. Illich gives a broad definition of tools, to include not only simple hardware, but also productive institutions such as factories and productive systems which produce educa- tion, health, knowledge, or decisions (p. 22). It is Mr. Illich's contention that the "tools" of industrial society have grown to enslave humankind rather than to free persons for creative work. "People feel joy, as opposed to mere pleasure, to the extent that their activities are creative; while the growth of tools beyond a certain point increases regimentation, dependence, exploitation, and impotence" (p. 21 ). Tools for a convivial society, on the other hand, "are those which give each person who uses them the greatest opportunity to enrich the environment with the fruits of his or her vision" (p. 22). Mr. Illich analyzes the growth of tools in industrial society in terms of the "two watersheds." The first watershed is crossed when the tool fosters and enhances human creativity and fulfillment. The second watershed is crossed when the "tool" grows to the point that it controls rather than frees humankind. "There are two ranges in the growth of tools: the range within which machines are used to extend human capabili- ty and the range in which they are used to contract, eliminate, or replace human functions" (pp. 91-92). Using this frame- work, Mr. Illich describes how our major "tools," such as education, medicine, trans- portation, and the building trades, have passed the second watershed to enslave us. Mr. Illich's little book is not easy to read. But it does analyze better than any book I know our modern enslavement to machines in industrial society. And it does point the way toward a practical alternative to our present enslavement. As Mr. Illich says, "People need new tools to work with rather than tools that 'work' for them" (p. 10). The "convivial society" should not be adopted as a new Utopia, and we would say as Christians that it should be founded on the Christian ethic of love and righteousness. But as Mr. Illich explains it, "conviviality" means the "autonomous and creative inter- course among persons and the intercourse of persons with their environment; and this in contrast with the conditioned response of persons to the demands made upon them by others and by a manmade environment" (p. I 1 ). That would also seem to be one aim of Christian life together. It is time we learn that this cannot be done within the structures of industrial society. Mr. Illich helps us to learn that lesson. Opening for program director at year-round camp. Responsible for overall program of summer and winter youth retreats and other activities. Also implement and promote other interesting events. Contact Max Sprunger, Camp Friedenswald, Rural Route3, Cassopo- lis, Michigan 49031. Director-staff openings: Swan Lake Christian Camp, Viborg, South Dakota (Northern District Conference retreat grounds). Staff involvement includes responsibility for camp operation (maintenance, cooking, rentals, development) and the year-round retreating program. Contact: LeRoy Epp Retreat Committee Chairman Marion, South Dakota 57043 (605) 925-7635 HE MENNONITE 525 PORTRAITS C\ IN LIVING 1 La Vernae J. Dick Faith and healing IK \\ that arthritis is such an illness. Some illnesses fjwho and injuries are caused by accidents. God does not always step in to prevent illnesses or accidents just because people want him to or pray that he should. While persons usually cannot choose their isuai illnesses, they do have a choice in how they h respond to such calamities. Should it be concluded that there is no Hid faith healing? No! James instructs ill believers to call the elders to pray for them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. It is prayer offered in faith which can I make the sick well. Confession is also to be a II Soi part of a healing service (James 5:14-16). I When miraculous healing happens, let's inlco praise God. But when there has been prayer, anointing, and confession and healing does not happen, let's also praise God. God is not defeated by death or prolonged illness, andflnn neither should Christians. Physical health or healing should not be equated with spiritual "Every time I thought that I ought to get my blood sugar tested, I reminded myself that 1 was doubting my healing by faith," a woman said after she had been admitted to the hospital in a diabetic coma. "So I didn't do it and now look where I am." This woman's Christian faith was severely shaken by her experience with faith healing. She and the chaplain spent many hours delving into the problem of healing and relating it to Christian faith. Eventually she concluded that the sustaining of life did not mean that she needed to be completely healed from diabetes and that she would always need to take insulin and have her blood sugar tested. The renewed interest in faith or spiritual healing of physical illness is offering hundreds of sick people hope for recovery. The Mennonite church has always believed in, prayed for, and anointed the sick, knowing that God does work miracles in the lives of his people. Some are miraculously healed. Within the last decade there have been articles about faith healing in The Menno- nite and Gospel Herald, and two books Pills, Prayers, and Miracles, by Jonathan Yoder, and God Healed Me, by Robert J. Baker, have been published by Herald Press. Many have found this emphasis a source of comfort. However, the renewed interest in spiritual healing has caused deep agony for some who are not healed but have been prayed for and anointed. Not only have they been troubled; their families and the congregations of which they are a part are also troubled. Several healing services were held for a woman who had terminal cancer. Later, when she was at the hospital for a weekly chemotherapy treatment, she made several remarks alluding to her coming death and the effect of it on her family and the congregation. When asked if she was discouraged, she replied, "Although I try not to be, 1 am. I'm not getting better and I can't help but wonder what is wrong with my faith." She was a fine Christian woman. Many physicians and nurses mentioned how her Christian faith had undergirded her during her illness and how it was an example to them of what Christian faith can mean and do. There was nothing wrong with her faith. But there may have been the unconscious desire, on the part of those planning the healing services, to manipulate God. She had not requested them but had agreed to let them be held when she was asked. God does not intend that human life last forever ( I Peter 1:24). There is a limit to the time during which physical bodies can function. Modern medicine has increased the life span for many and has made great strides in providing cures for many previous- ly fatal illnesses. Indirectly it has caused some people to believe that physical life which goes on forever is the only road to happiness. It is not at all unusual in a hospital to have persons demand of a physician, "If you can find out what is wrong, why can't you cure it? If you can't, then I will go to some other doctor who can." Illness is part of being human. Human bodies are subject to infectious diseases and viruses. Diseases spread from person to person despite advanced medical technol- ogy. As various parts of the body weaken with age, the deterioration makes it more prone to disease. Just recently a man past seventy suffered a coronary and spent twenty-one days in an intensive care unit. "Why should it happen to me?" he asked. At the age of seventy plus, his body simply is not as strong as it was when he was forty years younger. Some illnesses, such as colitis and stomach ulcers, are caused by the emotional makeup of certain people. Many physicians suspect h inpo< success. Vibrant Christian faith ultimately leaves I the matter of healing to God and accepts life as God allows it to be. Such Christian faith, whether there is healing or not, plays an important part in helping persons cope with lift illnesses. Martha, a victim of cancer which|tli,r has spread throughout her body, says, "In the end I may not lick cancer, but I am confident of God. God prepared me for this illness by drawing me closer to him over the past several years. He also goes with me each step of the way. It is God who enables me to endure this cancer and the suffering with it." Martha has been blessed by God, who has released his healing forces which enable her to endure her illness. Her mental attitude is good, and she suffers much less pain than many cancer patients do. So Martha has experienced a spiritual healing in a way that Kko is even more miraculous than physical healing would have been. God is working in her life, not merely performing. II ci tolii Fori it mi 526 SEPTEMBER 13, 1977M!1,! Meditation Contents Hurry up and wait Historians may describe our time as the jet age. We live fast. Yet, ironically, most of us spend i great amount of time waiting after we've rushed to get wherever we're going. Checkout lines, doctors' offices, traffic lights, and hospital corridors extract time from our ives. Most of us would be amazed to discover how much time we spend in waiting each day. To people of the western world, time is usually considered our most precious commodity. We jealously account each minute. It is hard to endure "wasting" of time. Waiting time need not be lost. A little preparation can turn it into growing time. One man decided to pray while waiting for traffic lights. Many people were prayed for, and le found peace to wait. A homemaker's family was slow to respond to her call "dinner's ready." It bothered her to vait until she learned to use that time to wash the pots and pans. The cleanup time after the neals was reduced and her disposition became more relaxed. What can you do in a slow checkout line? You could pray forthe cashier orforthat person vho needs all those price checks and carries a payroll check to be cashed. That could be hard 0 do, but it beats elevating your blood pressure. Long waiting periods in offices can be hard on your disposition. ( I wonder if there breathes 1 doctor today who greets patients at the appointed time.) A paperback book in your purse or locket can be good insurance. Last year's movie or news magazines on the coffee tables are isually no help. Knitting and embroidery are common waiting tools used by women. I once saw a man do in intricate woodcarving as he sat and waited. His tool and the shavings went into a neat box vhich he held on his knees. Waiting times are good opportunities to write letters. Always carry some of your favorite lote pads, envelopes, and a pen. Such times can be discussion starters. Most waiting people are eager for something positive o happen. Start them on a conversation and you may have friends for a long time. Some waiting times cannot be avoided. When your child has a temperature of 104 degrees, t is no time for letter writing. You can hardly expect to read a book while awaiting the t's lutcome of surgery. Sometimes we cannot even pray for ourselves. Waiting somehow has to do with God. Patience is a gift of grace and endurance is a gift of w aith. To be able to wait requires roots that go deeply to our heavenly Father. These roots will nourish us when there seems to be no end to the waiting times. A husband r wife who is not a Christian, a wayward son or daughter, a decision to be made, an oi< npossible job to be completed, a chronic illness — all are times when it seems that life has topped and time is wasting. But these times do end, and when we take a backward glance we can see that the time was ve ot wasted. A tree that is blown about in the wind may lose its leaves. To all outward ppearances it is dead, but the coming of spring brings out the life that was there plus new rowth. And so it is with us. Ecclesiastes 3: 1 tells us, "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under le heaven." Minutes, hours, weeks, or months — whatever the length of the waiting time — if e have placed our lives in God's hands then we can be sure he has a purpose for all of our mes. Anna Purviance i How do we care? a(l 'ur congregation consists mainly of families whose blood relatives live at a distance, oneliness is eased by special relationships. For example, "Grandma" Martha Kaufman is dearly loved by many. She makes it easier to ve miles from "real" grandmas. She was bitten by a fierce watchdog recently as she was king a walk. It was a frightening experience and the wound was nasty. Infection set in and le spent time in the hospital. My short visit with her will leave lasting memories. She remarked about how people were owing their concern. "It's something," she said. "A nasty dog bite on the outside gets you all nds of sympathy and caring. Do we recognize hurts that big on the inside of people?" What sagely insight! Lois Fran: Battel c! Three models for missions 514 The same dog with a different chain? 516 News 518 Record 523 Two books on life-styles 525 Faith and healing 526 Hurry up and wait 527 How do we care? 527 Reflecting on Bluffton 528 CONTRIBUTORS Jacob A. Loewen, Box 1316, Lusaka, Zam- bia, is a Mennomte Brethren anthropologist who works as a regional translation consul- tant with the United Bible Societies Hugo Zorrilla, Apartado 901, San Jose, Costa Rica, is the dean at the Latin American Biblical Seminary and a Mennonite Brethren church leader from Colombia La Vernae J. Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338, is a free-lance writer. At Bluffton she was elected secretary for the conference. The meditation writers are Anna Pur- viance, Route 1, Lambent Lane, Corryton, Tennessee 37721, and Lois Franz Bartel, 910 Belleview, La Junta, Colorado 81050 CREDITS Cover, 515. GCNS; 514, C. Lehman Metzler, MCC; 517, Strix Pix, Newville, Pennsylva- nia 17241; 519, Dan Gerber, Chicago; 520, James Kropf, MCC; 522, Sarah Ann Eby, MCC. Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781 Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Assistant editor Vic Reimer, Box 347, Newton, Kan- sas 67114 Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher, Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel, Circu- lation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Evelyn Krehbiel, 229 Brookwood, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, La Vernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117; Encom- pass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805; and Conference of Menno- nites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4 HE MENNONITE 527 Reflecting on Bluffton Bluffton was my first time at a General Conference triennial session. I attended as a staff person and as a delegate for our congregation. As I now reflect on that week, here is what comes to mind: 1. Resolutionary times. So many resolutions were presented to the 922 delegates that people began to speak jokingly of "resolutionary times." A conference highlight for me was the extensive discussion on the war tax issue. While we could not arrive at a consensus, for several hours the delegates and guests became a working body together earnestly searching for God's direction. At the same time, I felt a double edge to the joking about resolutions. Most of these came from outside the commissions, our elected program bodies. Some people said that we were not dealing with the real conference issues. There was also the feeling that we don't need to take the passed resolutions too seriously. After all, how many of them do name specific tasks and goals to which the delegates committed themselves? 2. Fellowship. From the opening service of Holy Communion to the closing celebration there was an atmosphere of informality, friendship, and joy. The conference was like a rally. A oneness of spirit was generated by the singing, the worship, and the recurring family theme. It was like a beautiful family reunion. 3. T7ie use of applause. The repeated, spontane- ous applause during discussions and even on Sunday morning came as a surprise to me. At the Conference of Mennonites in Canada Sunday worship, even when the choir sang a moving version of "We Shall Overcome," the congregation sat in somber silence. Not so at Bluffton. People let out their feelings. This spontaneity was refreshing. However, I wonder if the applause, during debate on resolu- tions, biased some of the votes. Did it silence the dissenters? 4. Our young people. While I did not get to attend any of the formal youth sessions, the spillover was contagious. The evening sessions at the "barn," the youth sections during the regular sessions, and their participation in the workshops reflected youth who are committed to becoming faithful followers of Jesus Christ. Over 300 young people from all over the conference came to Bluffton full of enthusiasm and ready to sing God's praises loud and long. Several young people asked if they could attend my workshop on parenting. They came and were most open to share their questions and their feelings for the future. It added to our experience. 5. Electronic problems. In our day, the success or failure of many conferences is determined by the electronic gadgetry. At Bluffton we witnessed some slick performances but also some sloppy ones. It is unfair to schedule our conferences into facilities never intended for this type of meeting. We were victimized again and again by impossible sound systems. Wendell Badertscher, who had taken on the gigantic task of coordinating the acoustics for Bluffton, deserves a medal for bravery. 6. Some cracks were evident. Some delegates spoke words of challenge and dissent. At times, their voices assumed tones of frustration. Did they begin to feel that the larger body was unwilling to listen to them? Some of the workshops, too, were a cause for concern. Instead of learning together, some groups quickly polarized into a battle. A few dwindled out to nothing. The gift of sincerely listening to those who cannot agree with us is one that we must pray for and practice more avidly. 7. The Spirit of God. My week in Bluffton was like a week on spiritual retreat. God's Spirit surprised my spirit again and again. I saw God's Spirit in the courtesy and efficiency of all the hosting and serving people of the college and conference. They ran out of food at times and my ride to the airport was later than promised, but I never sensed a feeling other than wanting to meet our needs. 1 saw God's Spirit in the many creative church posters on the walls. His Spirit also spoke to me through the orderly procedures of all the sessions (even though I was surprised at the authority of the program committee to close doors on reporters). Most of all, God's Spirit spoke to me through all the personal contacts. The oneness in Christ, which we confess regularly but has to wait years for some of us to again share in person, is adequate to be sustained over the thousands of miles in that interlude. I had heard, ever since St. Catharines, people speak of "606" in The Mennonite Hymnal as the Mennonite hymn. After Bluffton and Toronto, I will never forget this version of "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow." May it truly be the theme song for many Mennonite conferences to come. BW The Meimoiiiie OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO ONE LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST 92:33 SEPTEMBER 20, 1977 p ELKHARl cp • -v. Nancy K. Williams Eleanor Froese is the youngest daughter of Bernard and Lydia Froese. The family belongs to the River East Mennonite Brethren Church in Winnipeg. Eleanor was baptized over a year ago. After completing schooling, she found work at Donwood Manor, a residence for the aged. She fills her leisure time with music and volunteer work. Eleanor is mentally retarded. Eleanor's mother says, "Eleanor really enjoys her work at Donwood Manor, and she has a sweet, loving way with the residents. On Thursday afternoons she acts as a volunteer teacher's helper in a kinder- garten class. Eleanor loves children and is working her way into the classroom in a satisfactory manner." Although Eleanor has what we call a "developmental disability," it has not stopped her from an active, worthwhile life. Between 3 and 10 percent of our children are developmentally disabled. What does that mean? Most children develop in the usual manner — walking between ten and fifteen months, talking between nine and fourteen months. If a child walks at eight months, that child is developmentally accelerated. If a child doesn't walk until eighteen months, that's a developmental delay. Of course, if a child is born without a leg or the use of a leg, then he or she is unable to develop in the usual way and must learn to use other means to get around. That is a developmental disability. Delays in a number of areas are also a developmental disability. So, developmental disability (DD) is any impairment in development which can be expected to continue into adulthood and constitutes a substantial handicap. There are emotional disabilities such as autism and childhood schizophrenia; there are physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy, blindness, and deafness; there are mental disabilities such as severe dyslexia and specific brain damage. Down's syndrome, or mongolism, is an example of a severe physical and mental developmental delay. "It was my mother who noticed at about five months that Dan wasn't coming along as he should." Whether one knows at birth or the discovery comes much later, the reaction is one of grief. Elizabeth Kuebler-Ross has given us a conceptual structure for the grief process. One goes through denial, bargain- Open hearts jr ltd lore; nde £ lilt khI ante mil sr- ing, anger, guilt, depression, and finally acceptance that one's child is developmental- ly disabled. Unfortunately, the grief connected with developmental disabilities recurs, triggered by the neighbor's child walking, or the family's younger child talking, or another child starting school, or graduation, or marriage. A variety of incidents can start a recurrence of the grief process. It's easy for families to get stuck in the anger and depression stages. The church family, the caring community, has an especially important ministry to offer the family member caught in depression. De- pression makes it too much of an effort to get up in the morning, to answer the phone, or to At open the door, and definitely too much of an ride effort to go to church. The best ministry is a il brother or sister in the faith who simply comes and says (maybe not in words), "Wejfjliia care about you; if one of us suffers, we all m suffer" (1 Corinthians 12). A church group seep which undertakes this ministry will find jivei themselves working through to a richer wta understanding of the way God's love prevails me even in adversity. tcrer Sometimes, however, DD families feel itsii that the church doesn't want them and theii ;. children around. They feel that the church is lot uncomfortable with their deviancy. Thismppo makes them feel rejected, depressed, alienat-jLe ed, and sometimes bitter and resentful. bud The church needs to make the specialfiim Eleanor Froese is one of thousands of developmentally disabled in Canada andth United States. Shown below is Emma Chupp. She is also able to live an active L, worthwhile life due to the support she receives from persons like her sister, Drucilla 'mii who is here sharing her interest in plants with Emma. :ffort to include DD families, because the Jepression stage of grief is usually character- zed by withdrawal and extreme reluctance o reach out. It is important for the church to inderstand that it needs to go, not only a ■econd mile, but a third and fourth mile as veil in reaching someone who is depressed ibout a DD child. One woman, herself the mother of a child vith Down's syndrome, heard of a family vith a newborn Down's child. The woman vent to the family again and again only to be urned away. Six months passed before the amily reached a place where they could eceive this woman's care, open the door vide and say to her, "Come in, we need to alk to you." j A family who has coped with DD makes a Ve| aluable contribution to the life of a church. •amilies who have worked through to u| cceptance of their child and their situation ave a great deal of experience with grief and robably an ability to show love. Often they ave learned patience and joy in small ncrements of achievement. Such families re sterling resources for a caring communi- oly. m In return, they need the outgoing love and iupport of the community in their times of jepression and reverses. The community can jjain much strength in learning how to reach Jut in tactful supporting ways. It is important to identify as early as possible a child who is a risk for developmen- tal disabilities. Parents can learn infant stimulation techniques which help to mini- mize the effects of disabilities. The language specialist, the physiotherapist, and the pediatric nurse are also valuable resources for working at stimulation techniques. A church community could prepare a list of local agency and professional persons which a family could call on for help. Development disabilities can be grouped in mental or physical disabilities, and a combination of mental and physical. For persons with physical disabilities, the church building itself presents major obstacles to be overcome in merely entering a building. Do steps prevent easy access to church services? Does a ramp need to be constructed? Are the aisles wide enough for those with crutches and those with wheelchairs? Is the bathroom big enough and the stalls wide enough to permit their use by the physically handi- capped? Is there room in the sanctuary for wheelchairs? Are there earphones for the auditorially impaired? Are there braille Bibles and hymnbooks for the blind? Are there Bibles in large print for the visually impaired? Considerations for the mentally disabled are of a different nature. The most pressing concern is to provide supplementary mate- pecial efforts have been made to make Emma's world as normal as possible. i mma particularly enjoys playing the autoharp and the company of her dog oncho. rials on different levels of understanding to accompany church school curricula. In this way, a mentally retarded child can stay with peers. Even if the mentally retarded child is segregated into a special class for the mentally retarded, there is not yet any Anabaptist curriculum for the mentally retarded. The teacher should be encouraged and supported to include the mentally retarded child with other children of the same age. Both the so-called normal and mentally retarded child have much to gain from this arrangement, in terms of under- standing and accepting peers with different strengths and weaknesses. As the developmentally disabled ap- proach adolescence, they are often, through neglect, shifted to the periphery of the church life and increasingly alienated. The church needs to use foresight in planning young people's activities. A program based entirely on physically competitive sports will exclude the physically handicapped youth; a program focused on mentally competitive activities will exclude the mentally handi- capped. By taking the extra effort to provide activities for youth who are developmentally disabled, we may also provide a more balanced and abundant group life for the "normal" young people. A particularly sensitive pastor and caring church made all the difference to a mildly retarded youth when they asked him to be quartermaster for the church boy scout troop. As he came into adulthood, he was asked to be troop leader for a troop of boys with mental handicaps. Another church quite casually includes two young people, one mentally retarded and the other con- fined to a wheelchair, into the church choir. Our society values physical and mental prowess so much that persons with one handicap are often assumed to have another. A cerebral palsied person may be assumed to be also mentally retarded. But Jesus saw and valued the whole person. Each person has strengths and weaknesses and some have them to a degree that we label "developmen- tally disabled." As we involve ourselves with persons who are developmentally disabled, we come to see people in a more balanced perspective, as having a unique combination of strengths and weaknesses. Indeed, "all are precious in his sight, for he loves the little Ihe siluer ruble Peter J. Hampton Years ago when I was a boy in Russia, I was fascinated by my grandfather's habit of dropping a silver ruble into the collection box before church service every Sunday morning. This habit, like many other similar habits, characterized my maternal grand- father. He lived by order. I recall visiting his toolshed — a delightful place for a growing boy. Every tool had its place and had to be put back when it was no longer in use. One night a Russian orphan from a neighboring orphanage broke into grand- father's toolshed and stole several tools. Later, when we discovered who it was, we caught the boy and gave him a sound thrashing. All my life I have regretted this impulsive behavior. We had no business taking the law into our own hands to punish the poor Russian orphan. Perhaps it was this remorse and guilt feeling that made me, as an adult, begin to follow grandfather's practice of depositing a silver dollar every Sunday morning in the church collect ion plate. Of course, this was quite apart from, and in addition to, our tithes. My first experience with depositing a silver dollar in the church collection plate was in Canada when 1 stayed with a Baptist minister in Rush Lake, Saskatchewan. Every Sunday, as the family prepared for church, I carefully dipped into my store of Canadian silver dollars, which I had patiently collect- ed, and took out one to put into the collection plate. I continued this practice when I left Saskatchewan and attended high school in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and later in college at Areola, Manitoba. Every Sunday I left one cherished silver dollar behind in the collec- tion plate. When I moved to Kansas and began to attend Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kansas, I continued with the practice of restitution by presenting God with a silver dollar every Sunday morning. The habit continued when I left Kansas and moved to Minnesota to attend the University of Minnesota and later on when I began to teach at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg. When I moved from Canada to the United States once more to resume my studies at the University of Minnesota Graduate School and then to assume the responsibilities of teaching — first at Western College and Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, then at Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and finally at the University of Akron, I continued with my dispensation of silver dollars, one every Sunday morning. There came a time when the practice, now having become as much of a habit with me as it was with my grandfather, became more and more difficult to exercise because silver dollars became scarce and finally disap- peared from circulation altogether. Fortu- nately I had saved enough silver dollars to continue my habit unabated. One day when my oldest boy, Peter, joined the church and began to go to church with me and his mother, he asked me why I always put a silver dollar in the collection plate. For a little while I found it difficult to answer him Then I told him about grandfather — his practice of putting a silver ruble into the church collection plate once a week on Sundays. I also told him about the thrashing I and several other boys had given the poor Russian orphan boy who had broken into grandfather's toolshed and had stolen several of grandfather's cherished tools told Peter my practice of putting a silver dollar into the collection plate every Sunday morning was an act of expiation and atonement for the impulsive act of thrashing the orphan boy. I also told Peter there was no excuse for this kind of behavior and that deep down in my heart I knew that my guilt feelings could never be erased by token gifts. However, added, to me this becomes a reminder tha we must never act in haste in response t another person's behavior, that we mus always take into account the reasons for th behavior before we judge the behavior an react to it. I told Peter that this is a lessonl that all of us have to learn. Some of us lear it the hard way; to some it comes a littl easier. It is only when we judge behavior i relation to its underlying causes that we ca evaluate that behavior correctly. The Rus-] sian orphan stole the tools because he wa hungry, not because he had anything against) grandfather. I believe that Peter understood. THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian tellowship within the context ol Christian love and freedom under the guidance ol the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It is . lished weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton, Kansas 671 14, by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonlte Church Second-cles: postage paid at Newton. Kansas 67114, and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions: in Uniled Stales and Canada. $8 00, one year; 1 1 5 50, two years, $23 00, three years; foreign, 18 50 per year EdltO' rialolfice 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard. Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4 Business olfice 722 Main Street. Box 347. Newlon, Kansas 67 1 1 4 Postmaster Ser.d Form 3579 to Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 532 SEPTEMBER 20, 197 97 ii \Ben Friesen Almost two years ago, a Vietnamese family came to live with us. It did not just happen. The Inman (Kansas) Mennonite Church, rooted in a theology of pacifism and conscientious objection, thought seriously about the implications of sponsoring a family from a country ravished by war. What does this do to our community? What happens to us and to their own culture? Is their religion, if any, compatible with ours? Will we help finan- cially only? Not all our questions were answered. Our congregation decided to take a risk. Within our fellowship there was an uneasiness. We believe in evangelism at home and abroad. We support missionaries at home and abroad. We have a community outreach program. What more does the Great Commission require of us? Our consciences would not be quieted. Jesus taught us to go also to the highways and byways. Thousands of refugees from Vietnam had arrived in California. We said, "They are here. Will we forget them, or do we have hope to offer?" We agreed that we had Jesus Christ to share with them, and our own lives in Christ could give hope to a confused, dislocated family. Our own heritage, having left Russia to seek new hope, could also be a help. We felt the Lord saying, "Try out what you are asking others to do in your preaching and teaching. You have a conference and many workers sent out to reach others; now it is your your turn." And so we agreed to sponsor a Vietnamese family. The congregation was not totally agreed. We didn't expect them to be. It was a totally new adventure. Those who hesitated have The Ngo Van family worships with the Inman Mennonite Church. practiced, for the most part, the Christian spirit of allowing a group to try without criticism. Thirty families out of 100 in our congrega- tion were willing to give $5.00 per month for six months. The family to be sponsored was larger than we had anticipated. There were the parents and one girl who could speak a little English and there were another two girls and three boys. Housing is difficult to find at Inman. When they arrived, which was sooner than expected, there was nothing available. They moved into the parsonage with us. It was a blessing beyond description. We lived together for two weeks. Our congrega- tion felt much more comfortable to meet this new family when they could do it in our presence. Buhler Mills offered a job to Mr. Ngo Van upon arrival. This was within walking distance. The children were enrolled in school with full cooperation from pupils and staff. Our unanswered questions now began to find answers. God was hearing our prayers. When a house became available, our congregation furnished it. People of the community were gracious and generous. We developed a tutoring program so someone from the church would be in the Van home five days a week for at least an hour. For seven months we taught English and also learned their needs. We had vowed that they would not be left alone. Our congregation responded well. We entered the Van home by their invitation — not our coercion. They worship with us and are a gracious family. There have been cultural shocks, but we know it has been God's will for us to be involved. Today the family is self-sustaining, but our task is not complete. They become lonely and hurt. They do not understand the American way of life. But it was and continues to be a beautiful experience. God answered prayers. God raised up willing workers. God's people responded to a sometimes difficult task. I thank God that our congregation has been able to live and act by his Word. "HE MENNONITE 533 News Consultation focuses on native concerns Issues relating to native spirituality, sover- eignty and self-determination, economic development, the church, and cross-cultural communication were topics of discussion at Freeman, South Dakota, when forty Men- nonites working with native concerns met August 15-17. "For over 350 years mission has been to and for the Indian people of North America, and not by and with them," said resource person Cecil Corbett, native American Presbyterian church leader. Mr. Corbett reviewed many of the significant governmental decisions which have had a major negative impact on the native peoples in the United States, and said that in most instances the church helped to carry out those decisions. Lawrence Hart, native American Menno- nite pastor, and Mr. Corbett led a session about "Christianity and Indian Spirituality." Participants learned that religious traditions differ among native peoples just as cultural traditions do. In most tribal traditions spirituality encompasses all of a person's activities, thoughts, and relationships, rather than being compartmentalized into a once or twice-a-week ritual. Harmony with nature, sharing, appreciation for silence in worship, concepts of time and space, work and leisure, personal esteem and family relationships are central to native religion Corbett said. Mr. Hart noted that though it was vogue to be Indian in the 1960s church support for justice to native peoples has begun to erode. As land rights issues have come into focus in the past few years, the romantic picture of native experience has dissolved into a clear picture of the hard work that needs to be done to bring justice about. Menno Wiebe, director of native minis- tries for Mennonite Central Committee (Canada) challenged workers to be accoun- table to the communities in which they minister. Workers must get in touch with the people's leadership patterns and become accountable to their leaders. Accountability is necessary if workers are to become servants of the people with whom they live and work. Several conference participants shared their current projects. Steve Egli, MCC worker with the Tunica tribe in Marksville, Alabama, gave an update on his and Anne Egli's work in that community. The Tunicas, a very small and unrecognized tribe, face seemingly unsurmountable problems in recapturing some of their own traditions and identity. Although the Eglises have been living with them for almost a year their status with the tribe is being questioned. Bob Hostetler shared the stages of development of a play he has been commis- sioned to write for the Mennonite World Conference on a native American and Anglo theme. Workshops centered about particular topics. Among these were 'the role of the church in native communities and patterns of mission development, cross-cultural communication, and issues related to eco- nomic development of Indian land. Bishop Remi De Roo of Victoria, British Columbia, conducts a worship service at the Dene assembly held June 24-29 at Fort Fitzgerald, Alberta. Bishop conducts cross-cultural worship For the Indian people of the Northwest Territories, Canada, there is only one big issue under constant discussion — land. But on the agenda of Sunday morning, June 26, the Dene at the Fort Fitzgerald, Alberta, assembly June 24-29 paused in discussion of the important issues facing them. Georges Erasmus, president of the Indian Brother- hood of NWT, announced that visiting Bishop Remi De Roo of Victoria, British Columbia, would conduct a Dene mass. Over 300 people gathered from their tents to participate in a cross-cultural, multi- denominational worship service. The Dene Indians played the traditional Dene drum to introduce the service. Said Chief George Challow of Yellowknife, one of the seven drummers, before they began, "What we are going to sing is not for the dance — it is not a dancing song. It is for prayers. So we're going to sing this song here for the people, for the ones who came here from all over. And I hope the people are O.K. until they get back home 'cause there's lots of sickness. There is some old-timers, even some young guys are sick. I heard that some guys here have been fighting on this street here from this camp to Fort Smith. One of the guys, these from Yellowknife, got beat up. Well it's just like the sickness. "We're going to sing for everything — for alcohol, to have no problem with alcohol, and the meeting we have here today. I hope that God will help us. God himself, he made this world, so the government didn't make this world. He (the government) wants to take the land from us. I don't want that. So we're going to pray for that and we're going to sing for that. I wish everybody to be happy for another fifty years." 534 SEPTEMBER 20, 1977 THE Then the drumming began on a beat that was slower than the beat of the previous night at the celebration. The worshipers showed a deep meditative mood. None indicated discomfort with the use of tradi- tional Dene instruments and melody. Ac- cording to one of the local priests, Camile Piche, who speaks Dogrib fluently, when the drum is used in worship by Dene Christians, it is as though the faith of God touches base with the deep roots of their past and present life. Three Dene men and women spoke at length in their own language and rendered special readings. The Dene choir from Fort Smith was also present to sing. Bishop De Roo, well known for his understanding of the Dene and other native groups across Canada, commented on the themes of the conference: unity and justice. Mr. De Roo acknowledged the Dene lands as theirs, then emphasized that genuine unity must not be restricted to social, economic, and political togetherness, but must rest on spiritual unity which is generated by a common faith in one God and one Savior, Jesus Christ. On behalf of the Canadian Catholic Conference of Bishops he assured the Dene assembly of his church's support for the Dene cause of justice in the Mackenzie Valley. Although the public media was barred from this strictly native convention. Bishop De Roo along with Hugh McCullum, John McFarlane, Stephen How, and Menno Wiebe were invited by the Indian Brother- hood to represent their respective denomina- tions. Menno Wiebe, native concerns direc- tor for MCC (Canada) Optimism and uncertainty at Jordan school After one year of local control, Bishara Awad, principal of Hope Secondary School, Beit Jala, West Bank, is optimistic about the future. "I feel good that the local people are behind us 100 percent," he affirmed. "It is very clear to them that the school has been transferred to local control. It has changed their attitude, and they feel the responsibili- ty-" The Arab Charitable Society was created to administer and finance the school as Mennonite Central Committee withdraws its support over a five-year period. Much publicity was given to the transfer in the local newspaper along with mention of the school's new name — Hope Secondary School. During the summer a local committee raised about $4,000 for building materials which were used by thirty young people from the community to build walls around sports fields and improve the school grounds during a month-long summer work camp. In the next year the Arab Charitable Society must raise $ 1 5,000 to keep the school in the black. Twice that amount will be needed the following year as MCC phases out its financial support. Although the Palestinian people of West Bank are behind the school, their economic situation means that some funds must come from other parts of the Middle East and abroad. Principal Awad has been in North America to organize committees to do fund raising for the school. Tuition fees at the school are low so that i poorer Palestinian youth also have an j opportunity for an education. The annual > $80 per student fee provides only 5 percent of i the budget. The school has ninety students, eighty-five of whom board on the campus, j Funding for the school is not the only i challenge faced by the Arab Charitable Society. As a Palestinian school in West : Bank, Jordan, it is currently ruled by an I Israeli military occupation government. Mr. :. Awad finds a tension between the need for young persons to be able to express their These students at Hope Secondary School in Beit Jala, West Bank, are thankf ul for the education provided by the institution. Mennonite Central Committee is transferring the school to the locally organized Arab Charitable Society. Similar to the Beit Jala Israeli settlement on the West Bank of the Jordan River this Jewish civilian settlement at Elon Moreh has been strongly opposed by the United States on the grounds that it violates international law and is an obstacle to Middle East peace. THE MENNONITE 535 ideals and frustrations as a part of growing up, and the need to keep quiet to avoid trouble with Israeli authorities. Under constant surveillance by Israeli authorities the school requires special permission from the government for all events that gather local people, such as plays, assemblies, or sports events. Last year two teachers were called in for questioning. At the outset of each school year the names and addresses of all students and teachers must be turned in to the local office of the district military governor. Teachers and principals are held responsible for anything their students do, noted Mr. Awad. One of the settlements Israel is establish- ing on the West Bank in spite of protests by other countries is located near the school on a hilltop overlooking the twin towns of Bethlehem and Beit Jala. Built on land confiscated at night from local Beit Jala residents, the settlement has been expanded to include a civilian residential area, as well as the military base. Local Arabs feel the settlement will gradually choke the small town of Beit Jala out of existence. In this uncertain environment the school struggles to meet the needs of Palestinian youth for education. "We are just praying that the school will continue," Mr. Awad continued. "There is a big job ahead for the Arab Charitable Society, but we have faith. In North America we are looking to the Christian community for assistance — we are a Christian school." Church needs ministers with clear message If the church is to fulfill its evangelistic mandate it needs ministers with a clear message from God, said Frederick Coggan, archbishop of Canterbury and spiritual leader of the world's sixty million Anglicans. He made his remarks at a service in Toronto, Ontario, during August. "When I ordain a man as a priest, I'm not looking for a good organizer, a financier, or an entertainer," stated Mr. Coggan. "I want a man who has seen the Lord and who has a gospel big enough for the world and its needs." As a worshiper in the pew, "I go as a transient on his way to eternity, made in the image of God but with that image debased, needing to be taught how to meditate, to worship, to think," continued the arch- bishop. "To meet that need I need a minister who himself sweats to know the truth and to proclaim it." Before people can engage in evangelism, they need to ground their being in "truth, experience of God, and deep theology," contended Archbishop Coggan. New administrator named for Asia Peter Kehler of Abbotsford, British Colum- bia, former missionary in Taiwan, has been appointed by the Commission on Overseas Mission (COM) as the secretary for Asia. His three-year term will begin on September 1, 1978. During the next year Mr. Kehler will be engaged in preparation and orientation for the position. A significant part of this will include visits to those countries in Asia where COM has missionaries. He will visit India this fall, and Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong in spring 1978. Discussions with other Mennonite mission organizations and itiner- ation in General Conference Mennonite churches will also highlight Mr. Kehler's orientation for the work. During the past two years Mr. Kehler served as the conference coordinator for the Conference of Mennonites in British Colum- bia. From 1959 to 1975, he and his wife, Lydia, served as missionaries in Taiwan with Kehler particular responsibility for evangelism and church planting. Mr. Kehler is a graduate of Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg, Mani- toba; Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas; and Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Indiana. He will replace Verney Unruh, who has been secretary for Asia since 1966 and will continue until September 1978. American Indian churches choose new staff Indian Mennonite churches in Oklahoma and Montana have chosen new staff persons to take over the administrative responsibili- ties for General Conference Mennonite Church Indian ministries in their states. Churches on the Hopi reservation in Arizona have yet to choose a staff person. The hiring of these staff persons through the Mennonite Indian Leaders Council is part of the transfer of responsibility for Indian ministries from the Commission on Home Ministries to the Mennonite Indian Leaders Council. The council is made up of representatives from each of the Mennonite Indian churches in Oklahoma, Montana, and Arizona. Chosen are Ted Risingsun of Busby, Montana, and Ric and Carol Dalke of Seiling, Oklahoma. They, plus someone to be chosen by the Arizona churches, will take over administrative responsibilities from Malcolm Wenger, who has been secretary for Indian ministries in the Newton, Kansas, office for the past eleven years. Mr. Risingsun, a member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe, grew up in Busby. In 1944 he attended the Mennonite Bible Academy. After military service he attended Freeman (South Dakota) Junior College in 1948-49. He has been active in community action including leadership which led to the tribe taking over the Bureau of Indian Affairs school at Busby and operating it as a tribal school. He has been a member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council and has been mission coordinator for the White River Cheyenne Mennonite Church. Currently Mr. Risingsun is director of the Northern Cheyenne Christian Education Project, which is involved in a fresh translation of the New Testament into Cheyenne and also other curricula in Christian education. He will continue this as part of his new assignment. Ric and Carol Dalke went to Oklahoma in April 1976 as workers under Mennonite Voluntary Service. A member of the First Church, Hutchinson, Kansas, Mr. Dalke has a BA in social work. Carol Dalke, a member of the United Methodist Church in Dighton, Kansas, graduated with a BS in elementary education. The Dalkes have accepted the new assignment with the Oklahoma churches for one year, with the hope of training an Indian person to take over as staff person. Church of Nazarene recognized in Hungary The pacifist-oriented Church of the Naza- rene has been granted full legal recognition by the Hungarian Government, under a new agreement with the State Office for Church Affairs. The Nazarenes have agreed to perform noncombatant military service and will be drafted for medical, engineering, or other noncombatant roles. The accord was made possible by amend- ments with the 3,300-member Hungarian Nazarene church made to its doctrinal and organizational statutes. The church is quoted as saying that they respect authority and keep state laws. "We wish to fulfill our duties as citizens of the state," they said. 536 SEPTEMBER 20, 1977 The Mciiiioiiiic Central District Edition CENTRAL DISTRICT REPORTER September 20, 1977 loyd L. Ramseyer, 1899-1977 ■Ve remember Lloyd L. Ramseyer with deep latitude. He came to Bluffton College in 938 in its hour of need. Of him it might be aid "thou art come to the kingdom for such time as this." He was the last of a special breed of college iresidents — Renaissance men — who carried vith competency the most varied range of esponsibilities: chief administrator, of ourse, but also fund raiser, pastor (speaking mce a week in chapel), counselor, informa- ion director (editing the college bulletin), ihotographer, conscientious attender of all tanding committees, teacher with one of the ieaviest instructional loads, most ardent of ports fans, and a lot more. He, like many of lis faculty colleagues, insured the survival of he college through some perilous days. Mr. Ramseyer saw the college through the ist days of the Great Depression, World Var II with sharply dwindling enrollments nd the urgings to join the war effort, the ostwar years with painful problems asso- iated with rapid growth, and finally the ;nsions of the sixties. Through it all he gave evidence of an itriguing person — rugged, frank, direct, unctual. He never lost his roots in rural Mennonite Illinois soil. He retained a ommon touch, a simplicity of tastes and tyle. He was durable — establishing the ecord of a twenty-seven-year presidency, a ;cord which probably will never be broken, nside his image, which at times appeared ruff, was a person of deep affection for imily, students, faculty, and his Mennonite eople. Mr. Ramseyer is one of the last (or is it the eginning of a new wave?) of the traditional Tennonite lay pastors. He never formally udied theology, although he was president !)r a time of a seminary. He was not ^dained until middle age. His preaching iyle had the ring of his lay-preacher Ramseyer forefathers: understandable, practical, bibli- cal, admonitional, moral, concerned with the issues of living out one's faith in daily life. Phrases which suggest his style come to mind: "fight the good fight," "do not flag in zeal," "be willing to stick your neck out," "gird up your loins." Perhaps Mr. Ramseyer's most significant contribution as an administrator was that he placed the student and teaching at the heart of the college experience. One did not interrupt him when he was preparing to teach a class or to give a chapel talk. The business of a college pure and simple was education. His model was one who also was a teacher and whose students called him "Rabbi." In many respects Mr. Ramseyer's finest hour came in his years of retirement. He and his wife, Feme, gave generously of their lives in a variety of voluntary services to the church they loved: Mennonite Central Committee service in Korea; interim presi- dency of Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Indiana; pastorates at Bethel College Church, North Newton, Kansas; Grace Church, Pandora, Ohio; and First Church, Bluffton, Ohio; the editorship of the Central District Reporter; and work on. boards and committees. Lloyd and Feme have been living models for us of what it means to be faithful followers of Christ Jesus. We grieve the death of Lloyd Ramseyer but we also lift up a prayer of gratitude for his presence in our midst these many years. Robert Kreider, director of the Mennonite Historical Library and Archives, North Newton, Kansas, and professor of peace studies, Bethel College "If we love others as we love ourselves, we must be evangelists. We are Christians because someone came as an evangelist to us. We will be God's channel through which his love can flow to others bringing peace and life. " Lloyd Ramseyer, from The More Excellent Way HE MENNONITE A-1 A statement of remembrance "As God makes no distinctions in his relationship to man, so he would have us make no distinctions in our relationships. That is what real Christian love must mean." Lloyd Ramseyer, from The More Excellent Way Lloyd Ramseyer was so many things to so many of us, not only because of his various roles and the relationships in which we knew him, but also because he was richly gifted by God and became a good steward of this manifold grace of God. He was administra- tor, pastor, teacher, editor, writer, counsel- or, friend, and much more. In a special way he belonged to his own family and how remarkable it is that he should be lifted up to his eternal home from the midst of an earthly family gathering. Lloyd Ramseyer was a man of deep conviction. His faith had a quality which helped others to have faith. This gave an integrity to his statements. He said what he meant and he meant what he said. He believed in God and in Jesus Christ and in Lora Oyer, member of the Meadows Church, Chenoa, Illinois, was elected presi- dent of Women in Mission at its session at the General Conference in Bluffton on August 1. Elsie Flaming of the Leamington (Ontar- io) United Mennonite Church was elected second vice-president. The business session included "Do you know?" reports by staff and executive committee members, recognition of Naomi Lehman of Berne, Indiana, as outgoing president, and celebration of the sixtieth anniversary of General Conference Women in Mission and the twenty-fifth anniversary of Canadian Women in Mission. Speaker was Betty Epp, missionary in Cuauhtemoc, Mexico, on "Families in Mex- ico." An offering of $ 1 ,067 will support the WM WOMEN AT WORK 4 the Holy Spirit, but he also believed in the people of God, in the conference and its institutions and its corporate agencies. He believed in persons, but he also believed in structures, in developing them, in renewing them, or if need be, in changing them. Lloyd was a man of courage. He had the courage of his convictions, the courage to project of sponsoring a tour of a Taiwanese Mennonite women's choir in connection with Mennonite World Conference next year. News and notes The Mother-Daughter Weekend will be held October 7-9 at Bluffton College. The Bluffton College women's council is plan- ning the program. The Ladies Aid and Mary Martha of the Meadows Church, Chenoa, Illinois, held their July meeting at the Mennonite Hospi- tal Auxiliary Room where they spent the day quilting and making stuffed animals. Did you know that the Mennonite Mental Health Services developmental disabilities consultant is Nancy Williams of 5927 Miller Street, Arvada, Colorado 80004? She is available to help your group with informa- tion and programs on developmental dis- abilities. "What is Television Teaching Your Family?" is the name of a pamphlet by Naomi Wollmann, printed by Women in Mission, and available by writing Commission on Home Ministries, Box 347, Newton, Kan- sas 671 14. "Clap your hands all ye nations; acclaim our God with shouts of joy" (Psalm 47:1). The final evening of the General Conference at Bluffton was truly a celebration of love, joy, and jubilation. May it help carry usall along in our day-to-day dealings with all of God's people. speak up and to speak out, the courage to raise questions, the courage to challenge both old and new ideas, the courage to be faithful and obedient to his Lord as he understood the way. His faith and his courage were translated into action, involvement, and ministry. There was in Lloyd Ramseyer a kind of gracious impatience. He wanted meetings to start on time so that they would stop on time, so that we could "get on with it." This was part of his sense of stewardship, part of his unwillingness to allow committee and board sessions, discussions and dialog, to become ends in themselves. He insisted that these always remain means for kingdom ends. His death came somewhat after the pattern of his life. In effect it was as though Lloyd had finished a meeting and were saying, "Let's get on with it." That is probably what he would say to us now, "Let's get on with it: on with the service, on with life, on with the kingdom, on with the Lord's work." Thanks be to God for a faithful servant of Jesus Christ, a workman who did not need to be ashamed. He has fought a good fight. He has finished his course. He has kept the faith. Surely for him, too, there is laid up the crown of righteousness which does not fade away. Excerpts from a statement at the funeral service for Lloyd L. Ramseyer by Erland Wallner District begins Grace Church fund drive The executive council of the Central District has agreed to launch a $75,000 fund drive to help Grace Mennonite Church in Chicago rebuild after fire burned their facilities three months ago. The congregation is presently meeting in a cafeteria. They plan to rebuild on three lots a half-block from their former location. Cost has been estimated at $175,000 to $200,000. This special fund effort is beginning early this fall, with plans made to complete it this year. A director for the fund drive is to be named and all district congregations are asked to alert persons and groups who can make special gifts to this effort. Women in Mission elect officers A-2 SEPTEMBER 20. 19 Vital statistics Briefly stated i An All-Indiana Mennonite Women's mis- isionary rally will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 1 2 : 30 p.m. on Thursday, October 20, at the 'Brookside Mennonite Church, 6535 Ma- plecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana. Mrs. John Carter will be the speaker. Of the ten new congregations accepted as members of the General Conference Menno- I jnite Church at the triennial convention at jBluffton, four are in the Central District area. These are Cincinnati Mennonite : 'Fellowship, Cincinnati, Ohio; Ames Menno- ■ nite Fellowship, Ames, Iowa; the Assembly, : i Goshen, Indiana; Michigan State University Mennonite Fellowship, East Lansing, Mich- : gan. i District income for this year is about the j same as last year for the first seven months. ■As of July over $20,000 was received, with ! ijthe budget projected at over $35,000. Since \ lincome did not match the budget, the district i ||dipped into reserves. Two new part-time : i youth workers and the high publication cost ; jfor The Reporter have raised the budget. The imission fund income as of July was over : 1 15,000 with the goal set at $25,000. < (The Illinois Mennonite Historical and s jGenealogical Society will meet at 10:00 a.m., I [Saturday, October 22, at the Lombard : Mennonite Church, 528 East Madison i Street, Lombard, Illinois. Ann Brunk will be ■ speaking on the theme, "Preservation of the :; Present." I: Temporary editor of the Central District I edition of The Mennonite is Evelyn Kreh- ilbiel, 229 Brookwood, Bluffton, Ohio 458 1 7. j News items from your congregation may be i pent to her. £ Camp seeks program director Bonnie Hecker, program director at Camp Friedenswald for the last two years, is ! ^resigning to engage in some other kind of I Employment experience. The camp is seek- ;: jing another program director immediately, g ijlhough Bonnie will continue her duties until i; (December 15. if Bonnie was especially appreciated for her > (ability to attract excellent staff and to j organize a variety of programs, publicity, jind personnel training events and materials, in Persons interested in finding out more ; ibout the position or applying for the ■ urogram director should contact Max s Sprunger, Camp Friedenswald, Route 3, i: jCassopolis, Michigan 49031; phone 616) 476-2426. MARRIAGES Bethel, Fortuna, Missouri: Joan Lehman to Harry Kent Rich, July 23. Eighth Street, Goshen, Indiana: Karen Brown to Darrel Yoder, June 18. First, Berne, Indiana: Peggy Souder to Brent Sprunger, August 13; Delores Troyer to Dallas Liechty, July 2. First, Bluffton, Ohio: Bretta Balmer to Gregory D. Smith, July 5; Constance Krehbiel to William Nunemaker, August 6. First, Wadsworth, Ohio: Barbara Baum- gartner to Pierre Gant, June 25. Meadows, Illinois: Debbie Olson to Mark Miller, June 1 1; Donna Bachman to Kevin Wehrmeister, June 11; Rochelle Miller to Jeff Augspurger, July 27. Oak Grove, Smithville, Ohio: Nancy Steiner to Craig Winey, June 11; Julie Neuenschwander to Henry Beun, July 10; Beth Lehman to David Wiebe, July 16; Lucinda Lehman to Stephen Gill, July 30. Pulaski, Iowa: Sharon Wells to John Maritz, June 25. Salem, Kidron, Ohio: Lucretia Wilson to John Mattson, May 21; Debbie Greegor to Jeff Venables, July 16. Zion, Donnellson, Iowa: David Frueh to Kathleen Hoenig, June 18. ANNIVERSARIES Comins, Michigan: Mr. and Mrs. John Holberton, 56th, June 28. First, Berne, Indiana: Mr. and Mrs. Menno I. Lehman, 50th, June 15; Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Whitehurst, 50th, June 26; Mr. and Mrs. Clifton Gilliom, 57th, July 11; Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Flueckiger, 51st, July 20; Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Kennel, 54th, August 1; Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Nussbaum, 60th, August 6. First, Nappanee, Indiana; Mr. and Mrs. Nobel Miller, 60th, June 12. Oak Grove, Smithville, Ohio: Mr. and Mrs. Elton Yoder, 55th, July 24. Zion, Donnellson, Iowa: Mr. and Mrs. Rudy Krehbiel, 50th, June 1. BIRTHS Bethel, Fortuna, Missouri: Emily Megan to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Forrest, June 8. Calvary, Washington, Illinois: Robert Ernest to Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Schrock, lune 16; Brian Scott to Mr. and Mrs. James Guth, June 17; Christopher Raymond to Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm Kinsinger, June 26; Emily Streid to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Noe, July 11; Dustin Michael to Mr. and Mrs. William Mauck, July 19. Congerville, Illinois: Elizabeth Ann to Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Brewster, June 29. Ebenezer, Bluffton, Ohio: Marc Allen to Mr. and Mrs. Rick Shaner, June 1; Alisha Kay to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Niswander, June 2. Eighth Street, Goshen, Indiana: Jonathan Eric to Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Wingard, June 20; Kyle Lee to Mr. and Mrs. Randy Vandegrift, June 30; Barbara Kathryn to Mr. and Mrs. Tom Swihart, July 8; Daniel Leighton to Mr. and Mrs. David Brenne- man, July 20; Erin Jane to Mr. and Mrs. Greg Hartzler, July 21. First, Berne, Indiana: Chelsi Joy to Mr. and Mrs. James Trowbridge, July 15; Julie Kathleen to Mr. and Mrs. John Stucky, June 25; Zachary David to Mr. and Mrs. Randall Sprunger, July 1. First, Champaign, Illinois; Adam Michael to Mr. and Mrs. Jim Haefner, May 7. First, Sugarcreek, Ohio: Kyle Allen to Mr. and Mrs. Frank Smith, June 20. First, Wadsworth: Steven Jacob to Mr. and Mrs. Dave Welty, June 28. Grace, Pandora, Ohio: Christian Allen to Mr. and Mrs. Keith Sommer, June 15. Meadows, Illinois: Matthew Ryan to Mr. and Mrs. Don Trowitch, June 6. Oak Grove, Smithville, Ohio: Ryan to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Nissley, February 3, 1975 (adoption); Michael Scott to Mr. and Mrs. Art Neuenschwander, April 1 1 (adoption); Jacob Michael to Mr. and Mrs. Michael Beun, June 4; Erin Marie to Mr. and Mrs. Duane Kurtz, June 9; Paula Katherine, to Mr. and Mrs. Cyril Moore, July 6. Silver Street, Goshen Indiana: Miranda Joy to Mr. and Mrs. Dave Rensberger, June 21. United, Peoria, Illinois: Sarah Elizabeth to Mr. and Mrs. Don Crouch, May 16. Zion, Donnellson, Iowa; Jenny Lynn to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Anderson, July 1; Sara Nichole to Mr. and Mrs. George Frueh, June 9. DEATHS Ebenezer, Bluffton, Ohio: Mary Stover. First, Berne, Indiana: Emma Gilliom, July 2. First, Sugarcreek, Ohio: D. D. Hostetler, June 16. Grace, Pandora, Ohio: Harry Hauenstein, Jr., June 14; Mary Ellen Stover; Margaret Hilty, May 30. Oak Grove, Smithville, Ohio; Ellen Ritter, June 18. United, Peoria, Illinois: Ed Gleason, June 11. FHE MENNONITE A-3 Participants respond to Bluffton conference Hi Editor's note: The following is a sampling of opinions from people in our district who attended the forty-first triennial sessions of the General Conference Mennonite Church held July 28 to August 3 at Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio. They were asked to respond to the question, " What comes to your mind when conference is mentioned?" Meeting old friends. The music throughout the conference was just a bit of heaven. The workshops were helpful to me. The "Family in Focus" theme is very important in the Christian life. Ellen Welty, homemaker, Comins Church, Comins, Michigan It is always great to make new, and to renew, General Conference acquaintances. A tre- mendous way to begin the day was with the George Wiebe family. I am thankful for all of the preparation on their part and was blessed by their presentations which will long be remembered. Phyllis J. Baumgartner, home- maker, First Church, Berne, Indiana I didn't feel that there was enough scheduled for youth. I really enjoyed meeting people and the singing was great! Martha Neufeld, tenth grade student, Hively Avenue Church, Elkhart, Indiana In giving the report of the Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Mr. Waltner again showed his deep concern (as he did at the Central District Conference) about the low number that are entering the direct call of the ministry — that is, proclaiming the message of the gospel. His concern should be ours as various congregations and also as individu- als. Anna Weber, part-time church secre- tary, Zion Church, Donnellson, Iowa Roger Siebert, below left, pastor of the Grace Church, Pandora, Ohio, serves communion on opening night. I liked the museums we went to. I mainly liked the Ohio Caverns. I thought they didn't give us enough time at the Neil Armstrong Museum. The lunches were terrible! Schuy- ler Steelberg, fifth grade student, First Church, Wadsworth, Ohio For me the greatest expression and expe- rience of the church occurs more on an "unofficial" level than through resolutions and official proclamations. Although much of the business and program of the confer- ence was significant, the real moving of the Spirit at this conference occurred in fellow- ship with individuals drawn together with their own agendas to share memories, love, and hope. Ron Ropp, hospital chaplain, First Church, Normal, Illinois I was impressed with the variety of opinions and people that gathered at Bluffton. The transition from the confrontation of discus- sions of issues to group singing was memora- ble. Mark Weidner, pastor, Cincinnati Fellowship, Cincinnati, Ohio The theme "Family in Focus" was meaning- ful to me as I heard J. Winfield Fretz deal with today's family structures and as I attended Bruce Wood's workshops. I also liked the emphasis on the church as a family in the business sessions. But the real highlight for me was experiencing family by meeting and visiting with many friends. Ada Spaeth, nurse, First Church, Nappanee, Indiana The General Conference was four things to me: 1. an opportunity to see people from diverse levels of understanding and interest coming together to solve problems, bridge gaps, and share "in celebration" our faith. 2. having a glimpse of the total work of our church and then coming away feeling that exciting things are happening. 3. fellowshipping with friends whom I haven't seen for several years. 4. the agony of "roasting" in the upper level bleacher seats in Founders Hall, but at the same time the joy of seeing so many young people sitting all around me getting turned on to the singing of the conference. Elizabeth Hostetler, assistant professor of education. First Church, Lima, Ohio I think General Conference is a good way to settle problems we have. The senior high get- togethers were about the most meaningful to me. Martin Kooker, tenth grade student, First Church, Bluffton, Ohio I appreciated the Christian fellowship and felt a common love in Christ. The congrega- tional singing was so beautiful. It was one of the highlights of the conference! The workshops were meaningful. Thanks to our fine Christian president, Elmer Neufeld, and his family. Ed and Dorothy Baumgartner, farmer and homemaker, Bethel Church, Fortuna, Missouri itpte tec >ti it |ve no ! II 13'.: imti nd p Hi the in:. U jstoi ica la I lent, orb leii c Jedi forrr tea Elmer Neufeld was reelected president of the General Confer- ence for a three-year term. Music was a highlight for many at the General Conference triennial sessions July 28- A ugust 3 in Bluffton, Ohio. Below, participants join in group singing at one of the sessions held in Founders Hall. «S •ia Me: lissic iJiC ndd I isom Words & deeds lVorld-renowned Latin American church- man Orlando Costas, theologian, lecturer, jnd writer, is spending the last two weeks of leptember in the Newton, Kansas, area. jLecognized as an outstanding theoretician n strategy for Christian missions, he will ddress a series of public meetings as well as ■ ;rve as resource person to the Commis- on on Overseas Mission. He is in Newton at he invitation of COM. Mr. Costas has aveled worldwide as a member of evange- sm teams organizing evangelism campaigns nd preparing pastors and church members n the foundations and strategy of evange- i km. A native of Puerto Rico, he is secretary | f studies and publications for the Institute f In-Depth Evangelism, and director of atin American Evangelical Center for astoral Studies, both in San Jose, Costa Rica. ibwrjej in life skills are being offered by , den Mental Health Centre, Winkler, Mani- jjtba. Courses in parenting, marriage enrich- ment, and a course designed for church , orkers who want to become more skilled in jiieir counseling and caring are among those iheduled over the next few months. More formation can be obtained by contacting e centre. he Commission on Ch'erseas Mission will eet September 24-25 in Newton, Kansas, to ake a decision about a cooperative mission | Mexico with the Evangelical Mennonite .ission Church of Canada (EMMC). The emo of understanding between the two I ission organizations states that the EM MC ipuld send its Mexico missionaries through DM, and COM would provide administra- te expertise. Both groups would provide rsonnel and funds for the work among the j:ennonites in Mexico. inadian Mennonite Bible College, Winni- g, Manitoba, began its academic year ptember 6 with 1 1 5 enrolled, half of whom ; first-year students. Guest speaker for the liege's opening program on September 25 George Epp, lay minister in the Springfield :ights Mennonite Church in Winnipeg, d lecturer in the German department of ; University of Manitoba. Included in tns for the current year is a monthly isical vesper service to be held in the liege's chapel. CMBC music faculty will rticipate in these services whose purpose is praise God and his love through music. new headquarters building is under istruction for Mennonite Central Com- ttee in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The steel building, 50 by 125 feet, is to be erected by the end of October with interior finishing scheduled for the winter months. Volunteers are expected to do the interior work. The new headquarters for the provincial organi- zation will house the material aid depart- ment and offices, and there will be space available for rent to other church agencies. Proposed animated television spots for cross-cultural release by Mennonite Broad- casts, Elkhart, Indiana, have run into a budget cut and content objections. Overseas persons evaluating the proposed scenes questioned the visual features of the charac- ters, the family members chosen for the scenes, the type of communication they had, and the amount of Christian message in each spot. Most of the persons evaluating the proposed spots felt that they should not be released in a wide variety of cultures, but should be designed for one area similar to the North American scene, such as Latin Ameri- ca. To serve the needs of elderly persons, members of the Germantown Mennonite Meetinghouse in Philadelphia, Pennsylva- nia, have organized a twice weekly hot-lunch program for their community. Older adults are fed home-cooked meals at little or no cost. Response to the service has been excellent. Many of those who come respond by offering to help out with the meals and in other ways, too. Two women began a free sewing service, and another, gifted in art, has given some of her work for sale. Coordina- tors of the project note that more important than the nutritional benefits derived from the meal is the opportunity the meal provides for these older adults to form friendships, and for the church to reach out in a meaningful way to the community. Transsexual surgery is an issue for the Mennonite Board of Missions, Elkhart. The board is debating whether to accept the management of a hospital in southeastern Colorado at which a leading physician performs transsexual surgery. Committee members acknowledge that the town in which the hospital is located is the kind they would normally get involved with. It needs a health services management group, it has a low economic base, the majority of its population is Spanish-American, and the request for help has repeatedly come to the committee. A transsexual is a person genetically of one sex with a psychological urge to belong to the opposite sex. Experts say that some of these persons feel so strongly that they are trapped in the bodies of the opposite sex that corrective surgery is their only alternative. Luke Birky, secretary for health and welfare services of the board. asked, "How do we treat the question of transsexual surgery seriously when the issue appears to be so far removed from our experience?" The committee acted not to work toward a mangement agreement with the hospital at the present time. It was felt that time is needed for theologians, medical professionals, and the church-at-large to grapple with the issues related to transsexual surgery. Development in Nepal proceeds slowly but perceptibly, according to Carl W. Freder- icks of the United Mission to Nepal. Health care is expanding. Improved agricultural efforts are increasing. "Nepal still has a long road to travel, but there is movement," he said. "We rejoice that we can be a part of that movement." General Conference Mennonite workers currently work with the United Mission through Mennonite Central Comit- tee. First Mennonite Church, Calgary, Alberta, had an unusual happening at the closing program of their Daily Vacation Bible School in August. The DVBS project was to assist the twenty-nine-member Luyendyk family. Although Roy and Jean Luyendyk have several of their own children, the Lord has laid it upon their hearts to adopt many more. The family includes children of all ages, and several races. Farmers, the Luyendyks are self-supporting except for gifts from individuals and organizations. All twenty-nine members of the family were present at the closing program in which they also participated with songs, a skit, and a description of their life as a family. Canadian Mennonite secondary and Bible schools have formed an organization which will focus on administrative needs, staff development, student projects, and constitu- ency relations. Founded in July, the coordi- nating committee is Jack Suderman, Ros- thern Junior College, Saskatchewan; Vic Kliewer, Elim Bible Institute, Manitoba; Bill Toews, United Mennonite Educational Institute, Ontario; and Ed Enns, executive secretary of the Congregational Resources Board of the Canadian Conference. The organization has been named the Canadian Association of Mennonite Schools. The Kanadier, or Colony, Mennonites in North and South America are showing a "tremendous interest" in the new German- language newspaper Die Mennonitische Post, says editor Abe Warkentin. Mennonite Central Committee volunteers Abe and Myrna Warkentin say the paper is a communication tool between relatives of the estimated 100,000 Colony Mennonites. There are now 3,000 paid-up subscriptions. E MENNONITE 537 Record Calendar October 21-23 — Western District Confer- ence annual sessions, Buhler High School, Buhler, Kansas Canadian September 25 — Opening program of Canadian Mennonite Bible College; First Church, Winnipeg Western September 21 — Lecture, Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kansas; speaker, Orlando Costas September 25 — Lecture, Bethel College Church, North Newton, Kansas; theme, "The Christian Mission as Liberation"; speaker, Orlando Costas October 7-9-Fall Festival, Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas K. Friesen P. Friesen G. Klassen Workers Phil and Kim Friesen, Bethel Church, Mountain Lake, Minnesota, are beginning a five-year term under the General Conferen- ce's Commission on Overseas Mission as missionaries to Taiwan. Phil will work in the music program of the Taiwan Mennonite churches, developing indigenous music and teaching music. Kim will work with youth outreach in urban churches. Phil holds a master's degree in music education from Northwestern University and has been teaching in the Christian Day School in Mountain Lake. Kim, a native of Saigon, Vietnam, holds a master's in guidance and counseling from Kearney State College in Nebraska. Vale | toe Stnt pes tic George and Charlotte Klassen, Foothills Church, Calgary, Alberta, have begun a thirty-months term as Mennonite Central Committee volunteers in Feni, Bangladesh, # working in agriculture extension. George lert holds a BS in agricultural engineering from dim the University of Manitoba. He served with Ii MCC as a high school physics and mathan teacher in Nigeria in 1969-72. He has been working as an engineer with a consulting! firm in Calgary. Charlotte majored in artsal; Canadian Mennonite Bible College, WinniiP] peg, Manitoba. Train Me: ••a:. Lobe M. Lobe M. Nisly V. Olfert Warkentin Bert C. and Martha Lobe, Zoar Church, ^aldheim, Saskatchewan, have begun a iree-year term of service with Mennonite entral Committee as country representa- ves in India. They served previously with ICC in India in 1966-69, Bert working in Dspital administration, relief, and commu- ty development and Martha as a nurse and orking with the MCC Self-Help program, ert has served as principal of Waldheim ;hool. Martha has been employed by niversity Hospital, Saskatoon, Saskatche- an. Weldon and Margaret Nisly, Kalona pwa) Church, have begun a two-year term Mennonite Central Committee volunteers Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, working with j/angelicals for Social Action organizing discipleship workshops in congregations and on Christian college campuses. Weldon holds a BA in economics from the University of Iowa and an MA in peace studies from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana. He was previously em- ployed as a staff person for poverty minis- tries of the General Conference Mennonite Church. Eric and Verna Olfert, Charleswood Church, Winnipeg, Manitoba, will begin French language study in the fall in prepara- tion for a three-year assignment as Menno- nite Central Committee country representa- tives in Chad. Eric is currently the acting overseas director of MCC (Canada). He is a graduate of the University of Saskatchewan with a BS and an MEng in agricultural engineering. Verna holds a diploma of sacred music from Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg. Ronald Sawatzky was commissioned by the Bethlehem Church, Bloomfield, Monta- na, on July 24. He is a missionary candidate of the General Conference's Commission on Overseas Mission. He will be serving in Botswana under Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission. Byron Warkentin, Maplewood Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana, has begun a thirty- months term with Mennonite Central Committee teaching elementary school in a village near Santa Cruz, Bolivia. He holds a BS in elementary education from Goshen (Indiana) College. Byron is the son of Otto and Louetta Warkentin of Fort Wayne. □tiers Give today for overseas missions, home ministries, Christian education, seminary. Our 1977 goal is $3,179,883. GENERAL CONFERENCE MENNONITE CHURCH Box 347 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard Newton, Kansas 67114 Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4 Review Books on marriage and divorce Equal Marriage, by Jean Stapleton and Richard Bright (G. R. Welch Company, Toronto; Abingdon, Nashville; 1976, 144 pages), and The Other Side of Divorce, by Helen Kooiman Hosier (Prentice- Hall of Canada, Scarborough; Hawthorne Books, New York; 1975, 198 pages), are reviewed by David Janzen. Niagara-on-the-Lake , Ontar- io LOS I JO. The authors of Equal Marriage are husband and wife. Jean Stapleton is head of the journalism department at Eastern Los Angeles College, and Richard Bright is active in marriage, family, and child counsel- ing. In both cases their spouses died and they are newly married. In their struggle for equality in marriage, they decided it would be an unnecessary burden for the wife to take her husband's last name. The book tries to follow the golden mean between the unacceptable extreme positions represented by Open Marriage, on the one hand^ and Total Woman and Fascinating Womanhood, on the other. "Equal marriage means having the same status in the relationship, the same responsibility for the success of the relationship, and the same responsibility for the couple's survival in the world." They say that marriages of the future will be the commitments of two equals to each other. Intimacy will increasingly become the goal toward which couples will strive in their marriage. Then the loveless, game-playing marriages, and marriages for money and status, all of which lack commitment, will die out. Equal marriage does not involve reversing the roles of the spouses. But it means sharing their lives more fully as it pertains to housekeeping, child rearing, and the burden of earning a living. Decision making is shared and the spouses become partners in marriage instead of one being the boss of the family. The spouses are no longer defined by sex roles, nor are children to be brought up on the basis of these traditional roles. Boys need to know how to cook and sew, and girls should learn to fix things and do yard work. Sex has been trivialized to the level of food and going to the bathroom. But where there is commitment and equality in marriage, there can be no room for sexual experiments with other partners. Extramarital sex creates barriers and is a blow to the heart of marriage. An equal marriage relationship rejects "such women's liberation terms as 'male chauvinist,' 'male supremacist,' and 'sexist pig,' " because they put men squarely in the camp of the enemy. "In equal marriage you want to be on the same team, helping and supporting each other, cheering each other on." Such an intimate relationship is not likely to end in divorce, and if you lose your spouse by death, you will survive better for having had an equal marriage. By and large, I find myself on one wavelength with the authors of the book. By following their suggestions, newlyweds could avoid many pitfalls and older couples could learn how to revitalize their marriages. The Other Side of Divorce is by an evangelical woman who has gone through a divorce and remarriage. Bernard Ramm of Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary writes a glowing foreword to this book. He also says that about once every two weeks he hears about some "Christian friend, some evangelical minister, and yes, even some evangelical missionaries who go through the divorce procedure." Ms. Hosier portrays the story of many of these unfortunate persons and quotes from them and the Bible as she pleads for our understanding and acceptance. In 1971 her marriage of twenty-two years ended in divorce. She speaks of the mental anguish and heartbreak in an attempt to arouse our pity, doing what Socrates disdained to do in his defense. A Christian friend writing a letter of recommendation for her husband says, "Over the years, he patiently and with long- suffering tried to rectify the situation. ... He was caught in an impossible situation, of which he only had one option in order to recover a strong ego-identification as a person and male and to be able to be self- fulfilling and useful in the Lord's service." The author hates divorce, yet her book really encourages the many persons living in "a state of undivorce," to have the honesty and courage to get divorced. (One wonders what would happen to our present escalating divorce rate — one divorce for each 2.56 marriages if her advice would be followed.) As an immature young woman, she had not sought God's guidance in marriage. So it was not God's will that she and her husband should marry and so the divorce is not !0( tear it L putting asunder what God has put together, God's ways are ways of peace, not the peace of reconciliation, but of divorce. Surely he would not want her to end up in a mental institution! What about church discipline? There can be no such thing because pure numbers make it unthinkable — "then let us have a purge of |iniie all undesirable elements to be found within our ranks. Who would be left?" Or in another chapter, "there are just too many of J; them (divorced individuals) around these days." Still later we are told that one pastor said 65 percent of his people were divorced; for another pastor it was 35 percent, and for a third 50 percent. So the church mustjurpn rethink its position and adjust to the realities of the present social and cultural situation, Divorce makes for better Christians. It is| u also good for the children because the divorced spouses are better parents and Lr spend more time with them now than they did before. In fact, she found all remarried ^ persons to be much closer to the Lord now than before the divorce God has given us perfect laws, but when B the law makes men adulterers, it must be set aside. In fact, God's marriage law produced K. injustices, "all worse than divorce itself." » For all its pious phrases and biblical quotations, I regard this as a highly immor; book. It really supports sin with "upliftei hands," making evil appear to be good. It represents what Bonhoeffer called "chea; grace." I can recommend it only to those whi want a glimpse of the morally low state o: part of modern evangelicalism, but not ti those who are searching for the true will of'tir,,,, God. §>{ Be The ftp ask ft kf Help wantei WISH tmed The ACTS (Artists Communicating Through Ser ^ vice) unit in Chicago has immediate openings fo ( persons trained and experienced In the arts wh| want to live in community and serve persons! churches, and institutions of the city through thn l»»as I {00 arts. One- or two-year terms available. Contact; Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 I Ilk 540 SEPTEMBER 20, 197 , Letters 'oor source of information rear Editor: The Mennonite has done a jither good job of reporting about Vietnam, ihe July 12 issue, however, was an excep- pn. Why do you ask us to believe a uddhist beneficiary of the U. S. military Ivolvement in Vietnam? | Why did Thich Giac Due have to evacuate lietnam in 1975? Who paid his way to the iinited States? Why does he go on a hunger i rike against Vietnam now? Did he ever go 1 a hunger strike protesting the devastating ■ nited States involvement in Vietnam? I met Thich Giac Due in Vietnam and have ; itened to him lecture in English. He was a rong anti-Communist and, in fact, taught | the Saigon Army's staff college. It's not uprising, therefore, that he evacuated in i pril 1975. In addition to heading the uddhist Congregational Church of Ameri- l now, he is editor of a Vietnamese jjblication Duoc Tue, which has on its llitorial board some well-known Vietna- mese collaborators with the U.S. Govern- I ent- ' The CIA is "an equal opportunity employ- r": perhaps we need to be reminded that Key will pay people regardless of race or I ligion. If The Mennonite needs to fill up i ore space like page 442, then some of the I icy rumors about Vietnam could be | printed from the variety of slick magazines ighich are published in Vietnamese here in Be States and which are subsidized by the I nited States Government. But don't bother li ask me to translate those rumors. I I long to see justice prevail at home and i >road, but I believe that even today there lie better sources of information about ijietnam. James Klassen, Route 2, Box 12 A, Newton, Kansas 67114 July 27 ejections on Bluffton ear Editor: Here are some reflections on e Bluffton conference by an octogenarian. 1. Some things that struck me in the scussions: (a) The feeling in the conference emed to be that missionaries should preach stice but they should not mix into politics foreign countries. It seems to me the line :tween the two is sometimes thin. For stance, we heard the case of the young man ho was arrested because he was distribut- g goods to the poor. The authorities ought that indicated he was a Communist. ) The reaction of the conference to arnelia Lehn's request that the war tax be )t withheld from her salary made me think that we use the word Anabaptist all too glibly. I wonder how many of us would have been Anabaptist if we had lived at the time of Conrad Grebel and Felix Manz. They were a radical group. I don't think they would have felt that voting in favor of that motion would be forcing a group to yield to one person's conscience, since they would have all refused to pay the tax. It was different, of course, with later Mennonites who paid large sums to the German Government in order to be free from military service or else paid individuals to take their place. 2. I was interested in the changes that have come into our conference, (a) The place of women in the conference is particularly outstanding. In the olden days, no woman would speak at the conference, though women were permitted to attend as long as I can remember. A missionary woman might possibly be permitted to give a report. Even at St. Catharines three years ago, while women's rights and duties were stressed, I don't recall that any woman spoke from the floor. This time any number of women spoke, just as many as men, I believe. (b) The use of multimedia in giving reports was very real at St. Catharines and here, too. Study Guides 1 A six-session study on the auto- mobile and Christian responsibil- ity. 49 pages, paperback $2.00 2 A study guide for Christian peo- ple on social change. 59 pages, paperback $2.00 3 STiW Women in the dim Bible and IBB Early Anabaptlsm fmi HQ Lesson Helps for All We're Meant te Be New Men New Roles A thirteen-lesson study in two parts on the role of women in church and society. 63 pages, paperback $2.00 Send orders to: Congregational Sales, Faith and Life Press, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 HE MENNONITE 541 (c) More joy in celebration. Who would have imagined religious choreography on the stage years ago? (d) The young people were so much more obvious. They gave a play, and there was singing by a huge group. One young person led the singing of the whole conference with her guitar at two instances. (e) It used to be that the conference would taper off towards the end after the main celebration on Sunday. Not so now, huge crowds were present until the very last evening. Even the resolutions of thanks were not spoken but given in song with the congrega- tion responding with the seven-fold amen. It was a good conference. Marie J. Janzen, Box 205, North Newton, Kansas 67117 The place of the skull Dear Editor: General Conference sessions are always a lift. There were some real high spots. Among them were the unusual Wiebe family, J. Winfield Fretz, Levi Keidel, Archie Graber, and Kazadi. Mr. Keidel's new book ought to be a "must" for all of us. Of course, the visiting with a host of friends is indeed refreshing. It may well be that Brother Schmidt's exegesis on Caesar and God and Brother Dalke's call for moderation is where we as a people stand. However, I trust that neither they nor we will say that this is what God is saying through his Son Jesus Christ! Their point of view is more comfortable until one looks seriously at "the place of the skull." William H. Stauffer, United Church of Christ, Stone Creek, Ohio 43840 August 9 Not a conscientious objector Dear Editor: The writer of "Revisiting Camp Funston" (August 9 issue) is and was a noncombatant, posing as a conscientious objector. This reveals his wishful thinking. He is not the only one that would like to be classed as a CO and to capitalize on the stand the COs took during the war. The two positions need to be defined: a noncombatant is a soldier doing service in the army other than actual combat duty. He is considered a full-fledged soldier and is not a CO. A CO is one who has refused all military service without compromise. I was drafted about a month after the writer. When court-martialed, I was asked to choose between taking noncombatant ser- vice or being shot. I answered: "Shot, sir." This goes to show the opinion of the military on the issue. I am talking from experience. Menno Claassen, Good Samaritan Center, 1306 South 9 th Street, A-5, Beatrice, Nebraska 68310 August 16 I the chose ministry I would not have become a pastor if it had not been for a call from my congregation. I held no antagonism toward pastoral minis- try, but I, on my own, wouldn't have declared any intentions to enter this specific vocation. My call came when I was already in my forties. My call from within the congregation tells me the importance of enthusiastic and strong affirmation towards persons who show promise. Pastors need to encourage others to preach, to teach, and to counsel. Internship opportunities, scholarships for training, involvement in congregational decision making, and relating to a variety of age groups are handles which every congrega- tion can make available for potential minis- ters. I write this after only four months of experience. I haven't yet seen too many hazards and frustrations. One possible frustration for pastors is the vast array of expectations which people in the congregation express in various subtle and not-so-subtle ways. I am glad that we agreed in the beginning what my role would be for an initial two-year appointment. I also find it helpful to have the congregational chairperson be my primary point of refer- ence. We meet regularly to discuss my work and the congregation. My counsel has been to take a regular day off and to reserve evenings for my family. The dangers of "burning out" need to be recognized. I was also advised not to take myself too seriously. Pastors need ta recognize that we can't do everything. I'm trying to follow this advice. Even though I am not convinced that I should serve as a pastor on a career basis after my two-year "trial" period at the Charleswood Church, I am sold on the importance of the position. A person in this role has countless opportunities to minister to people who are hurting. One fact that impressed itself on me in the past four months is that the pastor is in as good a position as anyone I know to listen to and to help people who don't know where else to turn for help. The stock of the pastoral ministry is riding high. Persons who would probably not speak to anyone else about their problems are ready to talk to the pastor. For persons concerned to become people- helpers, the pastorate is the place to be. Larry Kehler, pastor, Charleswood Menno- nite Church, Winnipeg >il Letters urged for WPTF bill Dear Editor: Now that we have endorsed the World Peace Tax Fund bill, is there anything else we need to do to get this passed? At this time it is important that the members of the ways and means committee receive many letters in support of this bill from their constituents. I understand one reason the bill has never been favorably reported out of the committee is not enough interest expressed to the members of this committee. If your representative is a member of the ways and means committee, get every voter in his district, interested in keeping their taxes from being used for war purposes, to write one or more letters to the representative. One objection to the bill is that it is the wrong way to promote peace and reduce federal spending for war. The main purpose of the bill is to provide a way to keep my tax money from being spent for war purposes. When we got the exemption from direct military service, we did not claim it would bring peace, even though it may have some influence for peace. So might this bill, but we should emphasize the main purpose is to exempt me from supporting the war effort financially. The chairman of the committee is Al Ullman (Second District, Oregon). Samuel Baergen, 121 South Charles, Wichita, Kansas 67213 August 29 Liked Mexico article ■an:n: ions: ioun( St di: ■land; tieir s ease Fa- ulk j akei ilk (0 C; The BO.'i far hi i ma u a nil !\''" MI HV1 fcil The} fort lei Dear Lois: I write to express appreciation for your article on Mexico entitled "Rubber Tires, Schools, and a Mission" (August 23 issue). It is a beautiful piece of writing. It L was, for me, a window into a subject which IL interests me, but on which there is not all that IL,. much information. At a few places I felt a little discomfort over what seemed to be a mild depreciation of the Old Colony way of life as contrasted with those who were "liberated" in the General Conference way of life. But basically I thought you were objective, and 1 found the article helpful. Edgar Stoesz, 21 South 12th u Street, Akron, Pennsylvania 17501 August 25 1^ 1*011 isii': Ipeo fthii 542 SEPTEMBER 20, 1977 HE V Meditation Contents 'ilgrimage and un pilgrimage I will lift up my eyes to the hills . . ." (Psalm 121:1). ! Before the light of dawn, the Hindu pilgrims were up to catch the first of several buses they ould take to Trijuginarain, high in the Himalayas of North India. For several days they jould ride buses crowded with pilgrims like themselves, making the pilgrimage to edarnath, the holy place of the Hindu god Shiva. j People of all ages and conditions are on the buses. Children, babies in arms, old men laning on their sticks, old women bent double and dragging themselves along, giving little j ought to the discomfort and danger of a crowded bus, travel along the narrow, precipitous ountain roads. In the past, several busloads of pilgrims had plunged 2,000 or 3,000 feet into je distant valleys below the road, killing scores of people on board. But, for the Hindu llgrims life itself is considered insignificant before the chance to worship in the sacred mple at Kedarnath, beneath the towering Himalayan peaks, site of the source of the sacred Sandakini River. Deeper into the mountains goes the bus, clinging to the narrow mountain roads. The bus ops for night, and, after cooking their meal of chapattis and rice, the tired pilgrims roll out ieir sleeping mats at a dharmshala and wrap their worn-out blankets around themselves as eager protection against the chill mountain air. Finally, the pilgrims reach Trijugianarain, where the road ends. From here on they must alk a narrow mountain path thirteen miles up to the village of Kedarnath. Entire families ake the trek, the old and the young, the crippled and the sturdy of limb. Some ride in kandis p the backs of coolies. The more wealthy may ride in dandies borne by four men. Some take ko days to walk the thirteen miles. Others can do it easily in one. The path to Kedarnath from Trijugianarain follows the winding Mandakini River. All ong the way one is faced with the beauties of nature: cascades and waterfalls, wild flowers, ountain peaks wrapped in mist and then revealed in all their splendor as the sun's rays poke rough the clouds. They meet other pilgrims on the way down and they greet each other with e words: Jai Kedarnath, or "Greetings to the pilgrim of Kedar." Bent under the weight of their packs, the pilgrims stop to rest at an occasional tea stall on e way, their bodies sweat-soaked despite the chill air as the path gets increasingly steeper. Finally, when it seems as if they cannot go another step, they come around a bend in the ith and there in a panoramic view before them is the village of Kedarnath, sitting on a arshy plain with the towering Himalayas directly behind. A glacier is cradled in the ountain peaks from which the melted snow forms the source of the Mandakini. It is an awe- spiring sight, one many have waited a lifetime to see. Their whole being is filled with a sense worship as they enter the sacred precincts of the Hindu deity Shivaji. The long trip from eir villages on the Indian plain, the crowded buses, the heat and the cold, and the tiredness their bodies from the long uphill trek fade into insignificance as they gaze in wonder at the feht. | They make their way to the temple at the far end of the village, and there they bow down :fore a lingam of Shiva in the center of the temple. Their pilgrimage to this sacred place is ] Hilled. "I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord!' " (Psalm 122:1). It was 8:30 on Sunday morning when Menno's alarm went off. He rolled over and decided |; would sleep until 9:00 on this day. After all, it didn't matter so much if he missed Sunday Jhool. That would still give him time to get to the eleven o'clock service. I At 9:00 he finally got up, turned on the radio, listened to the weather forecast for the day, id heard the announcer say it would be ninety-three degrees. That was hot, and the church isn't air-conditioned. Maybe he would stay home today. Why, if he walked the four blocks church, he would be all sweaty when he got there. He wouldn't want that and neither would Be people around him. He could drive, he supposed, but with the energy crisis and all, it I buldn't be good stewardship to drive an air-conditioned car four blocks. Today he would Iprship by watching a service on TV in his air-conditioned living room. ! Somewhere, in a village on the plains of India, a devout Hindu arose, said his prayers to his ds, and began making preparations for the long journey to Kedarnath. Myron Schrag Open your hearts 530 The silver ruble 532 We are trying to reach out 533 News 534 Record 538 Books on marriage and divorce 540 Letters 541 I chose the ministry 542 Pilgrimage and unpilgrimage 543 Satan is not retired 544 CONTRIBUTORS Nancy K. Williams, 5927 Miller Street, Arvada, Colorado 80004, works as a develop- mental disabilities consultant for Mennonite Mental Health Services Peter J. Hampton, 1416 Delia Avenue, Akron, Ohio 44320, is a counseling and consulting psychologist. Ben Friesen is pastor of the Inman (Kansas) Mennonite Church. Myron Schrag, 2801 22nd Street East, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55406, is the pastor of the Faith Mennonite Church. Katie Funk Wiebe, 208 North Jefferson, Hillsboro, Kansas 67063, is a frequent writer for Mennonite papers. CREDITS Cover, Robert Maust, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22801; 534, Menno Wiebe, MCC (Canada); 535, Studio David. Bethlehem, and RNS. Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Assistant editor: Vic Reimer, Box 347, Newton, Kan- sas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circu- lation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Evelyn Krehbiel, 229 Brookwood, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, La Vernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117; Encom- pass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805; and Conference of Menno- nites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P0M4 HE MENNONITE 543 Satan is not retired Katie Funk Wiebe I remember a few rare occasions in the eighth grade when a classmate would come to school one morning, gather up his books, wave a half-sheepish, half-triumphant good-bye, and leave. This day was his sixteenth birthday. He had fulfilled his legal responsibilities to school. Now he was free. Those recollections are fully compensated for by the sight of several dozen senior citizens trooping back to the classroom each week on our campus and on campuses across the nation. They are well over sixty, over seventy, and some even over eighty. A highlight for me is my weekly session with them. Two years ago we worked at writing autobiogra- phies. This past year we studied literature. Continuing education for adults is obviously in. No longer do we have to defend the idea that a human being is teachable until death. People are not afraid to accept that creativity can be set free at any age, for learning is never a completed activity. One educator said recently that rapid change is so permeating every sphere of human activity that "we may anticipate the beginning of compulsory education for the middle-aged and elderly." He was thinking, of course, of updating education for self- development, for vocational and professional competency, for health and welfare, and for civic, political, and community involvement. But I can suggest other courses that should be included in such a curriculum. One person suggest- ed recently that every individual should take a course in how to make friends. He was not interested in courses in psychology or sociology, he said, but in learning to build trust, extend forgiveness and generosity, and especially in finding the courage to risk dialog and confrontation with another person. Far too many people move into old age without this skill. Mostly they have been taught to function defensively. Another course for late bloomers might be learning to listen. Recently on our campus we observed Minority Week. Several black spokesmen talked about race relations. I wondered why they had to keep telling us, "We hurt when you leave us out, or when you reveal by your attitudes and actions that we don't belong." The white society, including the church, has been told this hundreds of times. Yet those speakers had to tell us again — and they said so seriously and humorously, with pathos and with bitterness, hoping some idea would catch. But they aren't the only ones pleading, "Listen to me." Recently an older minister commented that "retired minister" meant "useless minister." He was hurting, but no one was listening. Some singles, whether never married, divorced, or widowed, dare to whisper similar words. One woman said, "When I think about church, I could cry." She was tired of trying to fit into a church which didn't know what to do with her. But no one heard her cry of pain. But I'd like to add something else to this special curriculum. I'd like to see a course included on how to cope with change, particularly in theology. I sense many puzzled people in the church who cannot understand the changes in our theological world. Middle-aged and older people have become familiar and comfortable with one theology — a theology of salvation, missions and evangelism, stewardship, and church loyalty. Today they are being confronted with liberation theology, relation- al theology, black theology, process theology, and several others in addition to the ones they know. The grave danger is for proponents of the new theologies to feel contemptuous and even a little arrogant of the ordinary man or woman in the pew who isn't overwhelmed by some of the new emphases. The latter tend to become baffled and even angry at attempts to liberalize their beliefs. So I think we need a course which will help us understand all these theologies, and perhaps even that, at best, they are manmade systems of beliefs about God and his relationship to humanity. But I can't omit one other course. I suggest it be one which lets all Christians know that Satan has not retired on his Social Security benefits. I sense how unprepared we are for the experience of the daimon, not only in ourselves and other Christians, but especially in the church and its institutions. We expect Satan to work in society at large, but not where we believe Christ is Lord. We are unprepared for the destructive attacks of the enemy, hesitant to believe he may be sitting in at some committee sessions, even though they began with prayer. A worthwhile curriculum? It was part of the curriculum Christ used with his disciples. He warned Peter to guard against Satan's attacks. He taught his disciples to love their neighbors as themselves. He gave them the example of the good Samaritan who felt a stranger's pain as his own. Our legal responsibilities to this curriculum are never fulfilled at any age — sixteen or sixty. It is the basis for continuing education for a lifetime. Cl|iHlifeii today and In g Ann Landers discovered that 70 percent of American parents would not have children, if they could do it over again. Such a finding is startling until we realize that people have children for many reasons — religious, social, economic, lack of effective birth control, desire to save a marriage, loneliness, boredom, and of course, also because of love and a positive regard for children. The public is properly outraged over physical and emotional abuse of children. Some are beaten physically while others are battered by ridicule and develop with very low self-esteem. Parents often expect children to fulfill their own inner needs, only to be disappoint- ed. We dare not allow our children to become the primary reason for our exist- ence. When parents say, "I love my children, but I can't stand being around them," then it is time to seriously seek ways of changing such a predicament. Children, parents both have needs Children today need what they have always needed — love, security, acceptance, stimulation, firm but sensible limits, food and shelter, freedom to explore and try new experiences, and learning how to accept responsibility. If these needs are met, children flourish in a variety of family styles. Parents have needs, too, especially for confidence in their own abilities. Children born in the future will enter families confused about appropriate parent- ing principles. Parents receive conflicting advice on how to raise children. They try rigid control, and if that fails, acquiesce and become very permissive. The advice ranges from extreme rigidity, overcontrol and severe punishment, to extreme apathy, excessive permissiveness, and freedom. Parents may feel negatively about their own childhood experiences and want to avoid similar feelings in their children. Yet Carl N. Rutt and Max Miller they often repeat their parents' patterns, their children also come to fear and avoid them, and the cycle continues. The needs of children relate to the needs of parents. Problems of children are often the problems of parenting. If parents wish to change their children, they must usually begin with themselves. In general, parents need to adopt a parenting style compatible with their own personali- ties. They should also relate to the children's basic needs. When problems arise, consistency is important but should not keep parents from trying new alternatives. Normalcy is a relative term and healthy families do have problems. Disruptive influences Children's needs may be constant but family structures and styles have changed dramatically. Fewer families work as a unit on farms. Boys and girls have less opportuni- ties to share in their parents' work. Families move frequently, for reasons that serve parents' needs, not usually because of the children. This forces children to adapt to new schools, neighborhoods, churches, and friends. If they can handle it, they may become more resilient, otherwise it causes stress. Elton Trueblood has called ours a "cut-flower" generation; a people without stability. One out of ten U.S. children live in a single-parent home. In low-income black neighborhoods, the ratio is one out of two. The absent father syndrome can hamper sexual identification. Children have diffi- culty learning about the roles of males and fathers. While separation or divorce may sometimes ease prior tension and hostility in the home, one-parent families usually experience additional financial problems, and a lonely single parent may become preoccupied with personal needs to the point of being unable to help the children. When both parents are employed, it A: creates a heavy reliance on day care nursery services. The intimacy of parenta influence is reduced. Parents can worl carefully at arranging care service that wil loulc transmit compatible attitudes and values When the parents' work schedules conflict parental communication is also lessened ancjodai the children may seldom see mother an( father interacting. Child rearing requires time and energyfoildi Today's societal pressures tend to squeezi iccept children out. Adults are pressured to joir ever-expanding community activities. Chif dren may jeopardize plans and careers oi >i parents. It is becoming more socially acceptabliib not to have any children. Married adult ue\ today have to examine the depth, quality %-u and permanence of their marital contract: before deciding to bear children. The California divorce rate is one divorci for two marriages. Divorce is becominj more socially acceptable in the churches too. Current laws often make us determim one party "guilty." This affects the attitude ]] of parents and children. Even amiabli \p partings are often traumatic. Joint custod; fc|] of children is very seldom comfortable t< both partners. The increasing frequency o Vio remarriage results in bringing together ne families, often including children of the sami age. Divorce not only influences marriage. Ib can deeply traumatize the children. The; may feel guilty and responsible. They ma; worry about being abandoned by th$j remaining parent, and become dependen and clinging. They may attempt thi > impossible, trying to restore the marriage Smarter children Parents teach children much about th |Mr world, but they frequently bemoan the fac that children learn "new math" and othe modern concepts they do not understand! How can parents impart lasting values when their seventh grader is already learning whal they studied in high school? It requires again the realization tha[ wisdom and knowledge are not identical Respect for others, perseverance, friendli ness, courage, the ability to give and receiv love— these are the priceless gifts tha parents give to children. And these are bes learned if they are observed. 546 SEPTEMBER 27, 197 Vhen problems arise, consistency is important but should not eep parents from trying new alternatives. Normalcy is a alative term and healthy families do have problems. Rights of children In generations past, the attitude "children ijiould be seen but not heard," sometimes j:garded children as property, to be "used" Ipcording to our adult whims. Courts even Ipday hesitate to sever parental rights for hild abuse. However, the legal profession bcognizes that children do have rights, j'hildren have the right to be loved, to be jccepted for what they are, and not to be ompared to others or to our dream ideals. At the same time, children are not the mter of the universe. There is among us a reoccupation with youth and the notion lat growing old is to be resisted. Advertis- ig exploits the beautiful body. Grandpar- lts are "disposed of at retirement centers. Children then miss out on meaningful iree-generation relationships and the .vareness that old age can be beautiful. 'hanging influences Families will increasingly relate to a llture where persons are regarded as jjects to be used and wrong is only that for hich you are caught. Children need to learn dues that transcend such a world view. Violence increases and is reinforced by the lass media. At graduation from high hool, a child has spent half again more ne in front of television than in school, and is witnessed 13,400 murders enacted. I Violence breeds fear, stunts constructive jcpression, and retards sensitive relation- lips. Violence implies a physical resolution f conflict. A new counterculture is required help children learn a freedom to express affection and tenderness even when disagree- ing with others. Peer pressures create tension when chil- dren conform to the latest dress, hair, and dating codes. More free and open communi- cation can be the first step to greater understanding. Adolescents will capitalize on the vulnera- bility and inconsistency of parents. As children grow older, parents must grant more autonomy. This is normal and healthy, but frustrates many parents. Somehow we need to expect the child-almost-adult vacil- lation and to stand by our adolescents with the least amount of interference. If parents get most excited to prohibit their adolescents from drinking, those adolescents will probably "advance on this front." Research shows that adolescents feel best about themselves and their parents when they have some freedom but also some definite limits. Youth will periodically lament restraints but invariably appreciate the love and concern communicated in this manner. If children and adolescents are allowed choices in trivial areas such as dress or hair style, they are more likely to respect limits set in areas of greater importance. Sexuality is another important growth area. Normal young people are sexual. Peer pressure to perform is intense. Dialog between parents and children about sex is essential. Sexual intercourse among adolescents is common. Although we are made more aware of it today, frequency probably is not much greater now than in past generations. irents often expect children to fulfill their own inner needs, only to be sappointed. We dare not allow our children to become the primary reason for our cistence. Children and adolescents even today are generally ignorant on this subject. The church and home must provide more help. If it is to be accepted and respected, the information must be accurate and devoid of prejudices. Many adolescents who engage in sexual relations are not promiscuous. They regard their relationships as natural and affection- ate. If parents want them to see this in a broader Christian perspective, we will have to be open with our children to discuss it. Youth frequently accept premarital sex and feel guilty only about deceiving their families and friends. Adolescents have strong feelings against sexual exploitation and nine out of ten feel it is wrong for a boy to force a girl into sexual intercourse. Because young people's ideas about right and wrong are in the formative stage, it is imperative for parents to realistically share their own convictions. Parents may need to evaluate the advisability of providing con- traceptives to sexually active sons and daughters, and also to discuss the alterna- tives if pregnancy should occur. It may be dangerous to deny the existence of such problems. The church and home must give realistic counsel, guidance, and direction to all ages. Venereal disease and unwanted pregnancies are major problems today and will be more so tomorrow. Kahlil Gibran in The Prophet writes eloquently about the place children should have: Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love but not your thoughts. For they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls. For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. A Meetinghouse article Scbleitbefm On February 24, 1527, the earliest known Mennonite confession of faith. The Seven Articles of Schleitheim, was adopted by a conference of the Swiss Anabaptist Brethren. The main author probably was Michael Sattler of Stauffen, Germany, who was burned at the stake just three months later, on May 21, 1527. The Schleitheim Confession covers baptism, the ban, the Lord's Supper, separation from the world, pastors, nonresistance, and the oath. It was not intended as a full statement of Christian doctrine. In days of fierce persecution, this statement was set up to defend against unsound teachings of that period. Along with the writings of Conrad Grebel and Pilgram Marpeck, the Schleitheim Confession has helped us much in determining the teachings of the first Swiss Brethren. During May 16-31 of this year, the heritage committee of the General Conference and the historical committee of the Mennonite Church sponsored a 450th anniversary tour to Schleitheim. The* purpose was twofold: to visit again those early Anabaptist sites; ana pf, to study again those seven articles of faith. Richard A. Kauffman, editor o/ With magazine, was one of the fifty participants on this tour. He writes of his personal feelings and his oi experiences. A copy of the statement which grew out of this tournilh was printed in the July 12 issue of The Mennonite, page 444. \ision Sometimes I worry because I see Mennonites tripping off in all sorts of directions theologically. While some are walking down memory lane in search of an Anabaptist vision lost, others are heralding Bill Bright's four spiritual laws, or finding their place in Bill Gothard's chain of command, or learning to live in transit between the highs and lows of a charismatic experience, or bending their knees to the gods of American civil religion. In life-style we are not less diverse. At one extreme are those in mad pursuit of the almighty dollar. At the other end are those who forsake earthly possessions, opting for a less-is-more and communal style of life. It is often said that nonresistance is what binds us together. Perhaps. What do we mean by nonresistance? Refusal to partici- pate bodily in the military? Withholding of tax dollars which go toward military expenditures? Does nonresistance imply a passive stance in society or should it include nonviolent resistance — boycotting, lobby- ing, marching, campaigning? Maybe it's service that brings us together, as symbolized by Mennonite Central Com- mittee and Mennonite Disaster Service. Mennonites need to break out of their own camps to talk with each other. Menno- nites of Swiss-German background need Russian Mennonites, whites need blacks, liberals need conservatives, business persons need professionals, the young need the old, and vice versa, the better to fulfill our common calling in Jesus Christ. We need to come together to both air our differences and affirm our common faith. I was recently a part of such an encounter of Mennonites. The occasion was a Euro- pean tour held to commemorate the first Anabaptist confession of faith. We heard papers on the seven articles in the Schleitheim Confession: baptism, the ban (discipline), communion, nonconformi- ty, shepherds (church leadership), the sword, and oaths. The tour was climaxed by a two- day consultation at Breisach, a South German town on the Rhine. Major input was given there on three themes: the nature of the church, salvation, and mission. The group was a strange lot — nearly fifty in all — teachers, college students, historians, ministers, editors, church bureaucrats, businesspersons, housewives, and retirees. Theologically, the Anabaptist world of Grebel, Sattler, and Marpeck was home base for many, while others felt more at home in the evangelicalism of a D. L. Moody or Billy Graham. Unfortunately the group was predominately white and (Old) Mennonite, although we had enough persons of Russian Mennonite background, blacks, and Men- nonites of nonethnic Mennonite back- ground to help us break out of that exclu- siveness. Nearly everyone was theologically articu- late. Theological perception was matched with an equal amount of firmness of convictions, a combination which proved to be volatile in discussions. Major disagree- ments arose in highly charged discussions. 450 years later Disunity at the table erf:. irr::. immi Km rans leu iitici| The first major crisis arose over the practice of communion. Before the tour, participants had been informed that we would be visiting the Taueferhoehle, a cave * in Switzerland where persecuted Anabap- tists hid from the authorities. We wouldfcn celebrate the Lord's Supper there. As the time approached for communion, some questioned the location. Why have it at(ec; the cave? Might our observance of commun- ion degenerate into ancestor worship b& cause of our attempts to identify with the Anabaptists who worshiped there in secret jents 400 years ago? What was ultimately at stake was the very ousl meaning of communion itself. The group u showed no evidence of difficulty in rejecting sacramental views of communion. What divided us was a distinction in communion which historically has set the Reformed view firder: apart from the Anabaptist Some of our people were happy to say, with the Reformed tradition, that commun- n ion is a memorial to the work of Christ. For others, communion involves a call to discipleship, a willingness to bear the cross hi Christ bore, not only in his death but also his life. Moreover, the body of Christ we memorialize is not only the earthly body of Jesus, but his body in its presenfv; manifestation — the church. Communion then, symbolizes genuine fellowship andttn commitment to one another in the church, issti Persons of this latter perspective won-*. Iked *ilcl •vers trds, ;perie rougl fproa imim 548 SEPTEMBER 27, 197*^ Tour members gather at the Anabaptist cave in Switzerland. Participants were divided over the observance of communion at this spot. ' \iis oldest known copy of the Schleitheim i Motherly Union is kept at the Mennonite vstorical Library, Goshen, Indiana. •red whether our group was really serious tout discipleship. What's more, are we immitted to each other enough for corn- union to be an authentic symbol of our I jllowship? Can fifty people be seriously i immitted to each other in two short weeks? j Another way to interpret this tension is to i e how church unity relates to communion. I jr the memorial perspective, communion i! n be a means toward unity. Around the •mmunion table we leave behind our r fferences and affirm our common faith. It i jfcame especially trying to this group, then, ii nen one-third of the group did not ) liirticipate in the cave communion. They i :re already frustrated over the disagree- i ents and tensions we had been experienc- -g along the way, and the one thing they ! I ought might bring us together — i immunion — only drove us farther apart, i From the fellowship perspective, com- i ; union cannot be a means toward the goal I I unity. Such a view, it might be implied, > iirders on the magical or mystical; in other jrds, what hasn't been a part of our i f perience heretofore suddenly happens j|rough the use of a ritual. Can this >proach to communion fall under Paul's urning against eating the bread and i inking the cup unworthily? \ ound two on salvation i The next crisis arose over the nature of i Ivation. An individualistic, privatized view i salvation associated with a once-and-for- i , crisis-oriented conversion experience I ' is set against the Anabaptist stress on the : 1 suits of salvation — the new life in Christ. The discussion became ugly, bordering on i witch hunt. Those stressing a crisis i nversion demanded testimonies as to how i i others were saved. "Do you really know if you're saved?" one person demanded. "1 know when I was saved and my sins were washed in the blood. I can tell you the exact time." The emotion-laden discussion made it impossible for us to fully understand and accept each other's points of view. No one was denying the need for regeneration, a new birth, yet our common belief was not affirmed. There was an uneasiness about our sleep at night. Had we come all the way to Europe to discover that Mennonites are miles apart theologically? Maybe we're all too busy at home to take the time for such sharing. The wrap-up The grand finale came two days before departure for home. We broke up into six small groups with the assignment of drafting a statement of faith we all could agree on in each small group. Schleitheim 1 was to be our model. We would see what consensus might emerge from the group on issues which concern the church today. Our statements were to be written for ourselves, and the process was to be more important than the end product. After an hour of deliberation, each group had a statement to share with the total group. The statements were examined carefully, and by consensus, miraculously, each was accepted as being representative of us all. With one exception. Group six was the bugaboo. They had drafted a statement on the nature of Christ, salvation, and the church which was well received by all. The stumbling block was a reference to the church as a brotherhood, a sexist term for some. An hour of discussion proved we couldn't reach consensus on this statement because of one word. Those opposed to its use held their ground, warning us to be sensitive to all language which is sexist or racist. Those opposed to changing the word argued we have not found a word or simple combination of words which adequately conveys what brotherhood has meant for us historically. Annemarie Visser, a Dutch Mennonite with us, observed that Dutch Mennonites refer to their church as a broederschap (brotherhood) to distinguish it from other churches. Yet, she said, one-third of all Dutch Mennonite pastors are women. There's less incongruity, it seems to me. in using the word brotherhood when women are allowed to be at the center of church life as in the Netherlands, than when they're frozen out, as is still the tendency in North America. Maybe we can use the word brotherhood again after it no longer is a stark reminder to us that the church is dominated by males. We did agree that a major agenda of the church in the future must be to examine our language, purge it of sexism and racism, and find alternative language which adequately conveys the deepest meanings of our faith. Lessons for the church What did we learn from this experience? I learned anew how stubborn Mennonites can be. A few people — about two or three on both sides — wouldn't budge an inch on the "brotherhood" debate. I felt trapped be- tween two warring factions. I had to wonder where the line is drawn between defending our convictions and protecting our egos. Theological discussions easily degenerate into intellectual gymnastics. People end up needing to prove something to others — or to themselves. In contrast, the Anabaptists E MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance ot the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It is pub- ed weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton, Kansas 671 14, by the General Board ot the General Conference Mennonite Church Second-class tage paid at Newton Kansas 67114 and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions in United States and Canada. $8 00, one year, $1 5 50. two years, $23 00, three years foreign $8 50 per year Edito- office 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard Winnipeg Canada R3P 0M4 Business office 722 Main Street, Box 347. Newton, Kansas 67114 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 347, Newton. Kansas 67114 HE MENNONITE 549 were wary of theological dogmas and intellectual arguments. One of their favorite verses was 2 Corinthians 10:5: "We destroy arguments and every proud obstacle to the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ." Some of the people who decry the loudest the individualism of the church find it the hardest to submit some of their own cherished opinions to the group for correction. This tour reconfirmed my belief that Mennonites respect the Bible, a heritage we must not lose. The major address was Paul Lederach's exposition of Hebrews 2 and a smattering of a few other texts (Matthew 16 and 18 particularly) to embellish our understanding of the church. What was said about the church was irrefutably anchored in the biblical text. It can be argued that Mennonites give too easy assent to biblical jargon without fully realizing all its implications. It can also be argued that we read into the text our own interpretations. Yet it's true that Mennonites can come to agreement around a study of the Word in a way they can't when they intellectualize about their faith or testify about their Christian experience. There is a lesson here for us. Can it be that there is still deep in the Mennonite psyche a conviction that faith is fundamentally a (lived-out) response to the Word rather than a system of dogmas or plethora of emotional experien- ces? Finally, Mennonites have to get over their fear of controversy. We must recognize — even encourage the expression of — diversity. The Anabaptist movement should teach us that much. It certainly was not a homogene- ous group. The Schleitheim Confession was an agreement on seven points they held in common. We don't know how many other points they couldn't reach agreement on. One tour participant of nonethnic back- ground observed that Mennonites believe in nonresistance when it comes to international conflict, yet they fight viciously among themselves. True enough. But peace is not the absence of conflict, and perfect peace is possible even in the midst of conflict. We dare not gloss over our differences because of a false understanding of peace. To the extent that our church life is superficial, it is so too often because we fail to be open with each other. If peace is at the heart of our faith as Mennonites — and it should be — we need to work toward a genuine peace in our midst, a peace that is not afraid of openness to controversy, a peace committed to the resolution of conflict instead of its repres- sion, and where that fails, a peace which is able to live with tension. When that day comes, I'll have nothing to worry about. en ids,' fflls, litri Do islo:» News Five live [elhn Me Kr4 te Be sBre In a cm:,, fricat is it ere;> Wenger hired for native ministries in Manitoba Malcolm Wenger, an experienced mission- ary to the northern Cheyenne in Montana and an administrator widely knowledgeable about North American native concerns, has been hired by the Conference of Mennonites in Canada to work in native ministries. Malcolm and Esther Wenger will move to Selkirk, Manitoba, from Newton, Kansas, (subject to visa approval) to begin January 1 , 1978. Ike Froese, executive secretary for native ministries of the Canadian Conference, said that initially the Wengers will be in Selkirk to serve half-time in a pastoral ministry at Elim Fellowship. Persons participating in this group are mainly Icelandic or metis. Selkirk, although close to the large urban center of Winnipeg, is a focus for communication and transport to the native communities in northern Manitoba. "Consequently," Mr. Froese continued, "the Wengers will be living in a place where there are significant cross-cultural inter- actions. This will allow them to become acquainted with the Ojibway, Cree, and metis, as well as the whites in the popula- tion." After a period of touching base in the Selkirk environment it is anticipated that Mr. Wenger will attempt to build bridges between the Mennonite constituency and the native people. It is hoped that a portion of his ministry will be in educating Canadian Mennonites to the thinking, needs, and aspirations of the native people of Canada. Expr Wenger Another aspect to the hiring of the Wengers is that it will be a factor in the exchange of personnel internationally, not only between Canadian and American ethnic Mennonites, but also between native Mennonite leadership in the two nations. Mr. Wenger has been secretary for American Indian ministries for eleven years for the General Conference Mennonite Church. At the end of October he will leave this position. Prior to this administrative position the Wengers served as missionaries to the northern Cheyenne from 1944 to 1966. Draft consultation planned An inter-Mennonite consultation on the draft and national service will be held November 11-12, in Kansas City, Missouri. The consultation will survey the history of the draft, and seek the leading of the Spirit regarding the response to any draft in the future, or the institution of a national service program for all young people in the United ive States. In its June Reporter the National Interre ligious Service Board for Conscientious Jance Objectors commented on trends toward a national service program, noting, "While a compulsory national service program does not seem to be a real possibility, at least in this session of Congress, the increasing pressures to return to a draft and the desire on the part of Congress to lower youth unemployment rates could easily combine to bring about a compulsory program." The possibility of conscription of women raises some new questions. What if the government requires two years of the life of all of the church's young people instead of only half of them as in the past? Mennonite voluntary service programs would be profoundly affected by the institU' tion of any national service program. A balance between official church leaders and other interested persons of all ages is being sought in the participant body of the consultation. Persons interested in attending are encouraged to contact their conference peace office or Mennonite Central Commit tee Peace Section at 21 South 1 2th Street, Akron, Pennsylvania 17501. Food and lodging costs at the facilities of Park College will be minimal. Attendance will be limited to 100 persons. In addition to MCC, th$ conference is sponsored by the peace offices of the Mennonite Church, the General Conference Mennonite Church, the MennO' nite Brethren, and Brethren in Christies churches. |tdn JSIhl lltitn lode: |fe hi tii m Hie I Ml iclop Hacc rector iv be Her | arch i Duni a » com ffl co 550 SEPTEMBER 27, 1977 If \frica continues in the spotlight Exiled bishop welcomes Bibles for Uganda Anglican Bishop Festo Kivengere, right, who fled to Britain from Uganda after the mysterious slaying of Archbishop Janani Luwum in February, is shown with Thomas Houston, executive director of the Bible Society, London, England. They discussed a massive campaign to send 150,000 Good News Bibles to schools in Uganda. African leaders optimistic here is turmoil in Africa. Presently there | e civil wars, insurgencies, guerrilla con- cts, violent repressions, nationalist move- ents, border closings, assassinations, jercenaries, religious warfare, and racial hd tribal hostilities. Do Mennonite churches, with their jstoric peace position, have anything to say I Africa in turmoil? Can they express their jve in an unaligned practical way? i Five Mennonite mission boards have been i tive in Africa since 1900 — the Mennonite I ethren Board of Missions and Services, II; Mennonite Board of Missions, the Africa ;ter-Mennonite Mission, Eastern Menno- )|:e Board of Missions and Charities, and b Brethren in Christ mission. In addition to these efforts, Mennonite hntral Committee, which began its first i ,'rican ministry in 1945 in Ethiopia, now I s development, education, health, and lief work in thirteen African countries. I CC overseas secretary Edgar Stoesz says I pre is a growing refugee problem in Africa, iiany of the churches tc which MCC relates fve been brought to independence by the > rious mission efforts. ; Expressing sentiments that reflect the t mce of third-world Mennonite churches, ijillion Belete, president of the All-Africa jible Society and also of the Mennonite I orld Conference, says, "We have reached a mge in history where we are no longer in Ipther-child relationship but brother rela- Imship. We must use our resources for J pansion of the kingdom." Speaking for the Mennonite Church in |:ire, which resulted from Africa Inter- ijennonite Mission labors there, Kabangy Ij.apase, president of the Zairian church, l id this year's outgoing MCC orientees in bgust, "I asked a soldier his role in the ] untry, and the soldier answered, 'Our role i to destroy and to kill.' MCC's role on the her hand," said Mr. Kabangy, "is to love le's neighbor and share life." The Mennonite churches in North Ameri- i could in no way foresee all that would ivelop when they got involved in Africa. Ijit according to Paul Zehr, theologian and rector of adult education in Lancaster, nnsylvania, "Since our theology calls us to I icipleship and social ethics, it very well i\iy be that Mennonite theologians are in a ftter position to speak to third-world «|arch developments." During the next years, mission boards and 1 CC will likely be giving special attention to f : continent of Africa. There is concern for ^len communication between these North jjnerican agencies and the overseas Menno- i e churches. An American Friends Service Committee study group which returned from Africa early in September reports that African leaders are optimistic over President Carter's statements for ending white minority rule and racism in the southern part of the continent. Zambia's President Kenneth Kaunda told the fourteen-member group at a state house tea in Lusaka that, "The day the Western countries decide to stop support of South Africa and Rhodesia, peace with justice will be possible in Namibia (Southwest Africa), Zimbabwe (Rhodesia), and South Africa, but until that time the conflicts will con- tinue." The AFSC group met with refugees, church people, students, United States officials, liberation movement representa- tives, and African government officials during their month-long visit to Kenya and the four majority-ruled front-line nations of Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia. Tanzanian President Julius Nyerere told the AFSC representatives that he came away from his recent visit to the United States convinced that the Carter administration will do what it can to introduce the concept of "one-man, one-vote" and to end racism in the minority-ruled nations. Joachim Chissano, the foreign minister of Mozambique, told the AFSC visitors, "Public statements are not of big importance to us, but what is important is action. When the United States takes a stand to stop cooperating with the Smith and Vorster regimes in Rhodesia and South Africa, we will see that the words mean what they say." African officials told the group there must be economic as well as political pressures because Western multinational corporations are heavily involved in undergirding and supporting South Africa, Rhodesia, and Namibia, which is under South African control. The front-line leaders and liberation people the AFSC group met are totally "'IE MENNONITE 551 committed to self-determination; "one-man, one-vote"; and nonracial societies which are without privilege to whites or any other bodies. All African officials the AFSC partici- pants met agreed that there must be elections once minority rule has ended. In Mozam- bique a Western diplomat based there said the new government is proving to be a humane one. He said violation of human rights are much worse in South Africa. Although the sparsely populated country of Botswana is heavily dependent economically on South Africa it is accepting thousands of refugees from South Africa, Rhodesia, and Namibia. Colleges plan curricula for overseas service Mennonite church colleges and service agencies are cooperating to develop curricu- la to prepare students for overseas service. Rather than adding new departments to the schools, programs have been designed to utilize the extensive resources available at large universities. Bethel, Tabor, and Hesston — the three Mennonite colleges in Kansas — are actively involved in the development of a dual-degree program to operate cooperatively between Kansas private colleges and Kansas State University. Transferring credits between the institutions would allow students to gradu- ate from both. The program allows potential service volunteers to combine liberal arts courses that emphasize a church perspective with technical courses in agriculture and nutrition. Coordinating the dual-degree program is Dwight Wiebe, former staff member of the Mennonite Brethren Board of Missions and Services. It is his hope that the program will result in a new breed of graduates eager and prepared to respond to the call for educators in the troubled spots of the world, at home as well as abroad. Several students from Tabor and Hesston are involved in the dual-degree option in agriculture. Bethel College has organized an interdisciplinary program about rural devel- opment in emerging nations, which com- bines courses in religion, sociology, history, peacemaking, and economics with agricul- ture and nutrition courses taken at Kansas State University. Further east, Goshen and Eastern Menno- nite colleges are working in similar ways. Goshen offers a comajor in tropical agricul- ture in which students spend several quarters at the university of Florida. This summer the first student with a major in international agricultural development graduated from Eastern Mennonite College. Some of the courses were taken at a state university. Role of military in Colorado economy to be studied A special project of General Conference voluntary service will research the effect on the Colorado economy if all current military expenditures were eliminated from the state. How would this affect the structure of the economy? Can an economy which is strongly dependent on military expenditures be converted to peaceful uses? Is the civilian fraction of the Colorado economy resilient enough to absorb the workers affected by such a conversion? In an effort to study these and other related questions, a computer study of the Colorado economy will be done during the next twelve months. The project is headed by Richard Rempel, who earned a PhD degree \lbrdsf# deeds in mathematics from the University o| Illinois in 1973. Mr. Rempel has taught at several colleges and universities, and is using a sabbatical leave from Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, to do the study. He will be assisted by Dick Williams, a member of the Arvada Mennonite Church, Arvada, Colorado. Funding for the study is being arranged through a nonprofit corporation, and the extent of the research will be determined by' the amount of money available. Erna Rempel, a graduate in elementary education, will work in an assignment that is being arranged. The Rempels are members of Faith Church, Newton, Kansas. Brazilian Mennonites held a strategy confer- ence in July at Campinas, Brazil. Trained leadership for the churches is seen as the major need by the Association of Evangeli- cal Mennonites (AEM). The conference of eighty delegates, pastors, and missionaries said that a pastor should seek and train another person who could take his place. The training of pastors in formal institutions was hardly mentioned. The AEM consists of twenty-two churches, separated by as much as 2,000 miles. Since communication and administration are difficult, the delegates chose four administrative groupings which will deal with regional matters. This reorgan- ization will take effect over the next two years. Congregations were also encouraged to help other churches in their needs and building programs and to maintain no more than $35 in their bank accounts. A Chair in Mennonite Studies has been established at the University of Winnipeg, Manitoba, by a gift from David D. Friesen. H. E. Duckworth, president of the universi- ty, said that the occupant of the chair will have special responsibility for teaching and doing research in Mennonite history, cul- ture, and literature. "These activities will be appreciated not only by our many students of Mennonite background and by the several members of our faculty whose research has a Mennonite aspect, but by the university as a whole, which has a particular interest in the Manitoba community and its rich cultural constituents," Mr. Duckworth noted. On June 14, Alex Brezina, a young Chartist and a member of the Evangelical Church of the Czech Brethren, was sentenced to 2Vi years imprisonment for refusing to do military service on grounds of conscience. During his trial he said that in his opinion the army was a threat to peace and therefore he felt morally unable to serve in it. He also took the opportunity to complain against the refusal of access to theological reading while in detention. The prison authorities had told him that "prison was no prayer house." The presiding judge agreed that the defendant's humanitarian reasons for refusing military service should be taken into consideration, but insisted that the Czechoslovakian constitution sets out duties, as well as rights. The maximum possible sentence is five years. Two weeks after the trial eleven young people took part in a demonstration march of solidarity for Mr. Brezina. ! EPTE CTO Mennonite singles need to loosen up and discover themselves, resource leader Do- rothy Payne suggested at the conclusion of a singles' retreat sponsored by the General Conference Mennonite Church early in July at Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania. Ms. Payne urged the participants to be educators and pioneers for singlehood. Her third suggestion, also underlined by resource leader David Schroeder, emphasized discov ering and doing God's will. "Beyond male- ness and femaleness there is personhood,' said Mr. Schroeder. Evening life-style discussion groups allowed for more direct sharing. It's a form of death, the previously married group said about the abrupt change from a married life-style to a single life-style, whether the singleness is produced by death or by divorce. The congregation's inability to know what to say to people in and after divorce also was noted. Saying something is better than "the silent treatment." Singles should be allowed to help develop the agendas of the congregation, seemed a prevailing attitude. One person told of a congregational program on singleness in which all six speakers were married. 552 SEPTEMBER 27, 1977 The llemioiiite WM Kdiiion EPTEMBER - CTOBER 1977 Window (o Mission the open window INDIAN HUMANITY I hear the unquenched sound of hope but only as I listen with all my ears and look with all my eyes feel with all my gentlest senses the masked hope I see it in the eyes I feel it in the touch and hear it in the sounds of those whose doom is spelled by unsympathetic powers wielded by hands that do not feel eyes that do not see and ears that will not hear. -Menno Wieb In this issue of Window to Mission we challenge you to open your ears and eyes an hearts to listen, see, and feel with our Indian brothers and sisters in Canada and th United States. Listen, see, and feel their past, their present. Prayerfully become loving, caring, meaningful part of their future — our future — together. — Jeannie Zer IP COVER L, True friendship and love between races can be like this: left, Treaty Indian; top, metiLn, bottom, white. Ittl I 1m \\ CONTENTS Indian Humanity My Heart Soars A Woman in Mission Program 2: Roots, Cheyenne Style . Slice of Life I Not a Vacation WM Office Jottings To Help You Serve 1 (111 IN/I Itei wa 1 1 llK It I li- W-2 THE MENNONIT i!' My Heart Soars Chief Dan George AM A NATIVE of North America. it f n the course of my lifetime I have lived in two distinct cultures. 1 was born into a ,f ulture that lived in communal houses. My grandfather's house was eighty feet long. It /as called a smoke house, and it stood down by the beach along the inlet. All my randfather's sons and their families lived in this large dwelling. Their sleeping partments were separated by blankets made of bull rush reeds, but one open fire in the i liddle served the cooking needs of all. In houses like these, throughout the tribe, I eople learned to live with one another; learned to serve one another; learned to respect fljihe rights of one another. And children shared the thoughts of the adult world and iound themselves surrounded by aunts and uncles and cousins who loved them and did liot threaten them. My father was born in such a house and learned from infancy how o love people and be at home with them. And beyond this acceptance of one another there was a deep respect for everything " ti nature that surrounded them. My father loved the earth and all its creatures. The arth was his second mother. The earth and everything it contained was a gift from See- \ee-am . . . and the way to thank this great spirit was to use his gifts with respect. I remember, as a little boy, fishing with him up Indian River, and I can still see him as he sun rose above the mountaintop in the early morning. ... I can see him standing by he water's edge with his arms raised above his head while he softly moaned, . . . "Thank ou, thank you." It left a deep impression on my young mind. And I shall never forget his disappointment when once he caught me gaffing for fish . ' just for the fun of it." "My Son," he said, "the Great Spirit gave you those fish to be • 'our brothers, to feed you when you are hungry. You must not kill them just for [he fun ', >f it." This then was the culture I was born into and for some years the only one I knew or asted. This is why I find it hard to accept many of the things I see around me. I see people living in smoke houses hundreds of times bigger than the one I knew. But 1 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1977 W-3 ill'.. The Itienl in:'. ITS* ' rgets tepti This ha1 the people in one apartment do not even know the people in the next and care less about them. It is also difficult for me to understand the deep hate that exists among people. It is j u hard to understand a culture that justifies the killing of millions in past wars, and is at this very moment preparing bombs to kill even greater numbers. It is hard for me tO|ee(n understand a culture that spends more on wars and weapons to kill, than it does on education and welfare to help and develop. It is hard for me to understand a culture that not only hates and fights his brothers j but even attacks nature and abuses her. I see my white brother going about blotting out nature from his cities. I see him strip the hills bare, leaving ugly wounds on the face oi mountains. I see him tearing things from the bosom of mother earth as though she were a monster, who refused to share her treasures with him. I see him throw poison in the waters, indifferent to the life he kills there; and he chokes the air with deadly fumes My white brother does many things well for he is more clever than my people but 1 wonder if he knows how to love well. I wonder if he has ever really learned to love atal| Perhaps he only loves the things that are his own but never learned to love the things that are outside and beyond him. And this is, of course, not love at all, for man mus love all creation or he will love none of it. Man must love fully or he will become the lowest of the animals. It is the power to love that makes him the greatest of them all . . . for he alone of all animals is capable of love. Love is something you and I must have. We must have it because our spirit feeds upon it. We must have it because without it we become weak and faint. Without love our self-esteem weakens. Without it our courage fails. Without love we can no longei look out confidently at the world. Instead we turn inwardly and begin to feed upon ou; own personalities and little by little we destroy ourselves. You and I need the strength and joy that comes from knowing that we are loved With it we are creative. With it we march tirelessly. With it, and with it alone, we an able to sacrifice for others. There have been times when we all wanted so desperately to feel a reassuring han< upon us . . . there have been lonely times when we so wanted a strong arm around us. . . I cannot tell you how deeply I miss my wife's presence when I return from a trip. Hei love was my greatest joy, my strength, my greatest blessing. I am afraid my culture has little to offer yours. But my culture did prize friendshi] and companionship. It did not look on privacy as a thing to be clung to, for privac; builds up walls and walls promote distrust. My culture lived in big family communities, and from infancy people learned to live with others. My culture did not prize the hoarding of private possessions; in fact, to hoard wast shamef ul thing to do among my people. The Indian looked on all things in nature a: belonging to him and he expected to share them with others and to take only what hi needed. Everyone likes to give as well as receive. No one wishes only to receive all the time, We have taken much from your culture. ... 1 wish you had taken something from o culture . . . for there were some beautiful and good things in it. W-4 THE MENNONITE :pT[j Soon it will be too late to know my culture, for integration is upon us and soon we 11 have no values but yours. Already many of our young people have forgotten the d ways. And many have been shamed of their Indian ways by scorn and iicule. My culture is like a wounded deer that has crawled away into the forest to eed and die alone. The only thing that can truly help us is genuine love. You must truly love us, be tient with us, and share with us. And we must love you — with a genuine love that rgives and forgets ... a love that forgives the terrible sufferings your culture brought irs when it swept over us like a wave crashing along a beach . . . with a love that rgets and lifts up its head and sees in your eyes an answering love of trust and ceptance. This is brotherhood . . . anything less is not worthy of the name. I have spoken. )?OTOVA ESEEVA ( Some Day) /7v Jcjin Heap of Birc^s Ho'? - o - to - va e - see- va ne - tao he? - a - ma Some day all heaven K - ne-,t,o? - se - raaha - pee - o - tse naa ho? - eva Will be destroyed and the earth Naa Mih - ne? - a - meh - nostse Je - sus A When Jesus returns h i 1 ^ — r Ne - to? se maha - voo - mo - ne We will all see Him . Naa nestse - tone - se - no? - esto - vo - ne And how shall we answer Him ? (•Prom Cta>ffttrur»«. Spiri+ual Soy^S ) .PTEMBER-OCTOBER 1977 W-5 Ninth in a Series A WOMAN , IN MISSION: Pamela Stands in Sight Medicine Lawrence Hart, Cheyenne Chief JANUARY 20, 1977, was an important day for the United States. It was an important day too for the Cheyenne in Oklahoma. Pamela Stands In Sight Medicine was buried that day. The Chief s song at her interment was most appropriate. Though sung only for chiefs, it was fitting that it should be sung, for hers was an unusual obituary in Cheyenne history. She was born as a chief s daughter. She became a chief s wife. Then she became a chief s mother, and she became a chiefs grandmother. There was joy in having known her. She was a Christian, and the fruits of the Spirit were a part of her life. Additional- ly, there were other virtues and qualities and these came from within her Cheyenne culture. Pamela Medicine was her Eng- lish name. Stands In Sight was her translated Cheyenne name. She was indeed a Vehona — a chiefs woman. It is a high compliment to say of a person in Cheyenne evehonevostaneheve. Translated it means "that person is living the life of a chief." One could say that of Stands In Sight. ves I: nin Her father was well known and iw. respected. Chief Mower was the one who m invited the Mennonites in Cantonment top* come further up the Canadian River td his band at Fonda to start a mission. He deeded a tract of his land to the Board of|» Missions for that purpose I have often thought of the woman whoNoi instructed the Cheyenne to adopt the tip re Council of Forty-Four Peace Chiefs. (See Program 2 starting on page 7.) I cat] perceive a better picture of that woma by looking at Stands In Sight. She was t. truly a peaceful person and many testified that she never spoke ill of anyone Her name Stands In Sight was most appropriate. Her personal integrity and reputation were such that she lived her whir name. She was also one who "stands in X\\ sight" for Christ, her Lord. People like all p, myself living outside the community of foelo Seiling will remember her most by her close association with the church. I saw taui her most often at church activities. In a day when we most need role|n models among our people. Stands In Sight has left us one. W-6 THE MENNONITE iwrei iitol ! goal ibjeci n limsii Ml rojeei insas Sieu ro\od fticri ft lUIDE TO CHRISTIAN LIVING: A RESOURCE FOR ADULT STUDY 'ROGRAM >nnie Hart 2 R. ALFONSO ORTIZ, a Tewa Indian ithropologist, has called for Indians id other people to stop making heroes ' Indian warriors. He has called for new :roes — the peace chiefs! In the fall of 1974 minority representa- /es from various Mennonite and Breth- n in Christ congregations from Puerto ico, Canada, and the United States ithered in Oklahoma to discuss peace sues and peacemaking. My father, awrence Hart, presented one paper, and Jt of this the idea of researching the irious peace treaties and efforts made by e Cheyenne was developed. The Com- ission on Education allotted money to :lp research the project with the eventu- goal that a curriculum be written on the ibject. The Commission on Home linistries, Mennonite Central Commit- e, and Western District Conference also located funds for the Cheyenne Peace roject. Steve Linscheid of Goessel, ansas, became the researcher. Steve and Lawrence Hart went to Washington, D. C, to make plans for the search and to meet Curtis Burkey, a aff person with the Institute for the 'evelopment of Indian Law. Curtis isisted in the initial research, devoting Dout two weeks of full-time work which roved to be very valuable. Gene Miller, a raduate of Eastern Mennonite College, as also hired as a researcher. Steve and I ene researched about five months at the Roots, Cheyenne Style National Archives, the Anthropological Archives of the Smithsonian Institute, the Library of Congress, and Department of the Interior. A large amount of material was compiled, covering the treaty period of the Cheyenne, 1825 to 1890. Monthly reports were made to a committee which reviewed progress and planned for the future work to be done. They planned for oral history research to be done in Oklahoma among the Cheyenne elders. They also directed Steve to continue research in various libraries and archives in Kansas, Oklaho- ma, and Colorado. A workshop on oral history research was conducted in Oklahoma, where young people, including myself, learned interviewing techniques and how to operate cassette recorders. These were the first such interviews done from within our own group. Many traditions lost One of the tragedies in history was the assumption that all Indian people were savages, warlike and cruel. Because of the upheaval faced by tribes, many good traditions were completely destroyed. An example of a lost tradition may be the matriarchal system. In the societal structure of the Cheyenne people were various societies. Each had a specific function and benefited the whole tribe. PTEMBER-OCTOBER 1977 W-7 There were male societies and female societies. At the apex of this structure was the Council of Forty-Four Peace Chiefs. A male could be selected by his society to become a chief and council member. Each of the four men's societies also had some former members of the council. Once one became a chief, he became a peacemaker. It was his task to keep peace. This beautiful concept of power sharing by forty-four leaders and of peacemaking was given to the Cheyenne by a woman. Unfortunately, her name has been lost in history. Her system never made one person the leader, and no one was ever a "war chief as historians have taught us. Tipi making a sacred task No man could ever be admitted into the women's societies. Tipi making was a very sacred task and only certain women who had undergone a certain ritual could make tipis. Men were forbidden to come to the place where tipis were made. I recall a story my father told me about himself and his brother when they were little boys and their grandmother was a tipi maker. On one occasion Corn Stalk and her helpers were making tipis. In their play the boys became preoccupied and got too close to the work site. They were chased away and literally driven off! They never forgot that. It probably didn't take them long to respect this taboo, although they may not have understood it fully at that time. Corn Stalk was also a midwife. That too was a sacred task carried out only by women. She was truly a matriarch in our family. It was she and not my parents or grandparents who gave me my Indian name. Mother-in-law taboo Another strong hint of a matriarchal system is the mother-in-law taboo. A son- in-law was forbidden to talk to his mother-in-law. He held her in highest respect. Also, the father-in-law could not address the daughter-in-law. It would be gross disrespect to ever speak to her. H w movi tribe Society sisters Women could be members of men's societies! For example, the Elk Soldiers Society would select four young, single women from good families to be "sisters" of the society. They met with the men and were afforded every privilege and were highly regarded. It was forbidden for single male society members to date or marry one of the "sisters." There are still remnants of male societies, but to my knowledge there are no sisters. The practice is recent, as my aunt, now deceased, was a sister. If we as Cheyenne once lived under a matriarchal system, it is difficult tJ authenticate. Evidence is lost due t(J many factors. Whites who first made contact saw us with an untrained eye or] simply assumed we were like them. Oa outside influences may have eroded and eventually obliterated such a tradition. Wrong assumptions made Our peace research is showing there were certain assumptions made by th| United States. One, it seems, is that the Cheyenne were entirely warlike; another, that there was one leader. It was mostj difficult, it appears, to deal with a Council of Forty-Four Peace Chiefs, scj one spokesman was always sought to speak and make decisions for the tribe! The concept of shared power and leadership somehow was never under- fount stood. The Agreement of 1 890, as binding is as a treaty, took only one signature. The know Council of Forty-Four Peace Chiefs protested that they, and therefore their Cilv tribe, were not a party to the agreement, Over four million acres of our reservation were then lost because of one signature! for The Council of Forty-Four could declare war. Many times they would defer the decision to one of the warrior | societies, and more often the warriol PtM lei Re lh ha iSten societies would override the decision nofi to fight. Our research shows this was especially true during the severe conflict period. Young men would not listen tq the peace chiefs such as Black Kettle and W-8 THE MENNONIT White Antelope. In fact, peace chiefs I became unpopular. Again, because of outside influences they were not recog- nized in word or deed. Our research and 'curriculum will offer a different perspec- tive on history. Colonel Chivington and his troops were given a heroes' welcome in Denver and other parts of the nation after the Sand Creek massacre, but the real hero was White Antelope. The Curriculum Advisory Committee will have a great responsibility to tell it as it was. The research so far has had tremendous discipline and I feel the discipline will go into the curriculum. Other historical facts will need to be dealt with. One is the question why the peace chiefs started declaring war. They moved our sacred arrows against other tribes. Also, why should an ordained minister attack a peaceful village? My point is that this is a difficult but exciting project. It is a first in all research. We hope it will be a model for other tribes. But the primary purpose is for Cheyenne people to gain an appreciation of their peace tradition. Future plans Recent developments are that Steve tvill work with archives in Fort Worth, Texas; Cheyenne youth will continue nterviews; and a curriculum writer, iathryn Compton Smart, has been "ound. She lives in Oklahoma City, which s close to the Cheyenne. K. C, as she is cnown, is a member of the Mennonite- 3resbyterian congregation in Oklahoma :ity. A proposal for funding has been lubmitted to the National Endowment or the Humanities. Funds would be idministered by the Cheyenne Cultural Tenter, a newly incorporated not-for- >rofit corporation. Outside technical lelp will still be needed primarily from he Mennonite constituency and Bethel College. Money will still be needed from vomen's groups, congregations, and )thers. Another possible area of support for readers of this article is the Cheyenne Cultural Center. It is so new that much work needs to be done to make it a viable organization. It takes funds to do this. Old photographs needed Another area of help is old photo- graphs. We know there exist among various family collections old photo- graphs of Mennonite mission work in Oklahoma. These are extremely valuable and are needed by the project. Those selected will be used in the curriculum text. An inventory of such photographs should be mailed to the project people. Researchers would then make contact and make copies of those photos which might be usable. Those not used would go into the archives of the Cheyenne Cultural Center for the future. The centennial of Mennonite mission work will be in two years, so the photos could be used then. There are many spin-offs possible and equally as exciting as the peace project itself. It has been difficult for some of us not to get caught up in these. For example, I am interested in doing a photo essay. I am also intrigued by the music of yesteryear. Each society originally had a clan song. These are being lost but are still recoverable. Some songs, in fact, are being misused. They belong solely to the Cheyenne clans and have been taken by other tribes. Another future project may be the lost clan performing arts. Dr. Alfonso Ortiz, in learning of our peace project, was not surprised that such a study of the peace traditions of Cheyenne people should arise out of a church group and not a university. He compliments our effort as being in the vanguard of research. Other scholars interested or specializing in peace studies, outside of the historic peace church tradition, have become interested and excited about the Cheyenne Peace Proj- ect. I hope you, the readers of this article and partners in this project, are also interested and excited. 'EPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1977 W-9 Program "How-To" Ideas 1) Many people viewed the TV film "Roots". Have a sharing time about your own "roots," reactions to the oppressions of blacks as seen in the film, and about the Cheyenne "roots" study shared in this lesson. 2. Obtain copies of In Search of Peace from the MCC U.S. Peace Section, Akron, PA 17501. The pamphlet is a challenge and view of peacemaking and oppression from four nonwhite North American Mennonites (Lawrence Hart, Tony Brown, Lupe De Leon, Jr., and Emma LaRoque). The pamphlet includes "Questions for Discussion" and a good bibliography. For your program you might have four of your women each study a different section of the pamphlet, then present something from each section. Follow this with discussion. 3. Obtain a copy of the book My Heart Soars by Chief Dan George, Hancock House Publishers, Inc., 12008 First Avenue South, Seattle, WA 98168. Check your public library for a copy, or allow time to order one through a bookstore. The material on pages 3-5 of this issue of Window to Mission is taken from the book. Have one or more persons who can read well read portions of the book to your group. The book also includes some beautiful artwork which could be shown to the group by the readers. You may want to conclude with a time of sharing ordiscussion about what Chief Dan George is saying in the book to his own people and to the rest of us. Part of the readings could be used as a devotion- al, too. The book would also be a line, much appreciated addition to your church library. 4. The Commission on Home Ministries, Box 347, Newton, KS 671 14, has avail- able tape recordings called "Cheyenne Gospel Songs" and "Cheyenne Gospel Songs No. 2" for $3.00 each or two for $5.00. The tapes were made by several Indian Mennonites in Oklahoma. Your group could listen to several songs as part of your program or devotions. You also might want to obtain the booklet Cheyenne Spiritual Songs, a collection of gospel songs in the Cheyenne language with English transla- tions and Cheyenne tunes. Some of the songs on the tapes are from this booklet. It is available for $1.00 through Dave Graber, Busby, Montana 59016. 5. Contact Isaac Froese, 600 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P OM4, for more information on native ministries in Canada. They have a regular newslet- ter plus other materials and resources which they will be glad to share. W-10 THE MENNONIT slice of life Jeannie Zehr "About fifty of our missionaries are here on 'North American Assignment' — our new term for furlough," commented Howard Habegger, COM executive secretary, during his commission intro- ductions at General Conference sessions. As I listened, memories flashed into my mind. I remembered missionaries "on furlough" itinerating all over North America for COM telling of their work. I recalled the exhaustion I saw on their faces. I saw the separated families facing the struggles of life in a country grown strange after several years absence. "North American Assignment" ahhh, that sounded more definitive - more realistic! Theirs was no furlough, no vacation, very little rest. But then another thought flashed across the screen of my mind. Lord, You always have me on North American assignment! This is the mission field You have entrusted to me — my community, my neighborhood, my church, my nation. Help me. Lord, to be constantly aware of my "assignment." Help me to give of myself willingly, joyfully, creatively - yes, sometimes even tirelessly. Use me, Lord; yes, even me. EPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1977 W-11 Edith Von Gunten MANY OF US FIND a trip to a lake to be the ideal vacation. For the people living along the shore of Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba, Canada, life is not one long vacation. The lake is 260 miles long and from 20 to 70 miles wide. Communities are usually located at the mouth of a river or in bay areas, but a few islands are inhabited. Residents are Treaty Indians residing on the many Indian reserves, metis people whose ancestors for various reasons were not registered as Indians or else had intermarried with whites, or white settlers, especially of Icelandic or French origin. (The Canadian policy of deter- mining who is an Indian is different from that of the United States.) I admire the ladies in these lakeside communities because of their fierce determination and perseverance. Mary is one such friend. There is no time for brooding about dreams and ambitions right now, because a new fall day has dawned. As Mary prepares a big break- fast, her husband, a commercial fisher- man since he was a teenager, is getting ready to go out on the lake about fifteen miles to lift his twelve nets. His quota this fall is 6,600 pounds of fish. He is anxious because the fall is a rough time for fishermen. It is getting colder and the water spray is icy. The biggest concern is the storms which occur fast and with cruel severity. There is a chance of being caught on the lake in a blinding snow- storm. The fishermen are experienced boatmen, but motor failure or a wrong judgment can mean disaster. After Mary mixes her bread dough, it is soon time for the children to leave for school. The school ranges from kinder- garten to grade nine and has two classrooms and teachers. For high school they must go to a boarding school at Cranberry Portage, about 500 miles from Winnipeg. Treaty Indian children have their own boarding schools, too. Chil- dren come home for Christmas and spring break. The educational system creates havoc, as it takes children away from parents, teaches them the white society ways, and sends them out to face the world. It is hard for them to go home to live, as they have been taught different values and no W-12 THE MENNONITE longer have skills needed to make a living on the lake or in the bush. Few jobs are available. If the children are going to use the skills learned in school, they must move to an urban center. They also have problems adjusting to the urban centers, as they are basically not urban people and jthe ways are strange. It is common to see youth find jobs in the city but periodically !go home to catch their breath and Jstruggle with identity. Mary thinks about this, but realizes her children need an education because the outside world has a big influence on their pommunity. I find it refreshing to see Ipeople like Mary and her family once Jagain become proud of who they are and take pride in their native craft work. For too long "Indian" and "me'tis" have been (derogatory terms for people looked down upon. As they regain their pride, they are ready to positively and forcibly contrib- ute to society. Mary cleans her house and does washing. Her son carried in water last evening and it has been heating on the j;tove. Mary misses her wood stove and wishes her kitchen were big enough to hold it and her electric stove. Now that | he community has full electric service, I he ladies are able to order some of the jippliances from catalogs. It is Thursday, the only mail day of the iveek, so after lunch Mary hurriedly Heans up and bakes bread. As she walks j o the store, she meets many neighbors. It I s a social outing and time for relaxation. 'Eyes keep scanning the lake, however, for jeturning fishermen. Women know they |vill soon need to go to the fish-packing tation to help clean fish. They keep pickerel (walleye) fish heads to the side, as I he cheeks are a real delicacy. There is | lso a market for jack (northern pike), jaugers, and whitefish. Mary keeps fish i or supper. It is a cheap meat source. She > anxious for the moose meat and maybe 1 ven venison that her husband will bring pme later in fall. Store meat is expen- sive, so they need to get much from the Jind. This summer the community received a greenhouse for growing vegetables, since the growing season is short. Residents plant, weed, and share the produce. The people work hard, but "between seasons" is an idle time and often creates problems. Types of problems have changed since the people have a strong link to white society. Drinking alcoholic beverages continues to be a serious problem. Youth are combining this with a regularly-fed drug habit. Trying to adjust to the rat race of the white society creates much insecurity and increased social problems. As Mary shares the mail and happen- ings of the day with her husband, she remembers the notice put up at the store by the minister, saying the services are being changed during fishing season. Missionaries have served positively as untrained doctors, dentists, and teachers, but too often have expected the people to become carbon copies of themselves. Mary reflects on the many Indian reserves which have invisible, if not visible, dividing lines separating Roman Catholic families from the prominent Protestant followers. Thus division and feuding happened instead of the church demonstrating God's love for His chil- dren. What, then, is the church's role in the Lake Winnipeg communities? I feel the church must be there when the people need it as a loving fellowship reflecting God's love. People must see and expe- rience this same love coming from Christians outside of their communities, too, not just from a local minister or fellowship. God needs Christian people who are willing to share their lives. If people cannot experience true love from others, how can we expect them to fathom the matchless love which we can receive from God through our Lord Jesus Christ? It is time for the church to more seriously put its preaching into action. Mary does not need to be preached down to — she knows all the cliches already — but she needs to be loved to Christ. EPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1977 W-13 WM office jottings from Joan "A PART-TIME JOB as coordinator of Women in Mission? No, I'm sorry, Lois, I wouldn't even consider such an assign- ment! It would be too demanding and I'm not qualified. Really, I'm not your person. Anyway, I'm not looking for another career." "We'll give you a good long time to consider it, to get used to the idea," Lois responded. 0 help! Now I was faced with the monster called "decision". The act of making up one's mind doesn't always come easily. It means a step from the known into the unknown. Usually many concerns are at stake. It involves risk and change. Priorities have to be sorted out. Motives have to be dealt with. Abilities have to be assessed and willingness for gifts to be exercised must be present. Yes, sometimes even the enjoyment of what one is presently doing needs to be put in submission to our obedience to Christ. 1 find much fulfillment in being a wife, mother, homemaker, and in sharing in NEW OFFICERS Lora Oyer, member of the Meadows Church, Chenoa, Illinois, was elected president of the General Conference WM during conference sessions in Bluffton in August. Lora will serve the first year of her seven-year term in a more or less observer-participant role. Then in August of 1978 she will take over the helm from Naomi Lehman. Elected to the position of second vice-president is Elsie Flaming of the Leamington, Ontario, United Mennonite Church. TO HELP YOU SERVE A I M M seminars for women provide a unique opportunity for Zairian women to learn about nutrition, child care, Bible study, and Christian fellowship. For many this is a rare experience in being away from home for a few days. Our part of the auxiliary budget is $3,720. the pastoral ministry with my husband, in being able to volunteer time for church and community endeavors, and in having the time to be a friend and listener. How does one then confirm the persistent "still small voice" in one's inner being? Confirmation comes through a husband who provides freedom to find my own ministry. It comes by way of children who say, "It's fine. Mom. We'll help at home." It is affirmed by women in a prayer group who are helpful by listening and discerning. Largely, it comes through much prayer and faith in an empowering God who lets you shout, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." We are all carriers of certain gifts. Each of us as Christians is called upon to be the most that God wants us to be. I look forward to working together as sisters in Women in Mission, in order to accom- plish the tasks that summon us in the days ahead. W-14 THE MENNONITE thank you, Gladys "If, in the years to come, someone undertakes writinga history of Women in Mission in the 1970's, the name of Gladys Goering will figure prominently in that j history. Gladys became WM coordinator at a time when our organization was at a i crossroads. Her courage, wisdom, and vision helped us to become a stronger i organization, one with greater purpose I and meaning, as each member could 19 begin to see herself as a woman in i mission. "Gladys has given of herself to promote jcontributors Menno Wiebe (Indian Humanity) works as Director of Native Concerns for MCC (Canada). He serves on the Commission on Home Ministries. Chief Dan George (My Heart Soars) is a member of ; the Co-Salish tribe and was born in British Columbia on the Burrard Reserve. Through the years he has become known for his appearances on radio, TV. and movies. He served ten years as chief of his reserve. Lawrence Hart (A Woman in Mission), a Cheyenne chief and Mennonite pastor, heads up the Cheyenne Cultural Center project in Oklahoma. His address is R. R I, Box 89, Clinton. OK 73601. Connie Hart (Program 2: Roots, Cheyenne Style) is a Bethel College student and daughter of Lawrence Hart. Cathy Coon (artist, p. 10) is a junior at Oklahoma il Bible Academy. Last summer she spent two weeks in fa teenage workcamp at Newton, Kansas, working lj with radio and TV. jj Jeannie Zehr (Slice of Life) edits Window to Mission llfrom her home at 4226 Maplecrest Rd., Ft. Wayne, a Indiana. Menno Lawrence Connie iWiebe Hart Hart forecast better relationships and understanding. No task ever seemed too great for her. "With all our hearts, we thank you, Gladys. May God bless you abundantly in your future endeavors. We expect to see your name in new kinds of conference involvement in the years ahead." These words were spoken by WM President Naomi Lehman at the General Conference WM sessions in Bluffton in August. As a gift of appreciation, Gladys received a silver necklace-brooch symbol of WM. Lois Deckert made the presenta- tion in behalf of all WM women across the General Conference. Edith Von Gunten (Not a Vacation), with her husband, Neil 1, and four children, works under the Native Ministries Board of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada. Their home is in Riverton, Manitoba, the last town before going north. They work with a number of communities along Lake Winnipeg. Lons Habegger (photos on pp. 15 and 16), after working several years for the General Conference, is now back in the pastoral ministry at the Eden Mennonite Church in Moundridge, Kansas. credits PHOTOS: Cover, p. 12, Harold Weaver; pp. 15. 16, Loris Habegger. DRAWINGS: p. 10, Cathy Coon. ARTICLE: Excerpts from book My Heart Soars by Chiel Dan George, printed by permission of Hancock House Publishers, Inc.. 12008 1st Avenue S., Seattle, WA 98168. The book costs $9.95. Page 5, Cheyenne Spiritual Songs, reprinted by permission of the Northern Cheyenne Mennonite Church Council. Cathy Edith Loris Coon Von Gunten Habegger jThe November-December issue of Window to Mission will focus on the program. "Be Patient with Me, I'm Still Growing." Joyce Shutt will help us take a look at the adult istages of development and what this means in our lives and relationships. Several jWomen from across the General Conference will share a bit about their own developing relationship to God in the past year. SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 1977 W-15 Now that you're home, where are you going? Summer's pause with trips to beach or mountains, to relatives or church cc has ended. But human need took no summer vacation. As we resume the tasks of school, work, church let us confront anew the wounds of the world following Christ who thrusts us into mission, sharing skills and funds through MCC. nference Mennonite Central Committee 21 South 12th Street or 201-1483 Pembina Highway Winnipeg, Man. R3T 2C8 Record Workers Bruce and Chris Arnold are beginning two years of General Conference voluntary service at the Welcome Inn in Hamilton, Ontario. Both are recent graduates of Northeast Missouri State University; Bruce majored in journalism, and Chris is a graduate in social science. At the Welcome Inn, Bruce will have particular responsibility for the information services at the center. He is the son of Frank and Evelyn Arnold, Quincy, Illinois. His home church is Mary Immaculate, Kirksville, Missouri. Chris's parents are J. Russell and Mary Burghoff, Sunset Hills, Missouri. St. Justins the Martyr, St. Louis, Missouri, is her home church. Luella and Walter Bergen, Warman, Saskatchewan, have begun one to two years of Mennonite Voluntary Service at the Edgewood Children's Center, Brentwood, Missouri. They are members of the Osier (Saskatchewan) Church. Their work at Brentwood will focus on teaching develop- mentally disabled children. Walter is a graduate in physical education and history from the University of Saskatchewan, Sas- katoon. Doug Brehtn, Hope, Kansas, is beginning two years with the General Conference's Mennonite Voluntary Service. He will assist in the repair of homes in Cincinnati, Ohio. His parents are Merle and Darlene Brehm, Hope, Kansas. He attends the United Methodist Church, Woodbine, Kansas. Geraldine ClaassenJ^ew Milford, Pennsyl- vania, has begun one to two years of work with Mennonite Voluntary Service in St. Louis, Missouri. She will be part of the staff of a day-care center. Geraldine has elemen- tary school teaching experience and is a graduate in elementary education from Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas. Curtis Dyck, First Church, Bluffton, Ohio, has begun two years with General Conference's Mennonite Voluntary Service in adult education in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is a graduate of Bluffton (Ohio) College in mathematics and religion. Paul and Lois Dyck, Bluffton, are his parents. Margaret Dyck of Abbotsford, British Columbia, has been assigned to Mexico as a mission associate under the Commission on Overseas Mission of the General Conference Mennonite Church. She left August 15 for three years as a maternity nurse at the Mennonite clinic in the village of Nuevo Namiquipa, north of Cuauhtemoc, Mexico. She had previously served with the General Conference at Mennonite Christian Hospi- tal in Hwalien, Taiwan, in 1968-71. Since then she has been working in hospitals in British Columbia, most recently at the Menno Home in Abbotsford. Ms. Dyck is a member of the Eden Church, Chilliwack, British Columbia. Walt and Carol Friesen, Newton, Kansas, are beginning two years of Mennonite Voluntary Service in Arvada, Colorado. Walt will be working with the Arvada Resource for Mind and Spirit (ARMS), an interchurch agency providing consulting and counseling services for the community. An assignment for Carol is being arranged. They are members of the Lorraine Avenue Church, Wichita, Kansas. Mr. Friesen has experience as dean of students at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, as well as Wichita State University and Kansas State University, Manhattan. Ms. Friesen also has university training and has worked in occupational therapy at Topeka State Hospital, Topeka, Kansas. Rosie Graber, Topeka, Kansas, began two years of Mennonite Voluntary Service at the Welcome Inn community center in Hamil- ton, Ontario, in July. She was a member of Faith Church, Newton, Kansas, but has joined the Hamilton (Ontario) Church. Nancy Heisey, Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, has been appointed assistant secretary for Africa programs at the Mennonite Central Committee offices in Akron, Pennsylvania. Ms. Heisey completed a three-year teaching term with MCC in Zaire in 1976, and the programs she will administer are part of the Teachers Abroad Program (TAP). During the past year she was on the staff of MCC Information Services in Akron as editorial assistant. She holds a BA in English from Messiah College. Lois Keeney of North Newton, Kansas, is beginning a two-year term as a mission associate under the General Conference's Commission on Overseas Mission as a teacher of elementary-age children of mis- sionaries in Hwalien, Taiwan. She has a BA in elementary education from Bluffton College and previously spent 2l/i years in Bolivia with Mennonite Central Committee. She is a member of First Church, Bluffton, Ohio. Beverly Lord has been appointed assistant director of U.S. Ministries at the Mennonite Central Committee offices in Akron, Pen- nsylvania, replacing Lynn Roth who has become program director. She will supervise groups of volunteers, assume responsibility for women's concerns, and administer a job program for Mennonite minority youth. She is a graduate of Fresno Pacific College and received secondary school teaching training at California State University. Beverly and her husband, Charles, have been involved as MCC volunteers working among Menno- nites. Brethren in Christ, and other evangeli- cal churches in a peace education program project. Charles will be continuing the project. John Pannabecker, Elkhart, Indiana, has been named assistant professor of French at Bethel College. He is a graduate of Bluffton (Ohio) College and taught part-time at the B. Arnold M. Dyck C. Arnold C. Friesen xole Secondaire Methodiste in Zaire under Mennonite Central Committee in 1967-69. ile received his PhD last year from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, bhio. ' Orlando Redekopp and Joan Gerig have egun a three-year term with Mennonite Central Committee in Botswana where they I'ill work with South African refugee kudents. Orlando previously served in j'olombia with the Mennonite Brethren iioard of Missions and Services and Joan I'ith MCC in Nigeria. Orlando holds a BA legree from the University of Winnipeg ind a MDiv from Associated Mennonite biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana. He las been working with MCC (Manitoba)'s 'ffender ministries program. He is a member If the Elmwood Mennonite Brethren .'hurch in Winnipeg. Joan holds a BA degree from Goshen College and has also jttended Hesston (Kansas) College and loshen Biblical Seminary. She has served as n MCC volunteer working at thevJdea i'enter in Winnipeg on food education. She I a member of the Sugar Creek Church in iVayland, Iowa. I Glenn Snyder has been named director of Emissions at Bluffton (Ohio) College. Mr. , nyder is chairman of the faculty at Jluffton and has served as chairman of the ealth, physical education, and recreation jepartment, athletic director, and basketball loach. j Jerry Weaver has been named director of : punseling at Bethel College, North Newton, i.ansas, in addition to his continuing duties js campus minister. I John Wiebe has been named manager of ellowship Bookcenter, Winnipeg, effective eptember 1. The bookstore is operated liintly by the Canadian Conference of lennonite Brethren Churches and the jeneral Conference Mennonite Church. Ilr. Wiebe has previous experience in ipokshops. From 1969 to 1977 he managed bo Mennonite bookstores in Bogota and amesa, Colombia, under assignment with he Commission on Overseas Mission of the eneral Conference. Elizabeth Ginger ich Yoder of North ewton, Kansas, has been chosen as general litor for the Commission on Education of ie General Conference Mennonite Church, ewton, Kansas. She will begin the full-time ork October 1. Duties will include editing e Youth Bible Study Guide, "Youth sacher" in Builder, Church Bulletin Ser- ce, and other study guides, pamphlets, and )oks. During the past two years, Elizabeth id her husband, Perry, have been traveling churches in the United States and Canada People's Teachers of the Word, a Bible aching project under the conference's ennonite Voluntary Service. They recently coauthored a study booklet for the Commis- sion on Education entitled New Men, New Roles. She holds an MA in English from the University of Pennsylvania and was assistant professor of English at Bluffton (Ohio) College in 1967-71. Ministers Werner Froese was installed as pastor of the Eigenheim Church, Rosthern, Saskatche- wan, on September 4. Neil Matthies was installed as minister of music and outreach at the Olivet Church, Clearbrook, British Columbia, on August 7. Mr. Matthies has received the master's degree in music at the University of Oregon. He has taught at the Columbia Bible Institute in Clearbrook. Calendar October 21-23— Western District annual sessions, Buhler, High School, Buhler, Kan- sas Central October 14-15 — New Call to Peacemak- ing conference. West Liberty Presbyterian Camp, West Liberty, Ohio Eastern October 14-15 — New Call to Peacemak- ing conference, Camp Overlook, Keezle- town, Virginia Western September 30-October 1— New Call to Peacemaking conference, McPherson Col- lege, McPherson, Kansas October 7-9- Fall Festival, Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas Study Guides 1 A six-session study on the auto- mobile and Christian responsibil- ity. 49 pages, paperback $2.00 2 A study guide for Christian peo- ple on social change. 59 pages, paperback $2.00 3 i?«r$ i a human family, and involved about 300 ;ople in various forms of protest — singing, lacing signs on the base's barbed-wire nee, silence together, and an act of civil isobedience which involved thirty-six iults and children who entered the base -operty, by land and by sea, for a family cnic. This creative act of civil disobedience suited in the arrests of twenty-nine adults, eluding eleven Canadians, who were all larged with trespassing on federal proper- . Since July 4, there have been a number of nailer protest actions, including leafleting ise workers on numerous occasions, a August 14 bangor submarine base . . . a move for life under the hot august sun as barbed-wire shadows lengthen bongo drums beating our heartthrob together music and voices and arms raised to the sky the ages of life all meeting here to cry out in pain for the pasts and the. potentials lost in hope for the future moment we share in resistance we contemplate and are born anew. "walk for peace" from Vancouver to Bangor, and three persons who swam in from the sea onto the Bangor base. On August 14 the largest demonstration of the summer took place, involving 2,000 people who gathered at the Bangor base in a festive act of nonviolent resistance against Trident. Trident is capable of killing hundreds of millions of people with its 408 maneuverable warheads, each of which could be aimed at a different target. That is a death potential too immense to grasp. The billions of dollars spent on this weapon are an example of our priorities being centered on human destruc- tion rather than on meeting the needs so apparent in our society. One Trident submarine could educate every child in Seattle for the next seventeen years. The teachings of Jesus — from the Beati- tudes to his command to love your enemy to his ultimate willingness to suffer violence rather than inflict it — all clearly challenge us to find ways of responding to the violence in our world today. As Mennonites who claim to be part of the peace church tradition, the challenge to be actively involved in nonvio- lent forms of resistance should be one we take seriously. Too many of us have forgotten that to believe in peace means to take the risk of active protest. Let us reflect upon the violence in our lives, both individual and corporate. And from this reflection let us gather together the strength to resist, in love, such weapons of death as Trident. with the afternoon. No man can be called friendless when he has God and the companionship of good books. —Elizabeth Barrett Brown inq Faith and Life Bookstore 159 West Main, Berne, Indiana 46711 Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Fellowship Bookcenter 302 Kennedy Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2M6 I HE MENNONITE 557 Letters No to arms, nuclear madness Dear Editor: Thank you very much for the strong peace emphasis in The Mennonite and a willingness to be open to the various ways this message is communicated in these complex times. I am specifically reflecting on the picture about the demonstration to stop the B-l bomber and then on the following page the article "Revisiting Camp Funston" (August 9). For us, both are now "peace history" chapters continuing to be read for guidance. I am currently working for MCC Peace Section (U.S.) on a project entitled "The Gospel and National Security" which con- tinues to raise questions of militarism, conscientious objection, war taxes, and family peace concerns in the larger church. I didn't grow up Mennonite and so my pre- Anabaptist days include four years in the military. Articles like "Revisiting ..." are necessary reminders of how our forefathers responded to militarism. I hope that in sixty years there will be articles written about how we Anabaptists responded with a loud "no" to the arms race and nuclear madness in the world today. Could it be that we need a Camp Funston to get us to shake off our affluent security, declare ourselves, and then to live as if that is true? Charles R. Lord, 29 South 11th Street, Akron, Pennsylvania 17501 August 10 Dismayed by resolutions Dear Editor: The report on the resolutions passed at the triennial sessions of the General Conference leaves me with considerable dismay. I find it incredible that a church can take the kind of stand they did on energy conservation and be elusive about the serious moral issue of abortion. The energy question is an extremely complex political-ethical issue. Govern- ments have collected literally tons of data on the various options, dangers, and possible potentials for good. Whether or not there should be northern pipelines, nuclear breed- ers, and the like is a very tricky question that must be settled on the best information we can gather by persons best qualified to interpret it. It is nothing less than presump- tuous and belligerent for a conference of delegates and leaders, who never see the technical data and couldn't interpret it if they did, to think they can intelligently pass such a resolution as they did. I have visited our experimental reactor at Pinawa, have talked with the scientists there, and know just a little of the complexity of questions on energy. Energy research ques- tions like all other research must be left in the hands of the ones who best understand what is going on. Unfortunately there are plenty of power interest groups that could influence against the best decision. There is no point in the church attempting to be another one and adding to the fray. The motivations for doing so are dubious, but some of the ones possible are not too complimentary. Energy is not to be squandered, but it is to be used. I have no reason to believe anyone in the General Conference can determine on a large scale where the boundaries lie. If anyone thinks they do, I suspect they are too little informed about alternatives and consequen- ces. At the same time this conference hedges on taking a stand on the moral issue of the homicide of the unborn as presently prac- ticed in North America. Just a little of the picture of this gruesome practice is given by a non-Christian and a proabortionist in the book In Necessity and Sorrow. The book is an account of this woman's own experience of abortion; the type of information we ought to be informed about. I cannot see how any Christian can be aware of the trauma and hideousness involved and not take a stand on this kind of birth control practice (which is all the largest percentage of abortions here amount to). The issue of abortion is not as unrelated to later stages of human life as we might think. We are going to be experiencing a tremend- ous shift in the age bulge of our population. Presently the productive class of society comes from the postwar baby boom. That class will in retirement be supported by a much smaller working class due to present practices of birth control and abortion. This means that a small productive group will be required to support a large dependent group who demand a luxurious style of living (travel, etc.) to which they have become accustomed. A generation that is not afraid to dispose of unborn human life for the sake of convenience and luxury should not be surprised if their successors decide to terminate nonproductive human life at another stage for the same reasons. If from a Judaic-Christian viewpoint we do believe human life is sacred, it is time we take a stand against this immorality. There is no question from this standpoint about the sinfulness of our present laws and practices. Perhaps the naive and soft-headed think- ing of leadership and laity that leads to such decisions is due to a distorted sense of mission. We pay governments taxes to make responsible decisions about the well-being of society. We surely don't need to give money to the church to be their watchdog and advise them on every decision. As this conference has proven, in an attempt to do so we make ourselves fools; for the children of this world are wiser in their ways than we are. We ought to call sin sin, wherever it is, and murder murder whether in an abortion or in a genocide in Uganda. (It is to be noted that far more lives have been destroyed in these practices than in any recent wars. Yet war taxes is a subject the conference is obviously anxious to make a big noise about, as if it were the most pressing moral issue.) Jesus was never thwarted from his mission by trivial issues. In fact, his impatient response to such things is "who made me your judge?" (Luke 12:14). His mission was to meet the depths of the human problem of sin, apart from which he recognized no solution to any human problem. (We ought not to get too enamoured with Yoder's exotic ideas — The Politics of Jesus — on the mission of Christ and the meaning of the cross. Sometimes we ought to let the Bible * speak to us for itself!) All societal grievances are radicated in tb fallenness of man. If the Bible is our guide to faith and practice, we know that the solution is nothing less than a supernatural regenera tion and a maturity to restore the image of God to the likeness of Christ (Ephesians 4:24, 13). A church that carries out this mission will be quite relevant to the problems of society without thinking it must j dictate to governments. Mature Christians will wisely participate in the affairs of this world while keeping a clear-sighted vision as to our primary mission in meeting its needs. jQ| At stake is the well-being (in the fullest sense) of every soul. Gus Konkel, Route 1, Winkler, Manitoba, ROG 2X0 August 25 nig] II m lielo ton ICo IK ft o con- event) ftsi About letters: To encourage readers to 't*li express themselves on a variety of issues we ^ us try to use all letters submitted for publica- tion. Brevity is encouraged. Longer letters will be shortened. Unsigned correspondence^ will not be published, although we ma\ withhold names for valid reasons in special situations. Editor • 558 SEPTEMBER 27, 197^ \ Meditation Contents My castle of faith I sat silently in a chair at the foot of dad's hospital bed while mom whispered the word in his :ar — cancer. They both fought to maintain composure but a few tears sneaked out and were allowed to run freely; wiping them away would have been to acknowledge their presence. The doctor aad said it was important not to show that kind of emotion around dad. "It's his cancer and le can cry if he wants," the doctor said, "but don't you cry in front of him." The wife of the man in the bed next to dad's had guessed what was going on and asked with nand gestures if she should draw the curtain. I faked a smile and shook my head no; 1 didn't ivant to draw attention to the seriousness of the moment, and besides, it's easier to fight tears »vhen others are watching. I drove mom home that night. Just before we pulled into the driveway, she began to remble. "Are you cold?" I asked. "No," she answered. "It will pass." Members of the family hid their feelings from one another that night. We showed concern, 5ut not the extent of that concern. We went to bed early, but the night was not for sleeping; he night was for calling upon God. By the time I reached my room the tear dam would hold the waters no longer. But late that light a star broke through the clouds. The star spoke a single word— faith. I had been wondering the purpose of dad's cancer. I had been wondering the purpose of the ecent, seemingly premature, deaths of two Christian friends, the loss of three babies >elonging to couples in our church, and the serious illnesses of other Christian friends. That is when the star spoke the wordfaith to my heart. Jesus said that a house built on sand vill surely fall; but he told me that night that faith built on a broken heart will stand forever. Dad came home a couple weeks later and the outpatient treatments began. These reatments caused him to lose his full head of hair and made him extremely sick. Countless nights 1 lay in bed, watching the ceiling tiles blur together in wetness. My vening prayers were often answered by the sound of heavy, barefooted steps slapping the lallway floor. Prodded by a cancer that squeezed his insides, my father seldom had time to lose the bathroom door behind him. He emptied his stomach. I loved no one on this earth more than my dad, and it broke my heart to watch him suffer; >ut I had confidence in the fact that God knew what he was doing. The first Sunday dad was able to attend church, he walked to the altar and gave his heart to rod — something he had done years before, but something that had worn away as those years assed. This was certainly part of the reason for the illness, but only part, because the cancer id not leave with his sins. And his broken-hearted, eldest son still hears his late-night moans and watches his pain hrough eyes that hold back tears in the daylight hours. But upon this broken heart God is uilding a castle of faith that will stand firm against all the fiery darts of hell. And in the days 3 come, when the fires burn most fiercely, I will rest safely within the castle God is building ki Dday. Stephen M. Miller Something to think about looking over the obituaries in the Peoria Journal Star for Thursday, June 23, 1 noted the ;es of some of those who had passed away. The ages were ninety, eighty-five, seventy-six, venty-three, sixty-five, sixty-four, fifty-seven, fifty, forty-one, twenty-eight, twenty-six, ineteen, eight, and one child was eight months old and another one was forty-five minutes Id. This is a strong reminder that we need to be prepared to meet our God at any age and that 'e should have "our house in order." "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed 'pon us that we should be called the children of God" (1 John 3:1). Ward W. Shelly ii 1 Children today and tomorrow 546 Schleitheim 450 years later 548 News 550 Record 554 The search for Jesus 556 From Trident to life for humankind 557 Letters 558 My castle of faith 559 Something to think about 559 Born again 560 From Lois to Vic 560 CONTRIBUTORS Carl N. Rutt is a child psychiatrist and assistant professor at the University of South Dakota School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57101. Max Miller is a social worker in the Department of Social Services, Sioux Falls, South Dakota 57101. Stephen M. Miller, 1309 East 82nd Ter- race, Apartment 8, Kansas City, Missouri 64131, is a free-lance writer who shares his personal experience. Ward W Shelly, 109 East Adams, Wash- ington, Illinois 61571 , is the pastor of Calvary Mennonite Church. CREDITS Cover, 547, Paul M. Schrock, Scottdale, Pennsylvania 15683; 549, Richard A. Kauff- man, Scottdale, Pennsylvania 15683; 551, RNS. Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Assistant editor: Vic Reimer, Box 347, Newton, Kan- sas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circu- lation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Evelyn Krehbiel, 229 Brookwood, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, La Vernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117; Encom- pass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805; and Conference of Menno- nites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P0M4. % HE MENNONITE 559 Born again Born again is big news today. A Gallup poll (Los Angeles Times, September 23, 1976) reported that in the United States "more than one-third of those who are old enough to vote have experienced 'born again' religious conversions." President Carter confesses to be a born-again person. Eldridge Cleaver, former Black Panther leader, and numer- ous Hollywood superstars have come forth and claim to be born again. Billy Graham has just released 800,000 copies of a new book, How to Be Born Again. K-tel, an international merchandiser, raucously promotes its latest record and tape hit "Born Again — with many beautiful songs that will really bring you close to God." Evangelical Christianity has probably never been more popular and more openly promoted in North America than it is today. Many regard us to be on the verge of a great spiritual revival. Others wonder whether today's superstar Chris- tians may polarize the church even more than it has been. The popularized born-again people often insist that it is precisely and only this once-and-for- all momentous crisis experience in your life that determines whether you are headed for heaven or hell. Richard Kauffman points out in the article Schleitheim 450 Years Later that our Anabaptist forefathers put more emphasis on the life that you live in Christ rather than on the nature of your conversion experience. The new birth is a basic biblical teaching and a requirement for all who want to become free of their sins. It defies philosophical reasoning. Billy Gra- ham in How to Be Born Again paraphrases Jesus' statement to Nicodemus in John 3 (page 25), ". . . I'm sorry I can't explain it to you. You have seen something that troubles you, that doesn't fit your system. You admit I am more than an ordinary man, that I act with the power of God. This may not make sense to you, but I can't explain it to you because your assumptions do not allow for a starting point ... to you it's not logical. Nothing in your thought patterns permits it. You cannot see with spiritual insight until you are born again." The Apostle Paul fanatically had been trying to earn an inner peace. Then in a Damascus-like insight, the answer came, "while we were yet sinners Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Paul now realized that the new birth waits for our acceptance and upon his acceptance, he wrote, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away, behold, , the new has come" (2 Corinthians 5: 17). Christians have always held that persons can be born again through faith in what Jesus has done for us. We believe that a decisive change can and does occur through the grace of Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We also believe that each person is unique. This uniqueness affects your conversion also. It may be sudden and dramatic or gradual and cumulative. God comes to you as you are and according to your present needs. For some it comes very emotionally, for others more rationally. Many kinds of experien- ces have been the pathways to new life in Christ. In this time of grand opportunity, let us not bungle it by turning inward upon other brothers and sisters in Christ who do not emphasize the same aspects we do. Instead, let us boldly show forth the variety of ways in which people are being born again. Eldridge Cleaver says it was a turn of 180 degrees in his life. Paul Schilling in God Incognito (pages 49-50) writes that he was recovering from surgery and reading Isaiah 40 when suddenly he heard "celestial music ... I was lifted on eagle wings into the very presence of God. I knew that in his power and love I would be ready for whatever might be in store for me. . . . The assurance has remained." Both refer to born-again experiences. Both assert that it has changed their quality of living. Wherever there is new birth, there is also new life — that is the only authentic test of authentic Christian expe- rience. BW From Lois to Vic This issue marks the beginning of a new editorial team. Lois Barrett, who is one of the most competent journalists in the Mennonite churches, has left The Mennonite. We and our readers will miss her professionalism. Thank you, Lois, for your six years of dedicated, unselfish service. Vic Reimer, formerly editor of the Saskatchewan Valley News, is taking Lois' place. Vic's background is in teaching, a term of COM service in India, and one year as editor. Welcome aboard, Vic. Vic and I are both young in journalism. But we are committed to learn the skills and to continue a high quality paper. We also agree that 77?? Mennonite shall be your paper — speaking to you where you are at and bringing to you the spiritual aids from others' experiences and insights in their born-again pilgrimage of life. BW The Mciiiioiiilc OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO ONE LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST 92:35 OCTOBER 4, 1977 Inside this week Parents and teens Facts about suicide Let's be thankful Abortion and war Barents and teens (the trust gap) Donald DeMarco Apart from twentieth-century North Ameri- can civilization, there has never been such a creature as "the teenager." Of course, people on their way to adulthood have always passed through the teen years; but the phenomenon of teenaged people forming their own culture group distinct from other groups is unique to our culture and our time. Industrialization and affluence have been largely responsible for the creation of the teenager. The change from an agrarian to a superindustrialized society, with its change of emphasis from man power to machine power, has freed a high percentage of young adults from the nation's work force, thereby enabling them to continue their education or to enjoy a prolonged period of leisure activity before assuming the responsibilities of adulthood. Affluence made it possible for young adults to receive allowances, grants, loans, and scholarships without having to work. With money to spend, they became a significant economic group creating new teenage markets and being eagerly courted by opportunistic and exploitive advertisers and merchandisers. Teenage clothes, music, disc jockeys, heroes, food, styles, and even ideas were invented to please what was quite often immature taste and a misunderstood need for freedom from the rest of the world. The so-called teenagers with their exemp- tion from the work force and adult responsi- bilities, with their own culture and their economic significance, have indirectly creat- ed a serious family problem with respect to understanding their parents and being understood by them. Just as the teenagers form their own distinct group within society, so, too, they form a distinct group within their families — hence the alleged "generation gap," "culture gap," "comprehension gap," or "communication gap." North American teenagers have become fragmented from their own families and the acute problem of reintegrating them into the heart of the family remains pervasive and disturbing. A recent article on teenagers in Canada's national Weekend magazine inspired one young adult to complain in a letter to the editor, "Liz Primeau tries to tell it like it is. Nice try, Liz. You probably are a parent." Such a remark is reminiscent of the popular slogan of a few years ago, "Don't trust anyone over thirty." Our indignant letter writer expresses the fashionable prejudice that the very fact of your being a parent automatically disqualifies you from under- standing teenagers. The trust gap between parent and teenager was at its widest in the late sixties when youth folk-hero Jerry Rubin informed his legion of teenaged followers that they were not ready for the "revolution" unless they were prepared to kill their parents. Out- bursts of this sort prompted scholars such as the University of Toronto's Lewis Feuer to theorize that the current generation of youth hate their parents, and Rollo May to conjecture that parents are filled with some nameless guilt for having brought their children into the world. While speculators on the cause and cure for the generation gap were having a field day, the fact remained that teenagers, on the whole, had become culturally alienated from their parents, and parents were at their wits' end in finding a common bond that might establish a meaningful communicative link with the minds and hearts of their teenage children. Communication Communication is an attempt to overcome separation between people. This fact of separation which is presupposed by all communication is seldom mentioned. Yet the need to establish new methods and new lines of communication becomes greater the more people are separated. Between parents and teenagers there are several important areas of separation: age, taste, level of learning, interests, and at times, geographi- cal distance. Because these areas of separa- tion have been intensified by the cultural forces that have created the teenager and fostered the generation gap, the efforts to establish better communication between parents and teenagers have also been stepped up. The zeal to establish better communica- tions has produced no end of interesting and insightful communication techniques. It has also produced ingenious communication theories such as those of Canadians Mar- Fr. shall McLuhan and Northrop Frye. Yet in the concern to improve communication, the|isi: fact that communication presupposes sepa- ration has been ignored. Consequently, massive efforts to bring people together have to a large extent failed because the initial reasons for their separa- tion were overlooked. In the poignant wordsjjmd of Frank Moore Colby, "Every improve' ment in communication makes the bon more terrible." Canada has more telephones per capita than any other country in thi world and invests more than its share of » money and human energy into improving its \ various systems of communications. And yet |ar communication remains one of its most po» exasperating problems. |L[ Communion fe Important as communication is, there isL something more basic and therefore mortLr important — communion. Whereas com- munication presupposes separation between m;! the parties who are trying to get in touch with each other, communion presupposes a basis of unity in which the parties meet and experience oneness. Our present obsession with communica tion is in exact proportion to our lack oi h communion. In fact, communion has almos been forgotten entirely. How do we establisl Rath communion? What is it that allows us to b( ji ■? one? Does communion threaten our individ uality? Though virtual geniuses with th< technique and technology of communica tion, we remain unschooled ignoramuses ii the experience of communion. As a result we erect bureaucratic structures when communication thrives and communion i nonexistent — hence the loneliness and th sense of alienation we suffer while in th midst of many. Thoreau has aptly remarket that city life is "millions of people bein lonesome together." We could also criticize our moder universities for being places which are rich i communication but poor in communio Even the modern family has been attacke for being an "ultimate place of nonmeeting Eric Berne's book What Do You Say aftt. You Say "Hello"? points to a basic uneas ness people have about being with eac other, as if they were strangers to each otht or had no common experience to share Yet, if there is no initial communio l; 562 OCTOBER 4, 191 iietween people, all the cleverness, all the )ale Carnegie courses on "How to Win •"riends and Influence People," and all the nnovative communication techniques will lot remove the uneasy feeling of alienation hat people feel toward each other. Many parents and teenagers would do veil to de-emphasize communication and eek communion. Most of their arguments nd disagreements arise from the fact that hey are separated from each other by a listance that mere communication cannot ivercome. The parents stand on the shore of >arenthood and claim all the wisdom, xperience, and authority that belong to that hore; the teenagers stand on the opposite hore and claim all the freedom, flexibility, •nd willingness to experiment that belong to heir shore. Thus it is that their attempts to ommunicate often serve only to isolate, -inally even communication is despaired of, md often parents and teenagers become esigned to life on opposite shores. Nonetheless, parents and teenagers do hare common roots that make communion jossible and consequent communication >rofitable. They both belong to the human ace. If they could see more clearly the mmanness in each other, they would begin o find a basis for communion. Parents are nortal, imperfect, plagued by doubt and ndecision. Their children know this instinc- ively. Yet the pretentious mask of self- ufficiency and freedom from error they ometimes wear can be very alienating to heir children and can prevent opportunities or genuine communion with them. It is not suggested here that parents ibandon their proper parental role and try to >e bosom buddies with their children, lather, it is a question of taking the time to lrop the mask occasionally, showing that hey belong to the same race that includes nfant, toddler, teenager, and old-timer. We are all human before we are a specific kind of human such as a parent or a teenager. If we deny our roots, we seem unreal and easy to reject. Similarly, we are all creatures of God before we are individuals. Too much individuality, too much stress on how we are different, can be alienating and can cause people to become estranged from one anoth- er. Bases for communion We are one because we are all members of the human race. We are one because we all issue from the same Creator. These are the bases for communion, and unless we experience and meditate on these truths, communication seems meaningless. At a time when traditions and institutions are crumbling, when the family suffers from fragmentation, when marriage is threatened by accelerating divorce rates, separation seems to be the law. We wonder, then, whether anything can survive in an integrat- ed form. The church has always operated from a basis of communion. Christ never wrote (except for a few markings in the sand which were blown away by the wind). According to modern standards he is communicatively deficient. But he left us himself — his body and his blood. He wanted first things to be first — communion before communication. Having left us himself, he left communica- tion to his disciples. We might say that prayer and worship are communication with God, but the Lord's Supper is communion with him. Christ and the church offer a most important example to parents and teenagers: the primacy of communion. The family that prays together is openly acknowledging its common roots, its common identity, and its common purpose. When the teenager hears his father praying to "Our Father," he feels the intensity of his father's parental role diffused. No longer are parents regarded i Teen clothes, music, disc jockeys, heroes, food, styles, and even ideas were invented o please what was quite often immature taste and a misunderstood need for freedom 'rom the rest of the world. merely as parents, but they are now seen as children of God. Likewise, teenagers are not mere teenagers, but members, along with their parents, of the family of God. Education has forgotten that one of its primary missions is to remind all people how much they are the same. Today's education tends to encourage people to separate themselves from the ordinary man. Separa- tion is the law of modern life, but it is not the law of Christ or the law of love. We find in such everyday items as the TV dinner an attempt to rob the family of an opportunity for communion by distracting its attention in the direction of a communica- tions medium. The goal of modern society sometimes appears to be to fill our heads with information and empty our hearts of love. The family may return to communion by doing things together, by learning and meditating on how much the same its members are in spite of their obvious differences. Communion is also facilitated by being together, through common prayer and worship of a common God. Most communion takes place in moments of silence and stillness. There is no technique for communion because it is more elemen- tary than technique. We all knew commun- ion before we became separated and began trying to communicate with each other across distances. But we must be open to communion. We must sometimes be willing to let go of our hard individuality and stop trying so desperately to distinguish ourselves from the human race. Genesis in communion Communication is of ideas and is always more or less impersonal. Communion is of being, of substance, and therefore is always personal. The church, love, life, and all creation have their genesis in communion. When people began to communicate they quickly learned to dissimulate. "Am I my brother's keeper?" asked Cain in a hopeless attempt to argue in favor of freewheeling individualism. We must remember our roots. This is the only sensible way of avoiding the chaffing disagreements that emerge between parents and teenagers. The poet Gamzatov once asked an old woman from his homeland, the Caucasus region of USSR, what was the most terrifying curse she could think of. The worst curse she could imagine was this: "That there be no old folk in your house to give you wise counsel, and no young people to heed their advice." If the parent-teenager gap is not repaired, we can expect an even wider gap to grow between grandparents and grandchil- dren. William L. Coleman Facts about suicide Early one morning the pastor stood shoulder to shoulder with a man as they untied a body from the basement rafters. The woman had been active in the local church for years. The entire community was stunned. How could this have happened? What caused it? Could she have been a Christian? Millions of people ask these questions every year. Some officials estimate that if all suicides were recorded, the number is probably 50,000 a year in the United States alone. This may mean there are almost a half-million survivors annually in the form of relatives, children, and close friends. In past centuries, the approach to curbing suicide seemed to be harsh treatment. Prior to the fifth century, the church's attitude was basically indifference. Augustine (A. D. 354- 430) labeled it as murder. Inen society refused to bury suicides, confiscated their property, and persecuted their families in an effort to discourage the practice. We are now moving into an era of understanding and helpfulness. Neverthe- less, many myths still hang on. Some of the following facts may surprise us, but hope- fully they will put us in a better position to help the survivors and the potential victim. Fact: Most suicide victims talk about it first. People often repeat the myth, "He talks about suicide but that type never does it." The fact is that eight out of every ten people who kill themselves first indicated it to someone. Two men returned to a cabin after hunting and sat down. One man said, "I think I'll kill myself." The other one jokingly replied, "Well go ahead, I'll fix supper." As he walked into the kitchen he heard the shot blast. Most potential suicides are looking for someone to talk to. Fact: Christians do commit suicide. Often we look at suicide as a godless act only within reach of the pagan. Some ancient theologians called it an unpardonable sin since the victim cannot repent. The picture is often quite the opposite. Some people kill themselves in great faith. They feel they cannot hold on any longer and they choose to move on to the presence of Christ. Their judgment may be affected, but their faith may be extremely strong. During the first four centuries many Chris- tians under persecution chose this way out. Fact Most who kill themselves are not mentally ill. This depends on our definition, but most authorities agree that they cannot be labeled "crazy." E. S. Shneidman, a leading authori- ty on suicide, says the individual may be extremely unhappy, but he is not necessarily psychotic. The loss of judgment is a strong factor, but often the victim is following his own logic. One man reaching the mandatory age of retirement put a rifle to his forehead. His rationale was limited at the time but he was not "crazy." Fact God may forgive suicide. Some people have maintained that suicide is the only sin which God cannot forgive. They reason this on the fact that the victim does not have the opportunity to ask forgiveness. Although many may disagree, there does seem some biblical reason to believe that God does in fact forgive. The Book of Hebrews gives a standing promise from God, "Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more" (Hebrews 10:17). Acceptance into the presence of God is not based on our sinless perfection. There are six or seven illustrations of suicide in the Bible and there is no indication that God eternally condemned any of them. In fact, while God certainly doesn't support the act, he evidently assisted Samson. The far more acute problem is the lack of forgiveness by people. Some authorities feel that the surviving family never quite forgives the victim. A few years ago a twenty-one-year-old man killed himself. A disease was continuing to cripple his hands and he felt he could not face life that way. With the two fingers he had still operative he turned a pistol oni himself. His parents were infuriated. They had been willing to struggle with him and he let them down. They wanted no viewing of the body and no religious service. Many survivors try to fight this feeling of bitterness, but it is difficult. In most cases the family is left in a financial disaster. Thffl survivors feel totally rejected. They are often sure that they could have overcome difficul-| ties if only the suicide victim had not "baito out." s uic ion Stu ■ lore ui i liars nil Biol lore t foi An tine ociel lour rat Fact Most victims want to live. Most suicides or attempted suicides are! really a cry for help. They can find noj alternative and they would like one. Theiij financial problems may have become enor mous and they see no solution. But if they) could find an answer they would rather live.] Consequently, the person will take an| overdose of barbiturates and hope someone will find him. He may climb out on a ledge and threaten to jump, but hope someone cam talk him into living. It would be safe to say that many want to die only for a little while. They would like to! have death wipe the slate clean and start all over again. Consequently, their feelings are] best described as ambivalent. They want t die, but they desperately want to live. THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the content ot Christian love and Ireedom under the guidance ol the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It is p lished weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton, Kansas 671 14, by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonite Church Second-cl postage paid at Newton, Kansas 6/114 and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions, in United Slates and Canada, $6 OO, one year, $15 50. two years, $23 00, three years, foreign. $8 50 per year Edltfl rial office' 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg. Canada R3POM4 Business office 722 Main Street. Bo> 347. Newton, Kansas 67 1 1 4 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 347, Newton. Kansas 671HJ' 564 OCTOBER 4, 197' f here are six or seven illustrations of suicide in the Bible and there is no indication that God eternally condemned ny of them. In fact, while God certainly doesn't support the act, he evidently assisted Samson. "act: uicides are increasing among omen and children. Statistics are shifting. It used to be that lore women attempted suicide than men, ut more men completed the act. That is langing as a greater number of women are irning to "violent" suicide. They are using istols instead of pills. They have become lore serious about dying and fewer want to found in time. Authorities believe this is partly because f increased pressure as the woman's role in >ciety changes. Many are frustrated. They e trying to be career woman, mother, wife, id homemaker. Their burdens often ount, with little help from the husband. In >me large cities more women are now leaving their families than men. Self-destruction is mounting among young people. There are multitudes of reasons for this. With many coming from unstable home situations, missing fathers and domineering mothers may be the most frequent denominator. Fact People of minority groups often turn to suicide. Not long ago the popular notion was that suicide was a disease of the middle class or the rich. Actually this has probably never been the case. Mr. Shneidman calls suicide "democratic." It affects people on all levels of society. The United States Department of Health, rost suicides or attempted suicides are really a cry fur help t, c . .... . ;.. . ^ ... . Education, and Welfare has published a booklet on suicide among Indian Ameri- cans. They report that on some reservations the suicide rate is six times that of the national average. The most likely Indian to commit suicide is a single male between sixteen and twenty-four, with an unstable parental past. Fact People are suicidal for short periods. It is often said that if a person is intent on killing himself there is nothing we can do to stop it. Generally speaking, this is not true. For most people the interest in suicide is only a passing thing. If their need is met at the critical time the crisis may be curtailed. With some people they will face a similar critical point six months later and it may have to be met again. Ideally, they will by then have received help and started to resolve their problems. Fact Christians are in a position to help. In most cases suicide is not the result of lunacy or a chemical imbalance. It is definitely a human, personal problem. Christians are in an excellent position to help with personal difficulties. Because Jesus Christ cares about us we necessarily care about other people. Conse- quently, we wrap our emotional arms around individuals and attempt to take them in. In groups and interpersonal relationships we attempt to make others feel accepted, wanted, and needed. Because we all hurt we create an atmosphere where people feel free to share their pains and disappointments. We accept a less judgmental role of each other and more of an attitude of fellow survivors in a life raft struggling together because we need each other. We become less pretentious about the Christian life and less simplistic. We reach out because the person sitting next to us is hurting some place, just as we are. I ME MENNONITE 565 News Joint committee meetings chart course for Home Ministries Recent committee meetings of the Commis- sion on Home Ministries proved to be challenging and probing. Normally the reference councils for evangelism, voluntary service, radio and television, peace and social concerns, church planting, the minis- try, and the executive committee meet at different times and locations throughout the year. This time there was a departure from that structure. All reference councils were brought together at the same time, Septem- ber 18-20, in Newton, Kansas. One of the primary purposes was to stimulate cross-program interactions. There was not a uniform assessment on how well this worked. Many of the fifty-plus persons present said there was good dialog between councils. Others felt the need for more time to really generate cross-program learning. Although conjoint meetings were scheduled for three different occasions, the councils spent most of their time meeting as separate entities. However, the Mennonite Voluntary Ser- vice reference council and MVS staff did visit every other council for one hour each. These particular interactions raised contro- versial issues as MVS challenged, and was counterchallenged, by the committees. There were also many affirmations. Two of the main areas of confrontation were in evangelism and life-style. Some council members said there was a need for proclama- tion of the gospel in word, as well as in deed, by MVS. Generally, though, MVS was seen as a courageous, creative force, issuing a challenge to all members of the church in its life-style and mission. Several other councils also engaged in direct cross-program exchanges. The reference council for peace and social concerns recommended that the General Conference draft a statement on abortion. "We need a statement of position on this issue," they said. The manner in which the resolution on abortion had been handled at the Bluffton Conference had created wounds. This committee recommended that whatever route is taken in working out a statement on abortion, concerned voices should not be excluded. For the committee on church planting the main question was minority ministries. In 1976 alone, an estimated 400,000 Spanish- speaking persons entered the United States, half of them illegally. The consensus in this committee was that the time is ripe for a ministry to Spanish people. The central issue was whether the General Conference should opt for an inter-Mennonite ministry, do its own, or keep its options open to both. At the beginning of September a charter Spanish-language Mennonite congregation was organized in Houston, Texas. They share facilities with the English-speaking Houston Mennonite Church. Three other Spanish ministries are active within the General Conference: at Grace Church, Lansdale, Pennsylvania; Calvary Church, Liberal, Kansas; and at Crossroads Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. "What is our strategy for evangelism?" was the focus for the council on evangelism. There was not a readiness to pick a particular model or method for evangelism, and it was noted that congregations need to be discrim- inating on where to put their energies for evangelism. However, there was agreement that an "outreach mentality" is a need among General Conference Mennonites, that there has to be training for outreach, and that the evangelism must be one that cares. An interesting perspective arose when the executive committee of the Western District met with the executive of the Commission on Home Ministries. At one point there were also caucus meetings for each United States district and for the Canadian conference The caucuses and the executive committee of the Western District were asked to respond to the ideas and recommendations being generated by the reference councils. From these meetings committee members became more aware of the parallel program- ming that exists between CHM, the districts, and the Canadian conference. To be suppor tive of each other's efforts was an affirmation that came about. It was hoped that ways of being a cross-program resource, as well as a parallel-program asset, would be increased. Churchwide census for forum magazine w OM inisl acfe vital ben The no::, oups disc ltd During September, General Conference Student Services asked pastors of congrega- tions to provide names and addresses for the annual churchwide census of young adults. The census listing becomes the circulation list for forum magazine, published monthly October through April by the Mennonite and General Conference Mennonite student services offices. While not easy to define, young adults are those who are approximately eighteen to twenty-five years old, urban or rural, who have either remained in their home commu- nities or scattered to other areas, and are engaged in study, employment, voluntary service, or other endeavors. Forum maga- zine is mailed at no cost to these post-high Mennonite young persons. As implied in the title, forum serves as a channel for exchange of ideas among its readers. "Their interests set the agenda for issues treated," according to editor Stuart Showalter, who teaches communication at Goshen College, Goshen, Indiana. "Forum sponsors have encouraged free expression of diverse points of view; our editorial plat- form, therefore, is open and flexible," he said. During the coming school year, forum expects to continue to explore elements integral to building Christian community. Life-style issues such as life planning, singleness, and sources of strain on young adult marriages will be treated. These will be lie V in nsists toi related to the recent General Conference family life survey done by R. Bruce Woods, Theological, political, educational, and social issues will again be highlighted in forum, the editor indicated. Articles have pelim been scheduled, for example, on the church's role in Vietnam and on apartheid. The war tax issue will be discussed Hubert Brown, student services secretary i' for Mennonite Board of Missions, Elkhart said that "Ministry to young adults must § understood as ministry. As ministry, means commitment and practical involve-Wa ment in meeting needs of young adults in the context of a brotherhood community in a learning society "Young adults raise difficult questions in an atmosphere of freedom from value tan commitments to their home and churcrp communities. Although sharing some thing! in common, they are characterized by man} differences in experience and outlook attitudes and values, housing and maritahvi patterns, Christian commitment and churcl >»< participation," Mr. Brown said Circulation among General Conferenci Mennonite young adults is expected to bUispnn 3,000 this year, an increase of 700 from las year. There is no fee for a subscription tftli although individuals may contribute if the; 1 Cm, wish. To be put on the mailing list write to Ming, General Conference Mennonite Church luralj, Student Services, Box 347, Newton, Kansa prowl 67114. lustn v up issi eyt Tw ■gen M eak IDS I as pei S( 111; herein be 566 OCTOBER 4, 197K V[ • rgent need for verseas personnel tjie overseas mission program of the Ipneral Conference is hurting. In a letter to h pastors of all General Conference tngregations the Commission on Overseas ission is asking them to name persons who ;y think have the gifts for overseas service. Two areas that need personnel most gently are Brazil and Colombia. In Brazil, 3M is working with the Mennonite Board i Missions (Elkhart) and the German- leaking Mennonites of Curitiba. Invita- ins have been extended for three couples to >ist national Christians in beginning new urch fellowships. In Colombia, three ssionary families have found it necessary I terminate this year for family reasons, jjiurch leaders in Colombia have asked IQM to send at least two new couples for i nistries in rural leadership training, Bible Itching, and youth work. There are also ij/itations for new missionaries from eight ler countries in which COM has work. There has been a decline in personnel long other Mennonite mission and service Dups as well. The letter asks congregations discern gifts and "call out those whom the >rd would have serve him in other lands." laskan pipeline deal rotested ithough the Alaskan Highway natural gas J>eline is in the works, protests continue, e National Coalition Against Northern Delines, Ottawa, Ontario, is pressing for a rliamentary investigation into why the nadian Government made the deal with i United States negotiators. The coalition nsists of public interest, environmental, jrch, native, and labor groups from across nada who oppose the construction of any rthern pipeline at this time. Claiming that the $10 billion pipeline is t the kind of international deal Canadians l be proud of, the coalition cites preoccu- tion with short-term financial considera- ns as the reason for the deal, at the ?ense of Canada's environment, the rights the native people, and the need for a lerent energy policy. The mammoth )ject, they claim, involves Canadian >ney, Canadian environmental damage, i the abrogation of the rights of Canada's ive people so the United States can nsport Alaskan gas to American markets, urther, they state, there is a worsening dibility gap that both the gas industry and Canadian Government are guilty of ( ating. In July 1975 there were claims of a ural gas shortage. Now, in 1977, after the jroval of the northern pipeline, the gas ustry wants government policies changed Churches help India's flood victims Indian villagers carrying their belongings jam the only passable road as they abandon huts and fields of Hazaf Garh, one of many hamlets on northern India's flood plain. Flood waters inundated more than one-third of the nation's capital city, Delhi. Ch>er one million acres of land were flooded to a depth often to twenty-five feet. During early September there was also severe flooding in the state of Assam, north of Bangladesh. Mennonite Central Committee is working with CASA (Church's Auxiliary for Social Action), an ecumenical agency, which provided medical service and emergency feeding. Approximately two million people have been affected by the flooding. There is an acute shortage of drinking water as most wells in the flooded areas were submerged. Although the emergency response has concluded, the rehabilitation stage calls for pure drinking water and medical care in addition to cleaning and restoration of houses, fields, and industry. M CC was able to respond to the emergency more quickly than normal because volunteer Paul Kennel is part of an MCC disaster standby program. Disaster response profiles have been written for a number of Asian countries. so it can sell surplus gas abroad. Consequently the coalition is calling for an independent inquiry into the gas indus- try's misleading reserves statistics, and also an assessment of the government's pipeline deal. CMBC, Winnipeg, seeks new president The presidential search committee for Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winni- peg, Manitoba, is contacting all congrega- tions associated with the Conference of Mennonites in Canada in its quest for a new president for CMBC. Congregations are being asked to name qualities and qualifications to expect, specific names of persons, and the expecta- tions they have for CMBC under the next president. Serving on the committee are CMBC board members John H. Neufeld, Gary Harder, and William Toews; faculty member David Schroeder; and General Board (Canadian conference) appointee John Derksen, Clearbrook, British Columbia. During a recent retreat of board members, administration, and faculty, a day was devoted to a study of the purpose and nature of CMBC. This process will continue when constituency responses have been received. The gathering, the first of its kind, was made possible by a gift from a private business- man. John Neufeld, chairperson of the CMBC board, commented, "I have a personal dream that similar retreats might be held with provincial representatives in the various provinces. It could develop a whole new sense of our owning the college." CMBC's president. Henry Poettcker, is president-elect of Mennonite Biblical Sem- inary, Elkhart, Indiana. If E MENNONITE 567 Unwelcome couple has effective ministry The community of Nain, Labrador, did not ask for community development workers Dennis and Susan Driedger of Winkler, Manitoba, nor did they want them when they arrived in Nain two years ago. Although the Driedgers were told to leave, they didn't, proved their love in action, and recently left an appreciative community. Mennonite Central Committee sent the Driedgers to Nain at the request of the Newfoundland provincial government. The mainly Inuit (Eskimo) settlement of 900 had not asked for them. Outsiders are highly resented in Nain because there are so many who fly in for short periods only to exploit the people. Rich in history, folklore, rock formations, and social problems, the culture invites study by professionals in a wide variety of disciplines. Inuit have lived in the Nain region for about 4,000 years. "The Eskimos felt like a museum," Dennis said. Many students have completed PhD degrees by studying Nain. Why didn't they leave? "We never doubted God had called us there," said Sue. "And I guess we're a bit stubborn," Dennis added. Dennis spent the first months talking to various social workers, attending meetings, helping people with their boats, hauling loads, and after a year the community was convinced they weren't leaving. They were accepted. The Driedgers — Michelle, Susan, Darcy, Dennis, and Kevin — were accepted in Nain, Labrador, when the Inuit understood that they were there to help them, live with them, am be with them. Later it became difficult to leave. By far the greatest problem was alcohol- ism, and in Dennis' judgment it was the source of "99 percent" of all other social problems. It was in the rehabilitation of alcoholics that he eventually found his primary role. Through contacts an Alcohol- ics Anonymous group eventually was born. It was difficult. The Inuit do not like to confront each other or point out faults, nor do they feel comfortable with prayer outside the church. At the time the Driedgers left fifteen alcoholics were actively trying to stop. Th< group was doing well and was under Inui leadership. Another positive achievement was th( development of a curriculum for alcoho education in the schools. The Driedgers together with other social services personne were instrumental in setting up a summe day-care center which the women of th community had requested. The womei worked in the fish plant each summer am themselves identified the need for the center Sod turned for heritage center in Winnipeg A sod-turning service for a new Mennonite heritage center was held Sunday, August 28, on the campus of Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg, Manitoba. The new archives and library building is a donation to the Conference of Mennonites in Canada by the P. W. Enns Family Foundation. In his remarks prior to the sod breaking, Gerhard Lohrenz, a long-time advocate of such a facility, noted the Mennonite com- munity's recurrent disobedience of the biblical model in which the Israelites were instructed to communicate their heritage to their children and to later generatons. Although Mr. Lohrenz described the new structure as "a center for the study of the past," he also emphasized that it will "enable us to understand and appreciate our prob- lems of today more intelligently." "The center," he continued, "will lead to a constant reexamination of our private and public life ... to a greater vision for the future, and to a longing for those things that are pure, true, honorable, just, lovely, and gracious." About sixty persons from Winnipeg and area congregations shared the occasion with members of the P. W. Enns Family Founda- tion. Chairing the service, Henry J. Ger- brandt, executive secretary of the Canadian conference, led the group in singing "Grosser Gott wir loben Dich" (Holy God, We Praise Thy Name). Jake Fransen, vice-chairperson of the Canadian conference, led in the dedicatory prayer. Members of the building committee include chairperson Rudy Regehr, Winni- peg; architect Siegfried Toews of Vancouver, British Columbia; and Peter Martens of MBS Construction, Winnipeg, who will head the construction itself. Work is to commence immediately, with completion planned in the fall of 1978. The resource center, which will cost about $500,000, will be a 14,000-square-foot building. It will include an expanded archives preservation and service area, a public meeting and heritage display area, a library section for CM BC, as well as research and reading rooms, a periodicals lounge, and seminar rooms. Acknowledgment of the gift and approval of construction took place at the Canadian conference sessions in Toronto during July. P. W. Enns, donor; Jake Fransen, vie chairman of the Conference of Mennonit in Canada; and Gerhard Lohrenz, memb of the building committee, break sod for tl\ new archives-library building at Canadk Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg, Mar toba. v:. Ilil 568 OCTOBER 4. 19 Words & deeds Workshops for training in counseling and ■visiting have been organized by the Confer- ence of Mennonites in Manitoba. George Neufeld, conference chaplain, said, "In the jMennonite church we have often said that iproviding a supportive ministry to the ,;lderly who are trying to cope with loneli- ness, to the chronically and mentally ill, and io the grief stricken is the task of the whole phurch and should be done by the deacons ind laity as well as the clergy. Some lay persons have developed a fulfilling ministry, iput a larger number have experienced i setbacks and have given up." The workshops ire in response to this need. More informa- tion can be obtained from the Conference of 1 Mennonites in Manitoba, 1483 Pembina ^Highway, Winnipeg. \Although there was no advertising via i [newspapers or television, evangelist Billy 1 Graham's visit to Hungary attracted many persons. An estimated 15,000 people turned I put for his first service. During the services II 'tie preached the kind of salvation sermon he 9 .preaches everywhere and made the point 1 ethat no matter what government system you 'IJive in, God loves you. Mr. Graham 1 [Emphasized that while he came to learn 1 ibout church-state relations in Hungary, he ■was there to preach the gospel. "I come to 1 .-speak of the life, the death, and the I i! resurrection of Jesus Christ," he said. iHow women are affected by their mothers pill be part of the learning at a weekend for pothers and daughters at Bluffton College, .Bluffton, Ohio, October 7-9. Resource (women for the conference are Signe jHammer, author of Daughter and Mothers: Mothers and Daughters, and Florine Jacobs, former dean of women at Ohio Northern University. Another educational j :mphasis for women is a one-day seminar on Investments, wills, trusts, and taxes on October 1 1. Paul King, sponsor of the event, jioted, "On the average, women live longer than men. The seminar will help inform Ivomen how to best acquire, enjoy, and Hiispose of estate assets." ;h4 consultation on world evangelization will ■be held in January 1980. The gathering is an : outgrowth of the 1974 Congress on World m Evangelization in Lausanne, Switzerland, i To be held in a third-world city, the i '.onsultation will assess progress since 1974 njlind set post-1980 strategies for world fl :vangelization. The decision to go ahead (Jt ivith the gathering came from the executive fit ; :ommittee of the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelization meeting in Montreal, Quebec, in early September. Delegates from Kenya, Uganda, Bolivia, England, United States, Canada, India, Switzerland, Austra- lia, and Singapore attended the Montreal session. A cross-cultural fiesta, which provided an opportunity for Christians of minority groups from various cities to meet together, was held in early September near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. This event is planned annual- ly by the home ministries department of the Eastern Mennonite Board of Missions and Charities. Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, Fresno, California, will inaugurate Elmer A. Martens as the sixth president of the institution, October 14. In conjunction with the event two seminary professors, J. B. Toews and David Ewert, will present four expositions of 1 Thessalonians at an old- fashioned Bible conference, Thursday and Friday, October 13-14. The Japan Mennonite Church intends to set up a voluntary service program. Currently, Sawako Renbutso from the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan is spending a year in voluntary service in Phoenix, Arizona. She is a Mennonite Central Committee exchange visitor. Religious programming accounts for 5 percent of Radio Botswana's broadcast time. Coordinator of religious programming is Norman Derstine, under assignment from Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission through the Botswana Christian Council. He also produ- ces a five-minute daily program. Study Guides 1 A six-session study on the auto- mobile and Christian responsibil- ity. 49 pages, paperback $2.00 2 A study guide for Christian peo- ple on social change. 59 pages, paperback $2.00 3 fist I sww Women to the Bible and §68 Early Anabaptlsm fort OS Lesson Helps far Mil We're Meant to Be New Men New Roles A thirteen-lesson study in two parts on the role of women in church and society. 63 pages, paperback $2.00 Send orders to: Congregational Sales, Faith and Life Press, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 15' THE MENNONITE 569 Record Workers Jay Basler has been named dean of students and director of student services at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas. He is moving from his associate position in this area upon the resignation of Walter Friesen. Linda Dyck, Whitewater Church, Boisse- vain, Manitoba, began a year of Mennonite Voluntary Service in July as a day-care worker in Beatrice, Nebraska. She is the daughter of Abe and Lena Dyck of Boisse- vain. Joe Ediger, Arvada (Colorado) Church, is beginning two years with Mennonite Volun- tary Service teaching in an alternative school in Chicago, Illinois. He is a mathematics graduate of Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas. His parents are Peter and Marjorie Ediger. Joe and Jeanette Neufeld, Grace Church, Regina, Saskatchewan, left September 6 for one-year assignments as mission volunteers at the Taiwan Theological College, Taipei, Taiwan, under the Commission on Overseas Mission of the General Conference Menno- nite Church. Mr. Neufeld is professor of education and counseling at the University of Regina. He is using his sabbatical leave from the university to teach Christian education and psychology at the theological school. Ms. Neufeld's major assignment is Conference budget Dyck W. Rupp B. Sawatzky D. Sawatzky Siemens Wenger the teaching of English. She has been teaching at the Wascana Institute for Applied Arts and Science in Regina. Weldon and Linda Rupp, Bethel College Church, North Newton, Kansas, are begin- ning two years with Mennonite Voluntary Service as apartment managers of a fifty-unit Budget for 1977 includes: Commission on Education $234,048 Commission on Overseas Mission $2,084,949 Commission on Home Ministries $579,918 Mennonite Biblica Seminary $280,968 Total $3,179,883 1977 BUDGET: $3,179,883 O N D The monthly receipts for August totaled $203, 1 45. This year's receipts to date are $ 1 ,374,596. Last year's August receipts were $160,276 with that year to date totaling $1,431,457. On a percentage basis we have reached 43.2 percent of our budget at the end of this August compared with 47.7 at the same point last year. If we receive the same amount in the next four months as we received the last lour months of 1976, we will fall short of making budget by 10 percent and $300,000. We very much need your support. Ted Sim key, conference treasurer low-income rental complex in Arvada, Colorado. Ms. Rupp has taught grades one to four for almost thirty years and Mr. Rupp has worked in supervisory positions with several manufacturing firms. Daniel and Beverly Krehbiel Sawatzky, North Newton, Kansas, have begun two years of Mennonite Voluntary Service. Their assignment takes them to Cincinnati, Ohio, where Daniel will work in home repair and Beverly will work at the reading center. Both have college training and have work experi- ence in their particular area of service. They attend Hesston Inter-Mennonite Church Hesston, Kansas. Marianne Siemens, Emmaus Church,! Wymark, Saskatchewan, is beginning two years with Mennonite Voluntary Service at a day-care center in Hutchinson, Kansas. She has attended Swift Current Bible Institute Swift Current, Saskatchewan. She is the daughter of Ruben and Tina Siemens Wymark. Martha Wenger, Faith Church, Newton Kansas, is beginning two years of Mennonitflnip)] Voluntary Service in Washington, D.C. Shi has a particular interest in history and peac< studies and is a graduate of Bethel College North Newton, Kansas. She has also studiec in Jerusalem and in Jordan. In Washingtoi she will be a staff person at the nationa office of Clergy and Laity Concerned. She i the daughter of Malcolm and Esthe Wenger, Newton. tlta If arc Sun 570 OCTOBER 4, 197 {M[ Ministers \Iohn Friesen has accepted the pastorate of ::he Zoar Church, Langham, Saskatchewan, effective in October. He previously served pastorates at Hillcrest Church, Grande jPrairie, Alberta; First Church, Burns Lake, [British Columbia; and the Morden (Manito- ba) Bergthaler Church. Loris Habegger, North Newton, Kansas, las begun serving as associate pastor of lEden Church, Moundridge, Kansas, effec- tive October 1 . He is also serving as executive ilirector of the senior citizens' commission of ' he Associated Churches of Moundridge. Harold Ratzlaff, Newton, Kansas, is nerving as interim pastor at First Church, Pretty Prairie, Kansas. Richard Tschetter :vill become pastor of the congregation in November. Calendar S| October 2 1-23 — Western District Confer- ence annual sessions, Buhler High School, iiuhler, Kansas Eastern November 11-13 — New Call to Peace- making conference, Powell House, Old (Chatham, New York i November 18-19 — New Call to Peace- making conference, Church of the Brethren Lancaster, Pennsylvania Northern November 18-19 — Farm and food semin- ar, Bethel Church, Mountain Lake, Minne- jota; resource people, Harold Regier, lussell Mast, Doris Longacre, Arnold ^arder, Cecil Graber Pacific | October 28-31 — New Call to Peacemak- ng conference, Camp Collins, Oregon {Published fk catalog of the films, filmstrips, and slide leis available through Mennonite Central pommittee film libraries is available from i/ICC at 21 South 12th Street, Akron, Pennsylvania 17501, or from regional offi- i es. The Sacred Car is a conscience-raising Pamphlet for people who are raising ques- tions on what the car has done to the North ivmerican life-style. Some alternatives to the i ar are suggested. The study guide is ivailable from Faith and Life Press, 722 (/lain Street, Newton, Kansas 67114, at 1 2.00 per copy. A cassette tape is scheduled ! ar release later in the year. The book and the upe are intended for use by study groups nd Sunday school classes. Pannabecker Deaths Samuel Floyd Pannabecker was born April 15, 1896, and died September 14. He served as a missionary and Mennonite Central Committee relief commissioner in China from 1923 to 1946, and as an educator at two major General Conference Mennonite insti- tutions: Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio, and Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Indiana. From 1946 to 1969 he was, at various times, dean, registrar, and president of the seminary. He was also president emeritus of the institution. His book Open Doors, a history of the General Conference Mennonite Church, was published in 1975. He was a member of the General Conference mission board from 1947 to 1965. He obtained the AB degree from Bluffton College, the AM from Witmarsum Theolog- ical Seminary, the BD from Garrett Biblical Institute, and the PhD from Yale University. He also studied at the College of Chinese Studies in Peking. Bethel College, Bluffton College, and Bethany Biblical Seminary all conferred honorary degrees in recognition of his services to the church. Multitudes enjoyed the singing at the General Conference 77 sessions at Bluffton. Songbook 77 is a unique collection of seventy-seven traditional and contemporary songs. While quantity lasts. . . . Seventy-seven songs, paperback: One to forty-nine copies $2.00 Fifty or more $1.75 Order from: Faith and Life Bookstore Fellowship Bookcenter Faith and Life Bookstore 159 West Main Street 302 Kennedy Box 347 Berne, Indiana 46711 Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2M6 Newton, Kansas 67114 Canada PLAN AHEAD • TAKE TWO LAY LEADERS WITH YOU • CLINICS HELD IN SEVE > co cr LU Q < LU 7 7 SCHOLARSHIPS For Pastors Available for Training in Evangelism at a FIVE-DAY EVANGELISM EXPLOSION CLINIC Apply: Floyd G. Bartel, Secretary for Congregational Mission 722 Main, Newton, Kansas 67114 O m O < m J3 m m m 3>iV± • DNIdnidHN / ONIldlOSia / ONIZH30NVA3 • S1IV13Q U03 31IHAA • O 13 HE MENNONITE 571 Id* I1SSIOII A word about church music I want to write about modern trends in singing the praise of God. Enthusiastic Christians are singing the words of Scrip- ture, and when done with reverence and good taste this is highly commendable. But it is the character and quality of some tunes to which these scriptural words are sung that concerns me. It is not easy to fit worthy music to the Word of God. Great musicians from Palestrina through Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and the superlative Mozart have explored the twelve-tone scale (all the black and white keys within an octave) with every worthy possibility of tune, beat, and rhythm. Modern composers have had to resort to new, daring, and even shocking stratagems of sound and rhythm to produce original and contemporary effects. Another important factor in modern religious tunes is that whereas composers formerly were often initially inspired by religion, it is not so now. Today's composers are almost entirely inspired by the secular life of the common man. Light music for dancing has provided the beat, the style for modern religious tunes. Hence one is not at all surprised to find in deeply serious and religious works startling jazz effects. Synco- pation is rampant with the wildest effects in melody, harmony, and rhythm. Perhaps the simplest form of syncopation is that in which the tune brings on the second beat as in Perry's "Jerusalem" and Vaughan Williams' "For all the Saints," but is practically Victorian and hopelessly sedate Many Gifts, a worship resource book with original songs by Patricia Shelly and poetic images and music by Peter Ediger and Judy Krehbiel, is now available. The fifty-page paperback book may be ordered for $2.00 from the Faith and Life bookstores at Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 and 159 West Main, Berne, Indiana 4671 1 ; or from Patricia Shelly, 5987 Miller Street, Arvada, Colorado 80004. Adriel School, a residential treatment facility for emotionally disturbed slow-learning ado- lescents, has an opening for a social worker. A master's degree in social work is preferred; applications will also be accepted from persons holding a bachelor's degree in social work. The salary is competitive and fringe benefits are liberal. Contact Mr. James Burkett, Box 188, West Liberty, Ohio 43357; or phone (513) 465-5010. nowadays! Much more advanced syncopa- tion is now the rage in which you get violent interruptions of the flow of the rhythm, starting and stopping even at half beats. And, of course, this is undoubtedly exciting, intriguing, and diverting — too much so, I think. There is a self-consciousness about such performances which distracts from the Word being sung, and more so from the Lord of whom we sing. Now I can hear a storm of criticism breaking over my head! I really don't mind; it is true. The exciting and arresting rhythms of the dance hall have invaded all modern forms of our songs of praise. To wed these to the words of Holy Scripture, however expertly and excitingly it is done, is incon- gruous to the reverent mind. My complaint is not against allying the very words of Scripture to modern music; however, I feel these new tunes are so riddled with patterns of syncopation that the mind is distracted and diverted from the "truth" it sings. The profound meaning of the Word is swallowed up in the beat or rhythm of the tune. To attach so much vapid musical frivolity to words of Holy Writ is to drag through the mud the lovely words of our Holy Savior. You can't dress Jesus up like a clown and expect serious people to accept him; it is irreverent and incongruous. I am all for ! interesting harmonies, new tunes, and fresh ways of singing praise to our wonderful God, but let us stop "jazzing up" the Word of God as some are doing in the so-called gospel ; shows. Such exercises are tawdry, cheap, "I frivolous, and debasing in the extreme Young people, have your fun, as much as is good for you; but when it comes to serious :i things — not sad, but glorious, joyful, and -i; eternal things — let your music match them Let us never be guilty of turning the worship of our divine Lord into anything approach ing the rabble of the jungle or the beat of jazz halls. William Still, Gilcomston South, Aberdeen, Scotland (printed in The Minis ter's Letter) X Letters Holy Spirit not "it" Dear Editor: Greetings in the precious name of Jesus of Nazareth! In The Mennonite (August 9) the editorial was titled A People of Fire. This I read over several times and found it to be full of good advice and very interesting to read. However, I can not go along with calling the Holy Spirit an "it." This seemed very strange and confusing to me. If the readers of The Mennonite are expected to go along with this idea, then please count me out. I would prefer to go along with the statement which Jesus left with his disciples in John 14:16-17, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." Also John 16:13-14, "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that :.'!; is! a shall he speak: and he will shew you things t come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you." Peter B Friesen, Box 627, Meadow Lake, Saskat chewan S0M 1 V0 August 3( Thank-you from India Dear Editor: I have now returned to Indh after being in the United States and Canad; four months for study and visiting ou General Conference Mennonite churche there. Please permit me to express througl The Mennonite my deepest gratitude to al the brothers and sisters in Christ who tool me into their homes, extended warn ^ Mennonite hospitality and fellowship, ar ' ranged for meetings and saw to it that I me many people, drove me very kindly in thei cars to my next place of appointment, and i ever so many ways made me feel at home an very comfortable. All this has made a lastin V?, impression on my mind. I am very, vei thankful to every one of them. Amr Sonwani, Sewa Bhawan Hospital, Jagdeesl pur via Basna, Raipur District, Madh) Pradesh. India 493554 September 572 OCTOBER 4, 197 \ ■■: Review Alive and Aware Alive and Aware, by Miller, Nunnaly, and packman (The Carriage House, Minneapo- is, 1975) is reviewed by Robert V. Peters. He vrote this at the end of last spring's semester is a student at Associated Mennonite \3iblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana. Cur- rently, Robert is employed with the Chris- tian Student Movement and lives at 502 Simcoe Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba. |jf you are among those who are concerned ibout the quality of Mennonite churches' orporate life together as fellowships, then Hive and Aware is a book for you. Our Anabaptist forebears, and those of he Quakers and Church of the Brethren, left is a wealth of symbols that undergirded and xpressed the nature of their group life. |rrom the Church of the Brethren comes the ich meaning of their communion: a "love jast" or agape meal, footwashing, and the oly kiss to express the meaning of their ovenant one with another. Most of these lgredients are also to be found within the j ifferent Mennonite groups. The Hutterites emphasized that the minister is a Diener (servant) — Diener des fortes (servant of the Word). The Quakers ipoke of the "meeting" — a meeting for 'orship and a meeting for business. Maybe re could also learn something from the Quaker concept of clerking. All of the historic peace churches during their formative stages emphasized the necessity for a group process, including consensus decision-making. My experience with Mennonite groups is that we need to put renewed flesh on these symbols from our past. There is a rich heritage waiting to be mined anew as a source of energy for our group life. At the same time, humanistic psychology should also be searched out for help in this area. Alive and Aware was written primarily as a text for improving communication be- tween partners in a marriage relationship. Our group leadership class at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries found the text quite useful for group life as well. Central to Alive and Aware is its concept of the "awareness wheel." What's happening now? What's happening to you right now? What are you sensing, thinking, feeling, wanting, doing? Your senses, thoughts, feelings, and actions are always part of you, but they are not always within your aware- ness. Alive and Aware challenges us to develop our self-awareness which will enable us to also become more aware of others and thus improve our communication. It emphasizes the need for active listening — playing back with "I hear you saying," checking out with "Did I hear you say?" Communication is always two-way: there must be self-disclosure, listening, and feed- back at the base of any healthy relationship. Another important section "I Count, I Count You," reaffirms a basic human value. We're all worthy of being counted, of being listened to and shared with. My experience in Mennonite groups is that we: (1) have poorly developed active listening skills; (2) show a lack of emphasis on becoming aware of self and disclosing self within the fellowship; and (3) forget at times that we are a priesthood of believers where all have a valid voice. Alive and Aware is written from a humanistic perspective but, applied to a Christian group, can lead to exciting new spiritual adventures. Three other books that I would recom- mend for deepening group life in the church are: (1) Learning Through Encounter by Robert Arthur Dow, Judson Press, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, 1971; (2) Making Meetings Work by Leland P. Bradford, University Associates, La Jolla, California, 1976; and (3) Church Eights (Managing Conflict in the Local Church) by Speedleas and Paul Kittlavs, Westminster Press, Philadelphia, 1973. IJBNO & Mm BAPTIST Say/ , , Listen to -mis! one of the most important thin as -tarn ilits do is listen foNi each other! { Jf says here one of +he most important Things -families do is (isfetr -to each erf her /\ J'd like.it) hearyou Try To -he.il our dsurthte -fhsrhf to HE MENNONITE 573 I Meditation Let's be thankful Charles Ludwig Like anticipating Christmas as a time to exchange gifts rather than a time to commemorate the birth of Christ, all of us have a tendency to look forward to Thanks- giving as a time of feasting and visiting relatives rather than as a time to be thankful. To the Philippians, Paul wrote: "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (4:6). From this it is evident that Paul considered thankfulness a privilege. Indeed, prayer should always be accompanied by thanksgiving. Traditionally, we always remember har- vests at Thanksgiving; and this we should do. But in addition to harvests, should we not remember with profound thanks those who helped make our public worship and harvests possible? For example, do we remember to thank the Lord for those who wrote our hymns? If we were to take all of Fanny Crosby's hymns out of our hymnal the book would be much thinner than it is. Have you ever thanked the Lord that this tiny blind woman was called to write hymns? While riding in a hack with Fanny Crosby on the way to the Brooklyn ferry, a close friend was discussing with her some of the famous preachers she had known. Among these were Henry Ward Beecher, Theodore Cuyler, and John Hall. As Fanny related the blessings she had received from them, the friend noticed the driver listening acutely to every word. Intrigued, she said, "This is Fanny Crosby, author of 'Safe in the Arms of Jesus.' " Upon hearing this, the man wept. That hymn had been one of the great inspirations of his life. Several weeks ago I worshiped in the first official Methodist church building to be erected in the United States. It stands at 44 John Street in Manhattan. Later, I learned that Fanny Crosby often worshiped there. Those who saw her in the pews of this landmark church noticed that her long, black dresses were from thirty to forty years out of fashion. Fashions didn't mean much to Fanny; nor was she overly concerned that; jj she seldom received over two dollars for a hymn, even a great one. Fanny Crosby's main concern was to remain securely in the will of the Lord. Because of this determina- ^ tion, we are now enabled to sing: Someday the silver chord will break. And I no more as now shall sing; But, O, the joy when I shall awake Within the palace of the King! Have we ever thanked the Lord for Fannj Crosby? We should! The names of a host of hymnwriters are _ known. Thus we can honor Charles Wesley Isaac Watts, George Bennard, and others But how about those hymns whose author; are unknown? One of these is "Gloria Path' The Colosseum in Rome now stands in ruins. Many believe that the Gloria Patri was born out of a group of Christians joining their hands in an impromptu manner as they were brought out to face the ravenous lions. They sang as they went to certain death in this building. ind the author credit line reads: "Anony- tious, second century." Although the author of those stirring |,vords is unknown, we are reasonably certain pf their origin. During the first three ;enturies of our era, Roman emperors earned that their personal popularity went ;jp and down with the number of games they sponsored in the Colosseum and other public places. A typical program featured gladiators. When one of these men downed (lis opponent, he turned to the crowd and l;houted, Hoc habet! ("He has it!") and jiwaited their instructions. If the conquered man had fought well and j he crowd was in a good mood, the crowd ■vould signal that he should live by holding Bp their thumbs. If, however, they didn't iipprove of him, they turned their thumbs jlown and sneered, Recipe ferrum ! ("Receive he steel!"). early Anabaptists who lost their lives because they insisted that this doctrine is scriptural? Many of these martyrs were drowned, others were burned at the stake, hundreds perished on the wheel, many were banished, and an incredible number were torn apart on machines. To refresh our minds, let's listen in on the trial of Elizabeth Dirks who was arrested in Holland on January 15, 1549. Examiners: "What do you believe about the baptism of children seeing that you have had yourself baptized again?" Elizabeth: "No, my lords, I have not been baptized again. I have been baptized once on my faith, because it is written, 'Baptism belongs to believers.' " Examiners: "Are our children then damned because they are baptized?" Elizabeth: "No, my lords. Far be it from me to judge the children." We have a tendency to look forward to Thanksgiving as a time of feasting rather than as a time to be thankful. But watching men being killed day after lay soon bored the listless public. To >vercome this boredom, the gladiators were nade to fight in different ways. Sometimes hey fought with spears, at other times with words or daggers, and at other times with :iets. And often, sandwiched between these vents, a group of Christians would be irought out and ravenously hungry lions let oose upon them. How did the followers of Christ withstand his ordeal? Usually with exquisite courage. )n many occasions as they awaited the claws nd fangs of the tormented beasts they did so >y joining their hands as an impromptu hoir to sing: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, nd to the Holy Ghost; As it was in the eginning, is now, and ever shall be, world 'ithout end. Amen, Amen. It was this courage that eventually put an nd to the persecution of Christians. Indeed, lis fact caused Tertullian, the Roman ttorney converted to Christ in A. D. 185, to xxlaim: "Nor does your cruelty, however icquisite, avail you; it is rather a temptation ) us. The oftener we are mowed down by ou, the more in number we grow; the blood f Christians is seed." Do we ever bow our heads and give thanks >r these men and women of courage? We lould! Today in all our churches we freely cpress our view that baptism is for believers ily. In doing so, some disagree. Those who sagree are powerless to do anything about But do we remember those thousands of Examiners: "Do you think you are saved by baptism?" Elizabeth: "No, my lords. All the water in the sea cannot save me. All my salvation is in Christ, who has commended me to love the Lord, my God, and my neighbor as myself." Following this merciless grilling, Eliza- beth was taken into the torture room. There, screws were put on her thumbs and forefin- gers and twisted until the blood came. When this failed to force her to recant or to reveal who had baptized her, she was sentenced to death. On March 27, 1549, she was placed in a sack and drowned in the river like an unwanted animal. Do our eyes ever moisten when we think of martyrs like Elizabeth? They should, and we should be thankful for them! Considering our harvests that have brought us food, shelter, wealth, and that have paid for our house of worship, are we sufficiently thankful? Do we remember those who fled to our country from comfortable homes in Europe in order to have religious freedom? Do we remember those families who worked night and day in order that we might have the land which we now enjoy? Or what about our ministers and publish- ing houses and writers who help keep us informed as well as inspired? Would it not be thoughtful and kind to let them know that we are thankful? If you agree, why not do something about it. Few therapies are as effective as that of genuine thankfulness. Indeed, being thank- ful was one of the forces that enabled Paul to continue his world revolutionary work. Contents Parents and teens 562 Facts about suicide 564 News 566 Record 570 A word about church music 572 Letters 572 Alive and aware 573 Let's be thankful 574 Abortion and war 576 CONTRIBUTORS Donald DeMarco is associate professor of philosophy, St. Jerome's College, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G3. His article is reprinted with permission from Our Family, © Oblate Fathers of St. Mary's Province. William L Coleman, Aurora, Nebraska, is the author of the book "Lord, Sometimes I Need Help." He is a full-time writer and his article is reprinted by permission from the Evangelical Beacon, magazine of the Evangelical Free Church of America. "A Word about Church Music" is reprinted by permission from Christian Heritage, Box 176, Hackensack, New Jersey 07602. Kathy Bartel, layout artist for Mennonite Central Committee, Akron, Pennsylvania 17501, does the Menno and Anna Baptist cartoons. Charles Ludwig, 7217 East 30th Street, Tucson, Arizona 85710, is a free-lance writer and photographer. CREDITS Cover, David Hiebert, Box 301, Scottdale, Pennsylvania 15683: 563, Strix Pix, Newville, Pennsylvania 17241; 565, Family Films, Hollywood, California 90038; 567, RNS; 568, Ron Sawatsky, MCC, and Rudy A. Regehr, CMBC; 574, Charles Ludwig. The Meniioiihe Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Assistant editor: Vic Reimer, Box 347, Newton, Kan- sas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circu- lation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Evelyn Krehbiel, 229 Brookwood, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, La Vernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street. Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117; Encom- pass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805; and Conference of Menno- nites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury. Winnipeg. Manitoba R3P0M4. HE MENNONITE 575 Abortion and war Mennonites have a long history officially opposing the killing of people in wars. We have not always been unanimous on this position. We also have not always known how to relate this position to capital punishment and many Mennonites have supported the death penalty. We have failed often to relate this position to our dealings with Christian brothers and sisters and the proliferation of Mennonite "splits" is evidence of the results. Today there is a new issue that is facing the Mennonite churches on this same teaching — abortion. People asked it at the Bluffton conference and they are asking it elsewhere: What motivates us to a position of refusal to kill in war but an unwillingness to declare ourselves on the issue of abortion? If it is our deep respect for the sacredness of human life that keeps us from taking arms, then this concern should also help us to commit ourselves on abortion. What is it that keeps us from public statements on an issue which presently decides the destinies of more lives than the various wars in today's world? Aha, I said it, didn't I? I lumped all the aborted zygotes, embryos, fetuses, or products of concep- tion into the category "lives." Proabortionists would quickly challenge that assumption. When does life begin? Who decides? If we could decide that life begins after the "quickening" (twelve- sixteen weeks), or after "viability" (about twenty- eight weeks), the issue would be less complicated. I believe that most Mennonites think of life beginning with conception. Can you give any good biblical reason for not thinking so? Pure science, after all, can only describe the development process and not make that judgment. If we could isolate the issue to such a simple religious definition of life and if that was the only factor to be considered, Christians would really have a manageable choice. What about the mother's health — physical and mental? What about the psychological effects to a thirteen-year-old girl incestuously raped by her father and pregnant with an unwanted child? What about the choice of women who have been abused through rape or by husbands who treat them as property? Abortion, like so many tough issues, has opened the closets to what is going on in many families and communities. To slam the door shut quickly with a simple law would not solve the problems. Abortion, like poverty and world hunger, is a sign of our carelessness and indifference to other people. We care about the poor and the hungry. But we get richer and the poor get poorer. We care about life, but Mennonites have been very reluctant to discuss sexuality. In the meantime, venereal diseases rise to epidemic proportions, illegitimacy increases, and abortions multiply. Donald DeMarco makes the telling point in this issue by quoting Frank Moore Colby, "Every improvement in communication makes the bore more terrible." Birth control techniques were to liberate us for more meaningful sexual communica- tion. Results reported to date (above) indicate the reverse for a large number of people. The growing number of "sin strips" in our cities also suggest that people are still starved for sexual fulfillment. DeMarco goes on to suggest a reason. Communi- cation presupposes separation and tries to bridge that separation. We have paid too little attention to that fact. There is something more basic and also more important in dealing with human relationships — communion. Communion presup- poses a commonness, something that binds us together. Christians have known and confessed this all along. But we too easily neglect it. A humanity based on a common creation by Almighty God cannot shoot and kill each other. Men and women created in the image of God and married because they discover fulfillment together cannot indulge in reckless sexual relations, depending on technology to correct mistakes or indulgences. We accept responsibility in Christ for both the poor and rich, the well and handicapped, the obese and starving, the faithful and those who have not yet learned the Way. Young people who see this communion among their elders will learn that their God-given sexuality is much more than skin contact and glandular release; it is a sacred part of their potential for fullness in Christ and it has lasting value only when this communion is expressed responsibly, that is, with a willingness to live with the consequences. Abortion, like war, will only be solved when we regard ourselves and every other person on this globe to be considered so worthy by God that he gave his only Son to redeem each and every one. In that confession is communion and in communion we seek the best for ourselves and each for the other. Obviously, this is not a comprehensive statement on abortion. But it is an attempt at starting a constructive discussion. I invite you to help us continue. BW The., OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO ONE LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST 92:36 OCTOBER 11, 1977 j "Everything's going to blow up — Denver, the mountains, everything — unless we all die from pollution first." I thought that in four years of college and five months in Washington, D.C., I'd met some cynical people. None of them compare to Mark, the twelve-year-old boy who made the above statement. Mark is one of several early adolescents who have made friends with our Mennonite Voluntary Service unit. We are located in the lower income neighborhood in the Denver suburb of Arvada. As in most homes, Mark's natural father has split. Like most of his friends, Mark has a police record and must regularly visit his probation officer. Our conversation of the other evening continued. "Don, I have eleven dollars." "Really," I said. "That's a lot of money. What are you going to do with it?" "Well, that's what I want to ask you. . . . Will you go to the liquor store and buy me a bottle of Boone's Farm apple wine?" Mark's anxiety had been apparent for several days. He would soon find out whether or not he'd spend a season at the Boys' Ranch, the result of accumulating too many unexcused absences at school. I explained to Mark that I would not buy him a bottle of Boone's Farm. Mark came back an hour later, no more successful with anyone else than with me. Our talk resumed. "Mark, you mentioned pollution and explosions awhile ago." I hesitated, "Does that have any effect on how you're going to live your life?" "Sure, I'll be dead." "No, that's not what 1 mean. I mean, are you going to just go ahead and pollute and build bombs, and be just like everyone else?" "No, I guess not." Mark had heard about the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons plant twelve miles from Arvada. No doubt he goes to school with some of the children of Rockwell's (the managing company of Rocky Flats) 3,600 employees. I think that Mark is vaguely aware that his crime of ditching school and the petty shoplifting for which his friends are banned from local stores do not compare to the crimes which go unpunished or are even blessed by society and government. We can expect all crime rates to rise as long as our government continues to build, and intends to use, nuclear weapons. The plutonium components for all of the United States' nuclear weapons, including the proposed neutron bomb, are built and routinely purified at Rocky Flats. This facility is located midway between the cities of Boulder, Broomfield, Arvada, and Den- ver, Colorado. The Rocky Flats bombs are scattered around the world: in South Dakota silos, Central European mountains, and on Turkey's northeastern border with the Soviet Union. Formerly, the United States' policy was one of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). This means simply that if a hostile power, for example, Russia, unleashed its nuclear arsenal on us, we would still have enough bombs below the ashes or abroad to annihilate them. This worked fine assuming that (I) conventional wars did not escalate to nuclear wars; (2) only a handful of nations could make nuclear weapons; and a Don Goertzem (3) nuclear power facilities and weapoi w stored abroad would be safe from thel a sabotage, or expropriation resulting from a coup or revolution. In 1974 the defense department began speak in terms of "limited nuclear warJa. Mutually Assured Destruction was scrappr in favor of strategic and tactical nuclei i weapons. The neutron bomb fits well in this plan. Such thinking significantly lowe the threshold of nuclear war and assume optimistically, that the target nation is al: •« thinking of "limited" war. Bomb making is good business for sor people. Rockwell International makf « according to management statement « $2,000,000 in profits from operating t Rocky Flats plant every year. Bomb makiilli? is also bad economics. In 1952 it cq >■ $250,000,000 to build the Rocky Flats plat $40,000,000 has been spent for repa 77?^ cooling tower of the Mulheim-Karlich nuclear power plant near Koblenz, West Germany, looms above an aging country chapel. ■ disarmament in itself is not the whole answer. It must include a shift in foreign policy and i our exploitive waste-economy which promotes war. lecessary after fires; $150,000,000 has been oent to build plutonium recovery and water :cycling facilities. s The construction of nonconsumable, lonrecyclable items (nuclear bombs) is fljasteful of natural resources. Because the fl lilitary system generates less second- and > nird-level employment than other indus- tries, it inflates the local economy. Because fie plant is federally owned, no property ■pees can be levied on it to support local t(l:hools. Unlike its practice for military ifases, the federal government has made no I rants to area schools in lieu of taxes, il Research in support of the nuclear reactor ■idustry is also conducted at Rocky Flats. Mockwell's plutonium not only triggers ■ombs, but also contributes to the national f-jlutonium economy. This has been a major ■sue prompting antinuclear actions such as ■st spring's Seabrook, New Hampshire, ■ower plant occupation resulting in the Pljnprisonment of 1,400 people. >r| The nuclear power industry, the prolifera- \ Ion of nuclear technology and material, and ■ie relationship between nuclear power and ■iiclear weapons deserves several articles. I *l:commend to you the February 1977 issue (if Sojourners. iff The management at Rocky Flats does not, fj |>r the most part, reflect the stereotype of the hgar-chomping militarists portrayed by liliphant cartoons. In the context of a local j 1 ;onomic conversion study (of which I am a [ art-time staff member), and as a member of 1 (lie Rocky Flats Action Group (the local Bvtinuclear organization), I have had several Imversations with the Rocky Flats plant I anager. Bob is a soft-spoken and articulate ibrson. His hobbies include a study of ■astern religion and philosophy, and banjo laying. As an eighteen-year-old marine in Japan, : viewed Hiroshima shortly after the imbing. He decided at that point to go to hool and study the peaceful application of e atom. Bob did go to school, became a ockwell vice-president, and in 1975 began anaging a bomb plant. Until 1975 the Rocky Flats plant was )erated by Dow Chemical. After several es and allegations of poor management, ow chose not to renew its contract. During e twenty-three years of Dow control, the rrounding fields became contaminated, fter a plutonium fire in 1969, a nearby farmer began reporting genetic defects in his animals. Bob looked at the world situation. With the Soviet Union's nuclear arsenal increas- ing, he convinced himself that the balance of terror should be maintained; then the bombs would never be used. He took the job as plant manager in 1975 feeling that he could run the plant better than Dow. As manager of a nuclear weapons facility, Bob's role in the "death system" is only different in degree from the millions of Americans who grudgingly, but without protest, pay their federal income taxes every year. Charges are still being leveled at the Rocky Flats plant. While some claims can be called propagandistic, the environmental threat is real. Independent studies by the Jefferson County Department of Health point to continual contamination of the surrounding countryside and call for further study. As in the case of nuclear power plants, there is still no technology available to neutralize the radioactive wastes or guaran- tee that they will be safely stored for the thousands of years that they remain danger- ous. Sometimes I marvel at the diversity of jobs in my unit — legal aid, teaching developmen- tal^ disabled, furniture coordinator for a social services group, neighborhood minis- tries, and others. Yet all of us act in response to a system primarily concerned with death dealing. Terry, a fellow unit member, teaches in a school for the developmentally disabled. She has helped organize demonstrations by the disabled at the state capitol building. Terry, herself handicapped by cerebral palsy, demands that laws opposing discrimination against the disabled be enforced and that funds be provided to improve facilities for the handicapped. In October various Arvada churches engage in the annual CROP drive to gain money for development and famine relief. I fully support this and participate. Yet I hope we do not overlook the fact that much hunger overseas is a result of North American overconsumption and exploita- tion of foreign resources. I hope we recog- nize that when material, technical, and intellectual resources go into weapons production at Rocky Flats rather than being used to meet human need, we are, in effect, robbing the world's poor. There is a relationship between a $115 billion military budget and a lack of funds for single-parent families, overseas famine relief, and the local poor and disabled. I see it every day. Because the United States will have a neutron bomb, the Soviets will also develop one. The United States has encouraged the Soviet buildup in other ways; it has only been willing to reach agreements with the Soviets (as in Berlin and with regard to European borders) when convinced that the Soviet stockpile approached the kill power of its own. In addition to American and Soviet bombs scattered around the world, at least thirty-five nations will have their own nuclear arsenals in ten years. In the event of nuclear attack on an American city, the Pentagon may not even know who was responsible, or if the enemy is a nation with defined boundaries or simply a terrorist band. However, the first bomb dropped in the nuclear war may be American. The defense department is now considering "first strike" options. We proved to the world thirty-two years ago that we have no qualms about using nuclear weapons, and the world remembers. Present policies lead us inevitably to annihilation. No nation ever before has moved volun- tarily from a position of power to powerless- ness. Unilateral disarmament may also be suicide, but it is our only option. Negotia- tions have not reduced the world stockpile by one single bomb. The diplomats will not take bilateral disarmament seriously until there is an outcry for unilateral disarma- ment. Even just-war theologians, such as Roger Shinn, acknowledge that we have "moved off the ethical map" and that the Sermon on the Mount must be the ethic for nations as well as individuals. Disarmament in itself is not the whole answer. It must include a shift in foreign policy and in our exploitive waste-economy which promotes war. In the meantime we must continue to deal with the cynicism of twelve-year-olds and twenty-three-year-olds; the fears of single mothers with children; the plight of the handicapped; the oppression of urban, rural, and even suburban poor; and the despair of the third world, the nuclear third world. HE MENNONITE 579 The taproot of our society today is our intent to use nuclear weapons. Once we have agreed to that, all other evil is minor in comparison. Until we squarely face the question of our consent to use nuclear weapons, any hope of large-scale improve- ment of public morality is doomed to failure. Richard McSorley, S. J. Two recent posters point to one of the major moral dilemmas of our time — the possession of nuclear power. The one poster is quoted above and the other is the simple but powerful message: It's a sin to build a nuclear weapon. Both messages say that possession of nuclear resources confronts humankind with a myriad of profound problems. They suggest that nuclear power is more than just an awesome explosion through release of physical energies. It can't be fully under- stood only in terms of its physical properties and characteristics. Rather, nuclear power is the whole immense weight of organization and policy and diplomacy that intrinsically includes a whole realm of human, moral, and theological issues. Enormous expenditures of human, natur- al, and monetary resources have been made to develop, improve, and promote nuclear power. Minimal in comparison have been the efforts to understand the moral and theological issues. I am not an expert in any of ihese fields. But I do believe that for too long we have left such significant issues to the various "ex- perts." Many of these issues are rather straight forward and basic. But the complex- ities are emphasized to confuse the public and blunt the opposition. If we approach the problem from a direct perspective, we can Weldon D. Nisly understand the issues well enough to determine a Christian stance. Let us first note a few of the overwhelming proportions and tragic dilemmas of nuclear power before turning to biblical considera- tions. The magnitude of nuclear force is in a way incomprehensible. There are numerous illustrations to that effect. For example, in 1974 the United States had thirty-six nuclear weapons for every Soviet city of more than 100,000 people, while the Soviet Union had eleven such weapons for every American city of that size. Both have approximately two hundred cities. In that same year the nuclear devastation potential maintained by the United States was equivalent to 2,400 World War IPs! The largest single explosive ever dropped in wartime, up to that time, was the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, August 6, 1945. That bomb killed 68,000 people and injured at least 76,000 more, yet was "mere" .013 megatons — a pigmy by today twenty- and twenty-five-megaton bom standards (The Defense Monitor, Augu 1974). To grasp the magnitude of even o such bomb, we need to picture a freight trai stretched from New York to Los Angele with every one of its boxcars filled wit TNT — twenty million tons of it. That is ttt equivalent of one twenty-megaton bom (James S. Kunen, New, Times, April 1( 1976). The mentality behind nuclear power even more phenomenal. That mind set carrying humankind into deeper commi ment to its use for various energy an' weapons systems regardless of its enormoit risks and devastating potential. Mo powerful and sophisticated weaponry lil the cruise missile and the neutron bomb a constantly being created. A central factor of nuclear power is tl absence of useful resistance. Nuclear powi in effect, is absolute power. To maintain th| degree of power over human life, nucle strategy exposes some mind-boggling par doxes. Leif Torjesen, a student of theology ar military history, succinctly exposes paradoxical dilemma. "There are possible ways to use nuclear power. Athre of its use may prevent nuclear attack. Or may be used in actual nuclear attack. Bi therein lies a paradox: (1) nuclear powi will prevent nuclear attack only if it is nevj used; (2) that can happen only if a threat its use in retaliation is believable; (3) retal tion is useless since it will have already fail to prevent nuclear attack; (4) so the or believable use of nuclear power is in surprise first attack; (5) nuclear power th tv In is THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, leach, motivate, and build the lished weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last postage paid al Newton, Kansas 671 14, and at addiiional mailing otti rial office 600 Shaltesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg. Canada P.3POM4 Christian lellowship within Ihe conlexl ot Christian love and freedo two weeks in December at Newton, Kansas 671 14. by the Genera ces Subscriptions: In United Stales and Canada. $8 00, one year, $ Business office 722 Main Street, Box 347. Newton, Kansas 67114 i under the guidance ot the Scriptures and the Holy Spi Board ot the General Conference Mennonite Church S 1 5 50. two years. $23 00. three years, foreign, $8 50 per Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 347, Newton, Kar 580 OCTOBER 11, 19 \^ I technician works in the physical chemistry lhawa, Manitoba. seless in preventing nuclear attack. ■ "Nuclear credibility is the central problem : nuclear power. Without credibility, there no possible use of nuclear power. And ithout a possible use, there can be no ■i edibility" (The Other Side, July 1977, page »). If that seems confusing at first, please read again, because it may well be one of the jore enlightening statements about nuclear )wer yet made. It points out the glaring mtradictions and illusions of nuclear )licy. This confusion is due to some extent I the pervasiveness of a nuclear mentality in ir lives today. For those who have read liseph Heller, it is the ultimate "Catch 22." The biblical dimension of this issue serves careful attention. Former United ates President Dwight D. Eisenhower ^irned against the dangers of the "military- dustrial complex" and declared that, slavery warship launched, every rocket fired, minifies in the final sense a theft — a theft iibm those who hunger and are not fed, itiose who are cold and are not clothed." Jilt is not difficult for the Christian to see i£ !e truth in that declaration, especially with ; gard to nuclear power and its tremendous } 'sts and destructive capabilities. The Bible S j clear in its command that Christians are to Yif:d the hungry and clothe the naked, not at the Whiteshell Nuclear Research Station. participate in theft from them (Matthew 25). James 4 specifically states that what causes war and fightings among people are the selfish passions and covetousness of unfaithful people. Covetousness is as im- portant a factor at the root of war as is hatred and violence. There are numerous teachings in the Scriptures on how to treat the enemy. The ultimate treatment, of course, is to "love your enemy" (Matthew 5:44). Love is the total and universal commandment. Nuclear power seems about as far from that teaching as one can get. Indeed, to truly love an enemy would be to so identify oneself with another human as a person that it would be inconceivable to use nuclear force against anyone. Jesus taught us to be peacemakers. To follow him means to repudiate the self- preservation impulse and the ultimate in security which nuclear power supposedly affords. "For whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it" (Matthew 16:25). Other biblical texts also speak to this theme. Yet we recognize that there is no specific prooftext about the use of nuclear power. But our concern is rather with the whole Bible, the whole Christian life and its central themes of love, justice, and peace. In stark contradiction to those themes is the human agony and devastation that nuclear power holds forth. From that perspective, we can argue facts about nuclear power until eternity — which may literally happen if we consider the devastatingly important issues of faithful- ness and sin. Frequently even Christians are caught up in the factual discussion in support of nuclear force as long as it is controlled by "our side." The crucial question that must continually be in focus is "How do you reconcile the use of nuclear power with the life of Jesus Christ?" It may be obvious that questions of nuclear power will never be determined, by those in authority, on the basis of biblical principles. But it seems equally obvious that Christians must not adhere to nuclear power policies for any country or purpose, whether by casual acceptance or specific support. In other words, as Christians we must again reflect on the poster message: It's a sin to build a nuclear weapon. To be a Christian — a peacemaker for Christ — is to extend the open hand of caring love, not the closed fist and selfish ravage of the nuclear power syndrome. For "the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace" (James 3:18). IE MENNONITE 581 News Inter-Mennonite missions approved by COM The Commission on Overseas Mission needs personnel and cash. Although commission members meeting in Newton, Kansas, September 24-25 approved the recruitment of more missionaries, and the beginning of several new missions, qualified personnel for these ministries are hard to find. And although COM is underspending its 1977 budget, it is overspending 1977 receipts. Since January 1 the accumulated cash reserves of the commission have fallen from $547,000 to $161,000 (August 31). Between September and the end of December, 1.2 million dollars is needed by COM to maintain its overseas commitments. Several major agreements resulted from the meeting. COM approved a ten-point agreement with the Board of Mission and Service of the Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference of Canada regarding mission work in Mexico. Effective January I, 1978, the agreement calls on COM to administer the work of both mission boards, arranges for consultation between them, encourages joint promotion, and outlines finances. The Evangelical Mennonite Mission Conference was founded in 1936 as the Rudnerweider Mennonite Church in south- ern Manitoba. Incorporated in 1962, it has a membership of more than 2,000 and has its headquarters in Winnipeg, Manitoba. A second working agreement for an inter- Mennonite mission, with the Eastern Men- nonite Board of Missions and Charities, Salunga, Pennsylvania, was approved by the commission. Under this agreement COM expects to assign its first workers to Hong Kong in 1978. Each missionary will be responsible to his or her sending agency, but the Hong Kong missionaries would meet together and develop strategy for a united Mennonite mission witness in consultation with the Hong Kong Mennonite fellowship. Verney Unruh, secretary for Asia, report- ed on his visit to the Philippines with Simon Wung, chairperson of the Fellowship of Mennonite Churches in Taiwan (FOMCIT), and Hugh Sprunger, COM missionary in Taiwan. The Taiwan Mennonites are explor- ing the possibility of beginning a mission to Taiwanese living in Manila. COM expressed support for this and said the commission was ready to assist FOMCIT when they are ready to begin. Howard Habegger, executive secretary for COM, said that wherever possible inter- Mennonite ministries are preferred by COM. "In this way it is possible to pool resources and personnel for a more effective ministry," he stated. Currently COM has cooperative missions with other Mennonite denominations in Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Zaire, Botswana, and Lesotho. In other action COM approved a request from the governing body of the Colombian Mennonite Church for additional missionar- ies to Colombia. Three couples for urban and rural leadership training and counseling, as well as a geriatric nurse for the Mennonite Home for the Aged in Bogota will be sent as soon as possible. Similarly, COM will respond to requests from the Brazilian Mennonites as soon as personnel can be ; recruited. The Commission on Overseas Missiorjj?1 also endorsed the plans of the Mennonitef Church in Colombia to send its youn»))g people to Bethel Bible Institute, Armeniajj, Colombia, which is operated by the ChrisP tian and Missionary Alliance. Orlando Costas, visiting evangelical theof}1 logian from Costa Rica, also spoke to th commission. He provided an analysis oP Latin America, updating the understandinjjF of the group, and provided ideas for a»l3;! effective ministry there. Mr. Costas wap° in the Newton area during the last two week) of September at the invitation of COM- I Theological program planned for Ontarii Forces are converging in Ontario to form an inter-Mennonite graduate theological train- ing program. Approximately forty represen- tatives from the Ontario conferences of the Mennonite Church and the General Confer- ence Mennonite Church met in Waterloo, Ontario, August 30-31, for a second consul- tation on the topic. An earlier parley was held in March. Papers were presented by Ralph Lebold, conference minister of Western Ontario Mennonite Conference, and Rodney Sa- watsky, director of academic affairs, Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ontario. The interchange of views reflected a yearning for grass-roots leadership training for pastors and lay leaders, particularly of the in-service and continuing education models. Appreciation was expressed for the role of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana, and opposi- tion was voiced to the idea of developing a "competing theological program" to AMBS. Nevertheless, the need for a regional struc- ture in Ontario to meet demands for Mennonite theological education was a focal point of the conference. Mr. Lebold told the participants that continuing education has become an accept- ed part of the pastor's work in the congrega- tion, and further, that there are an increasing number of lay people interested in serious, concentrated theological study. He also observed that "we are Canadian, and the majority (at least for Old Mennonites) of the educational institutions are south of the border." Mr. Sawatsky also expressed a Canadia sentiment. He said, "In suggesting that Canadian context would be beneficial for t training of Canadian pastors, what basically being said is that in Mennonit top itco circles we are recognizing that even cultures vary, so too must the church prepared to let Christ speak to these cultun differently." A third reason for establishing a prograi for theological education in Ontario was th; : 1 it would give regional expression to various institutions of the church. Th ■"■■i would help, Mr. Lebold said, to counter breakdown of denominational loyali* among the younger generation. The nature of such a program, administr i tion, and curriculum were the key emphas - < of Rodney Sawatsky's paper. His present >*. tion responded to the criticisms of the mod an proposed in March and offered alternative^ *u Basic to the administrative concepts is th the Ontario program would be an integr part of Associated Mennonite Biblic *l Seminaries, that it would coordinate offe|«k ings from existing schools in Ontario, b that there must be significant input on t| « Inte content and context from the Mennonite Conference of Ontario. Mr. Sawatsky referred to several phil ««> sophical dimensions to a curriculum. Sin religious studies and even pastoral traini would usually be pursued in ecumenii contexts, the concern is to build in at leas minimal Mennonite uniqueness. Lhisuniqt ^Ru ness is present not only in content also in style because Mennonite theologiil 582 OCTOBER 11,1 It, lucation emphasizes a community of scernment rather than a simple authority- jvitiate stance. There would have to be a (ennonite orientation in Anabaptist- lennonite history and thought, systematic eology, and ethics, particularly in the area ' peace and conflict studies. Sources for the Ontario theological ogram could be Waterloo Lutheran ;minary, Conrad Grebel College, Ontario jpervised Pastoral Education, and A MBS. leritage essay contest inners announced inners of the high-school-age essay contest onsored by the heritage committee of the ;neral Conference Mennonite Church ve been released. There were two catego- 1 in the contest: students in grades seven rough nine, and those in grades ten rough twelve. Entrants could write on any pic relating to past and present Mennonite periences. In the senior high group, Bruce Entz, |:nton, Kansas, was awarded first prize for "horoughly researched essay on the history the Ladekopp Mennonite Church located the Vistula-Nogat delta of northern (land. This church kept records from the le it was established in 1735 until the end World War II when members were ittered to the Americas and western :rope. Second prize went to Beth Hofer, Free- in, South Dakota. Third prize was arded to an essay written by Amy Miller, lithville, Ohio. Michael Voth, Inman, Kansas, was tnted first prize in the junior high category his essay outlining the migration of mnonites from Prussia to Russia, and :ntually to Canada and the United States, r her essay about selected Mennonite llders, Jodi Hostetler, Columbus, Ohio, s awarded second prize. A grade eight dent from Clearbrook, British Columbia, rieda Harms, was given third prize for her ry- |"irst prize winners received $50 each; ! ond and third place awards were $30 and 1) each respectively. SThe reading committee was Walter Jtassen, Waterloo, Ontario; Muriel Stack- lj, Newton, Kansas; and John Waltner, I^ston, Kansas. In their judgment the £j ays were extremely good, and the contest Y> a worthwhile venture, although there »-e only seventeen entries. I Tie purpose of the contest was to involve F: pie in a study of Mennonite history and e erience. There are no immediate plans to i*)£at the venture, but the possibility is t re. The Reverend Moon does not wane Lynn Robinson, a lay missionary f or the Unif ication Church of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon, is shown soliciting donations from a traveler at Newark (New Jersey) International Airport where the Moonies were engaged in a stepped-up drive recently to recruit members and raise funds for the controversial sect. The Sun Myung Moon organization has been accused of "brainwashing" its members. But the activities of persons who "deprogram" youthful adherents of groups such as the Unification Church and the Children of God have also produced criticisms and raised questions involving religious liberty. Despite the " Koreagate," Washington investigations, Korean Sun Myung Moon's organization has apparently not been hurt. Barbara Ross, New York journalist, says that the Moonies continue to receive support from powerful United States and Japanese antic ommunists. Full-time membership has remained steady at about 3,500. Followers have a goal of raising $125 per day per person. Mobile fund-raising teams, kids in vans, work industrial plants on pay day selling bundles of flowers at inflated prices. "I E MENNONITE 583 The gospel, Marxism, and Christian mission A view from Latin America Orlando Costas has a lot of energy. A world renowned Latin American churchman, theologian, lecturer, and writer, he was in the Newton, Kansas area the latter two weeks of September. During this time he spoke dozens of times to church groups, counseled with mission boards and personnel, particu- larly the Commission on Overseas Mission of the General Conference. He was invited to Newton by COM to serve as a resource person in strategy for Christian mission. He was to present ideas, challenges, perceptions. He was to stir things up. This he did, and in fact used Anabaptist theology to point fingers at the Mennonites. One of his books, The Mission of the Church: A Shattering Critique from the Third World, has become popular in North America. A native of Puerto Rico, Orlando Costas is secretary of studies and publications for the Institute of In- Depth Evangelism, and director of Latin American Evangelical Center for Pastoral Studies, both in San Jose, Costa Rica. He earned the MA degree from Winona Lake School of Theology, the M Div from Garrett Theological Seminary, and the Tit D degree from the Free University of Amsterdam. A proponent of a perspective of liberation theology, he has traveled worldwide as a member of evangelism teams preparing pastors and church members on the foundations and strategy of evangelism. The following is an interview with Vic Reimer. Question: Two of your favorite words are evangelization and liberation. What is the evangelistic task today? What does it mean to bring the good news of salvation? Costas: We must start with what I consider a rather biblical understanding of evangelism. The church's evangelistic task encompasses at least three aspects with a fourth one closely related: ( 1 ) the proclama- tion of the good news, (2) the call to repentance and faith in Christ, (3) the incorporation into the community of faith (the church), and closely related to that the demonstration of the power of the gospel. It has to be actualized, manifesting itself in the transformation of men, women, and chil- dren in their structured interrelationships. Question: So that's how you connect libera- tion? Costas: Exactly, because salvation is not only the losing of our bonds to sin, but freedom from the power of sin in its multiple manifestations. An evangelism which is not liberating is not a biblical type of evangelism. Question: Do you differentiate between public and personal sin in the context of this liberation? Costas: I think that both the public and personal are interrelated or part of one global reality of the gospel in society. Obviously evangelism has to be personal because it is addressed to concrete women and men. But it is also public. Sin has affected not just personal lives, but the whole world, the whole environment, the atmos- phere, and therefore the gospel must have a transforming power. Jesus Christ not only died as the Savior of men and women, but he died at the hands of public authority and thereby challenged the authority of the world. Question: Well, do you think the church is also part of the problem? It is a liberating force. But has the church in the Latin nineteenth century) which brought with it neocolonial type of relationship to tb northern countries. Now the Protestants having played a subversive role in the pasl are part of the status quo and are identifier with the commercial and economic interest in existence all over Latin America, an which have their ties to North America Question: Aren't there any Catholic entrt preneurs? Costas: Oh, there are Catholic entrepn neurs, but you know it is the great Protestar nations who have called the shots in th world economy for many, many, man years. At any rate the issue is that trr Catholic church, back in the early 1930' tried to break from the old Christendoi :; approach to a new Christendom perspecth whereby it would train an elite leadership participate in the structures of society. Tf If we do not stand up for the protection and the respect of the fundamental rights of men and women we have no credentials; we have no right to go out and proclaim the gospel of life. American situation contributed to repres- sion? Costas: Well, you know that when we are talking of the church, we are not only talking of a community but also of an institution, and as an institution in society the church obviously is part of the social institutions to which the gospel must address itself. Now in Latin America it so happens that the church in its Catholic or in its Protestant manifesta- tions has always been one of the traditional allies of the existing powers — namely the state, and the army or the military force. . . . Question: Even the Protestant church? Costas: Well, the Protestant church came in as a contesting force, counteracting the traditional power of the Catholic church; but it came also as the partner of the liberal, capitalist, Americanized movement that was emerging from Western Europe, and then from North America. Question: But right now the Catholic church has in the public media a relatively high profile as a champion of the poor and oppressed, especially in Brazil. Is this a power struggle or does it signify a change of heart? Costas: What has happened is that the Protestant churches, which when they came were a revolutionary force who were calling into question the existing order, eventually became partners of that liberal movement (the Latin American revolutionaries of the is political expression of this was the Christi; Democratic Movement, which reach power in the sixties in Chile and also Venezuela. Question: How did you react when Allen, was overthrown by the CIA and ITT? Costas: Well, this is a catastrophe. N - only for Latin America but for the whc western democratic process. What they d > in fact was to show that the West is intolera of any democratic movement which does n * agree with its economic system. So the iss v- Costas 584 OCTOBER 11, Hty; ■in politics is basically economics, and fundamentally capitalism. Anything that will threaten that, even if it is through the 'institution of polls and through votes, is : (completely unacceptable. \ \Question: So, you aren't afraid of Marxism 1 pis an ideology. Do you take exception to it as Ija system of government? Is it a threat? I Costas: In Latin America Marxism is not ■an absolute. In the first place it is a method ,j,)that enables us to understand certain [i (dynamics of society which have been kept ! jhidden from the people. For another, it is a i«]novement that wants to bring about certain i basic changes. I Now the issue, contrary to what people ij<:hink here (in North America), is not ■ Marxism versus capitalism. The issue is the fl ransformation of society and the bringing jp.bout of a new, more just, humane society ftvhere the majority would have access to the ■Beans of production, would have access to [liecent housing, decent education, or they ilwill be able, in other words, to participate ■in the decision-making process and not be Inarginalized as the overwhelming majority ')f Latin Americans are. i It has been proven time and again that a capitalistic formation such as you have in the Jnited States is not necessarily a viable ilternative for underdeveloped, backward liations like the nations of Latin America, |\frica, and Asia. We are running against lime. We cannot afford a slow process as the /ery wealthy nations of North America and iVestern Europe want us to do. We have a continent where millions of people are starving, where millions lack fand, and yet the fact of the matter is we are jjiot landless, because we have a density of mly sixteen persons per square mile. That is ibout as low a density as you can get inywhere in the world. And we have natural lesources which have enough food to feed mr entire population. It is obvious our latience has given up and the majority of teople are crying. Question: Where does Christian mission fit nto this? What is the role of a sending hurch? How does it respond? I Costas: I think that in the first place a ;nding church has to become aware of its omplicity in a lot of what has happened. ror example, I was in Chile during the Ulende period. I know and I witnessed the act that never once was there any attempt to ■ersecute Christians for preaching on the treets or for holding to their convictions. >ut as soon as Allende was overthrown one istinguished conservative missionary socie- y in the United States had a big article efending the military movement. It is a fact lat there are many missionary societies that ave been secretly pleased with the type of ;pression that has emerged. Now the issue, contrary to what people think in North America, is not Marxism versus capitalism. Second, they have to take a stand in relation to the practice of some missionaries who have become informers for their government. I think the missionary societies have to make it very clear that they are not agents or allies of their own nations, agencies, or policies, but they are instru- ments of Jesus Christ and his kingdom. The third thing they have to come to grips with is that human rights is a Christian missional issue. If we do not stand up forthe protection and the respect of the fundamen- tal rights of men and women we have no credentials; we have no right to go out and proclaim the gospel of life. Fourth, I do not believe that the mission of God has to be compromised and has to sell out to the interests of the economically powerful nations or groupings in a given society. And if that is what it takes, then I say let's have no missions because God does not have to sell his soul nor his cause to the devil. Question: You believe then that in the martyr is the seed. Are you saying to the church that in order to stand up for human rights Christians will have to be willing to become martyrs? Costas: I think one would. Another way of putting it is that there is no mission without a cross and that the cross of Jesus is a challenge to humanize, the cross of Jesus is a challenge to death and to the circles of death that surround society, and there is no evangelization and no mission without an emphasis on the cross. The church has got to stand up in this hour to the monstrous demigod powers that are in constant defiance of decency in human life. Unless the church does that it will not be able to maintain and keep its credibility. Question: How well do Mennonites fit into your assessment of a sending church? Costas: You must remember that Menno- nites are not only sending churches. They are transplanted churches and they are one piece of the Latin American Protestant mosaic, and that one piece is a very ambiguous one. If you go into places where there are Mennonite colonies one of the things that strikes you is the contradiction between the oral history of suffering and persecution and pilgrimage, and their accommodation into the existing order. It's a most appalling picture to say the very least. In many ways the Roman Catholics in certain parts of Latin America are more Anabaptist than some of the Mennonite groups and that must be said. Having said that, however, we must also remember that there are some fascinat- ing things to be said about such Mennonite organizations as Mennonite Central Com- mittee, and the Genera! Conference insofar as it has participated in certain ministries in Uruguay and Costa Rica. Question: What particular instances are you referring to? Costas: I am thinking right now of a seminary in Uruguay where some of its non- Mennonite professors were put into prison and the seminary stood by them. Or the willingness of the General Conference to participate in a very exciting and dynamic center in Costa Rica, which is nondenomina- tional, but very influential. You must also remember that in some of the leading evangelical forces theologians like John Howard Yoder are playing an important role. In fact, Yoder is at the present moment an honorary member of the Latin American Theological Fraternity. He was the only American invited to the last assembly of the LATF, which says a lot. Now I have yet to see an aggressive role in some of the main issues. Question: Like the Panama Canal? The public reaction to the Panama Canal Treaty must be very distressing to you. Costas: Most definitely. It's an inconceiv- able, illogical, irrational type of response that we are witnessing. The idea that the Panama Canal is ours, we bought it, and we should keep it, can only be thought by a person who has no knowledge of history. It isn't the property of the United States; it didn't buy it, it took it and snatched it off. In the Bible story of David and Bathsheba, an interesting and significant lesson that we must remember is this: David saw a woman, he liked her and he stopped at nothing to make her his wife, including killing her husband. Something like that is what the United States has done with the canal. Not only that, it is the place where antiguerrilla forces and military and secret service forces are being trained by Latin America. Here is a key issue for Mennonites. It's a peace issue and therefore ought to be stimulating and unleashing the reserve energies of Mennonites toward this cause. I would like to see the General Conference MennoniteChurch takeasaggressivearole in the ratification of the Panama Canal Treaty, in the growing rapport with Cuba, in the struggle against the denial of human rights, as it did in the struggle against the Vietnam War. 1,1 ;HE MENNONITE 585 Words ffl deeds Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana, have announced the appointment of Willard M. Swartley of Harrisonburg, Virginia, to the faculty of Goshen Biblical Seminary, Elkhart. For the past six years he has been chairman of the Bible and philosophy department of Eastern Mennonite College (EMC), Harrisonburg. EMC president Myron Augsburger said he was "deeply reluctant to accept this change, deeply appreciated Willard Swartley's ser- vice and leadership, and accepts this on the basis of an interinstitutional exchange between our Mennonite institutions." Enrollment at Bethel College, North New- ton, Kansas, has topped the 600 mark for the fourth year in a row. Although this was a slight decline from 1976, the drop was not unexpected. College officials budgeted for a decrease due to the declining student "pool." Freshman and new student transfers number 195. A tour of the Soviet Union by the Smithson- ian Institution, Washington, D.C., is being led by Mr. Von Hardesty, associate profes- sor of history at Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio. One hundred and eighty associates and staff persons of the Smithsonian are attending the tour, October 3-17. Can the priesthood of believers become a reality? The Fort Garry Mennonite Fellow- ship, Winnipeg, Manitoba, is working on the principle that it can. -Members of the fellowship, whether male or female, young or old, share in the tasks of leading and serving, greeting visitors, ushering, working on committees, leading in worship, and making music. In 1974 the congregation called Henry Loewen and Waldo Neufeld for a three-year term to minister at special occasions such as deaths, weddings, and baptisms. With the expiration of that term, the congregation met to evaluate their definition of a minister. The need for such persons was affirmed and the decision was made to call again two persons for a three- year term. Bernie Wiebe and Henry Loewen were elected. The commissioning service took place on September 11. Ethnic identity is a liability in the church's witness. This concern was voiced strongly by delegates attending the sixty-sixth annual convention of Canadian Mennonite Brethren churches. The denomination's moderator, Frank C. Peters, president of Wilfreid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, urged the delegates to make the quest for identity a theological, and not just historical search. Roots are important, he stressed, but a twentieth-century mission and fellowship with other evangelical groups must also be sought. Satirizing the peacemaking efforts of world leaders, the Kinshasa, Zaire, daily newspap- er Salongo quipped, "The leaders of the Pastor needed The position of pastor for the Rosthern Mennonite Church, Rosthern, Saskatchewan, will become vacant as of July 1978. Letters of inquiry may be addressed to Len Enns, Chairman of the Pulpit Committee, Box 701, Rosthern, Saskatchewan SOK 3R0. Help wanted Seattle: March 1978, social worker to serve street- waterfront community. Should be male, twenty-five- years-old or over, experienced, committed to working for skid road residents. Wichita: Immediate opening for a field coordina- tor/administrative secretary for Mennonite Rehabili- tation Services. Contact: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 western powers, we know, met again in the British capital for a few days. Just long enough to size one another up, to warmly shake hands, and down a few meals. They talked also — not to say above all — about peace. But what peace? Between two lunches and two dinners, the pundits of the planet talked by turns about the reduction oft nuclear arms and — wait for it — the reinforc ing of defense and security. Truly, I tell you, this peace is not for tomorrow, as long as the East stockpiles arms and the West perfects them." « So, is war sin? A Redbook survey reported inrfi the April 1 Washington Post listed what 65,000 female readers believe sin to be. "The naughty results complete with percentages" rank as follows: (1) extramarital sex 75 percent; (2) cheating on income tax — 65 percent; (3) betraying a relationship — 64 percent; (4) envying a more fortunatel friend — 52 percent; (5) cursing — 52 percent Last on the list was to take part in any war. Only 14 percent said this was sin. Ahead of war on the no-no list were dressing immod estly, gambling, going against parental wishes, and skipping a major religious ti service. n Oklahoma Mennonite and Brethren ix^tt Christ churches have organized a Mennonitet A Central Committee planning group ta lui determine the feasibility of a regional MCC structure. There are about fifty Mennonite and Brethren in Christ congregations ir Oklahoma with a total membership of over! i 5,000. Millions of dollars have been given trite i Messiah College, a Brethren in Christ schoo in Grantham, Pennsylvania, in the provi i\ sions of the will of coal-mining executive - Leonard Fry. The estate of Mr. Fryprovideo :'n for family and personal interests in additioi . 1 to creating a $ 1 2.2 million restricted charita a, ble trust fund for the college. Christian ethics in business and professiona life is the theme for a joint convention o Mennonite Industry and Business Asso ciates (MIBA) and Mennonite Economii Development Associates (MEDA) to be helo ;r; October 20-23, Harrisonburg, Virginia Over 300 Mennonite and Brethren in Chris»': | business and professional persons froeHi |. Canada and the United States are expectei iS: to attend. An installation service was held July 28 the Alice Mennonite Church, Alice, Texa^a-j putting into action the plan for a "trimini try" in the church. The Mennonite Churc congregation installed Ruperto Guedea an' Antero Rodriguez. ifo 586 OCTOBER 11, 197 Books can inform and in- spire you. Best of all, what you get out of a good book remains with you always, long after you've finished reading it. So discover— or rediscover— the satisfaction and pleasure of reading.— Melody Yoder Faith and Life Bookstore 159 Watt Main, Berne, Indiana 46711 Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Fellowship Bookcenter 302 Kennedy Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2M6 Record Workers [tick and Marilyn Derksen left Brussels, jielgium, on July 5 to begin their assignment n Kalonda, Zaire, under Africa Inter- ilennonite Mission. They will be spending a (ear in orientation and language study with iiissionaries Elmer and Esther Dick, j Eric and Kathleen Fast, Altona (Manito- a) Church, have arrived in Lusaka, Zam- ia, to begin a three-year term with Menno- ite Central Committee teaching in a ;condary school. Before leaving for their ssignment Eric taught school and Kathy 'as a lab technician. Kathy is the daughter if Jake and Anne Harms of Winnipeg and ric is the son of Arthur and Helene Fast, Iso of Winnipeg. Cornelius and Carol Froese, Grace 'hurch, Winkler, Manitoba, have arrived in lochudi, Botswana, to begin a three-year :rm with Mennonite Central Committee, ornelius will be working with the toolbar, i all-purpose animal-drawn agricultural Inplement designed by a former MCC orker. He has been working for the lanitoba Department of Agriculture and bids a diploma in agriculture from the niversity of Manitoba. Carol holds a iploma in education from the University of Manitoba. Patty Goosen, Bethlehem Church, [loomfield, Montana, has begun a one-year lirm of voluntary service with Mennonite oard of Missions, Elkhart, Indiana. She I ill be working as a registered nurse at lhtman Hospital, Canton, Ohio. Patty is a J>76 graduate of Eastern Mennonite Col- ge, Harrisonburg, Virginia, with a BS in arsing. Before entering service she worked University of Colorado Medical Center, jenver, Colorado. I Lois Hagel, Mayfair Church, Saskatoon, askatchewan, began a one-year assignment i a day-care teacher with Mennonite oluntary Service in June. She is working jith the voluntary service unit in Markham, jiinois. She is a graduate of Swift Current lible Institute, Swift Current, Saskatche- jan. Her mother, Ruth Hagel, lives in !iskatoon. i Paul Harder has been named business ianager at Bethel College, North Newton, :ansas, replacing Gerold Burkholder who ■ signed. Mr. Harder previously served as iintroller at the college. 1 Richard and Jean Hirschler of Berien i>rings, Michigan, have been reassigned by i!e General Conference's Commission on E. Fast K. Fast Carol Froese Cornelius Froese Goosen Hagel Rempel Shenk Overseas Mission as missionaries to Taiwan. They will be serving at Mennonite Christian Hospital in Hwalien, Taiwan, where Rich- ard will work as a physician. They previously served in medical work in Zaire in 1971-75. They have been attending the Hively Avenue Church in Elkhart, Indiana, but are members of the Beatrice (Nebraska) Church. Richard Koontz has been named director of financial aid at Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas. He will continue his position as admissions counselor on a one- third-time basis. Jim and Betsy Lehman of Hastings-on- Hudson, New York, are serving a one-year term as mission volunteers at Woodstock School, Mussoorie, India. Their assignment is under the General Conference's Commis- sion on Overseas Mission. Jim, who is trained in special education and learning disabilities, will counsel teachers working with children who have learning disabilities. Betsy, who has recently been a professor of nursing at Pace College, will teach health and family living and develop a new curriculum in this area for the school. She will also work with the Emmanuel Hospital Association in India, of which two Menno- nite hospitals are a part, in training nurses. They served previously at Woodstock in 1960-63. Eleanor Loewen, North Newton, Kansas, has been employed as half-time director of career counseling and placement at Bethel College. Ms. Loewen is also employed in student services at the General Conference Mennonite Church central offices in New- ton. She is a graduate of Goshen (Indiana) College and holds an MS degree from Indiana University in college student person- nel administration. Debbie Rempel, Trinity Church, Hillsbo- ro, Kansas, will serve for two years as coordinator of community tutoring services in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her assign- ment is with Mennonite Voluntary Service. She is a graduate of Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, in elementary education. Her parents are Lloyd and Francis Rempel, Hillsboro. Merle Schwartz, Normal, Illinois, has begun serving as medical consultant at the Meadows (Illinois) Mennonite Home. Kabangy Shapasa, president of the Men- nonite Church in Zaire, has been appointed to the executive committee of the Mennonite World Conference. Lois Shenk, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, has been named editorial asistant in Information Services at the Mennonite Central Commit- tee offices in Akron, Pennsylvania. She will assume the editorship of Women's Activity Letter, and assist in new writing and editing assignments. She holds a BA in English from Eastern Mennonite College, Harrisonburg, Virginia. In 1966-69 she and her hus- band, John, served as teachers with MCC in Kenya. She has recently taught English at HE MENNONITE 587 Kraybill Mcnnonite Junior High School. Dennis and Karen Leatherman Sprunger have begun a thirty-months term of service with Mennonite Central Committee as elementary school teachers. Both hold BA degrees in elementary education from Goshen (Indiana) College. Dennis is a member of First Church, Berne, and Karen is a member of Akron (Pennsylvania) Church. Published New Men, New Roles; A Study Guide for Christian People in Social Change, by Perry and Elizabeth Yoder, has been published by Faith and Life Press, Newton, Kansas, and is available for $2.00. The fifty-nine-page booklet, commissioned by the Commission on Education of General Conference Men- nonite Church, includes suggestions for eleven study sessions and a bibliography on men's roles. "While women's roles have recently been debated endlessly by both the secular and the religious press, comparative- ly little has been written about male roles, especially by Christians," write the authors in the preface. Ways and Means, a resource manual produced by the Conference of Mennonites in Canada, is a congregational aid with a difference. It is designed to be continuously updated. As new suggestions come into being, they will be added to the three-ring binder through quarterly additions. In- cluded in the manual is a description of the current holdings in the Winnipeg resource center of the Canadian conference. Another feature is a section of bibliographies on various topics. Churches functioning within the Conference of Mennonites in Canada will be automatic recipients of the manual. Others interested should contact the Re- source Center, 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P OM4. War to Be One by Levi Keidel recounts the turbulent events in Zaire (then the Belgian Congo) during the sixties. Highlighting these events through the experiences of white missionary Archie Graber and African pastor Kazadi Muadianvita, it is the story "of a nation struggling with new indepen- dence, of two men pitted against the forces of hunger and human need, of God's working in times of crisis." The book, 240 pages, $4.95, has been released by Zondervan Press and is available at Faith and Life Bookstore, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; 159 West Main, Berne, Indiana 46711; and from Fellowship Bookcenter, 302 Kennedy, Win- nipeg, Manitoba. Calendar October 20-23 — Joint convention o:| Mennonite Industry and Business Asso ciates (MIBA) and Mennonite Economi Development Associates (MEDA); Shera ton Inn, Harrisionburg, Virginia October 21-23 — Western District Confer ence annual sessions, Buhler, Kansas Central October 3 1 -November 2 — Christian Faitl and Contemporary Culture conference Bluffton (Ohio) College; resource person Howard Charles November 11-12 — New Call to Peace making conference, 4-H Camp, Madrid Iowa Northern October 24-27 — Ministers' conference ai Swan Lake Christian Camp, Viborg, Soutj a: Dakota Pacific October 28-31— New Call to Peacemak |( ing conference. Camp Collins, Oregon Western October 16 — Harvest mission festiva First Church, Pretty Prairie, Kansas; speal k ers, Harold Ratzlaff, Leona Schrag November 4-6 — Lay witness missun Faith Church, Newton, Kansas :: I : Mission opportunities in evang lism and church planting in Hon) Kong and Taiwan . . . hospit; evangelism follow-up in Taiwan a ;; ii ■•: IS Write: General Conference Mennoni Church Commission on Overseas Missic Box 347 Newton, Kansas 67114 A Growing Global Fam cm 588 OCTOBER 11, 19| Agony and ecstasy n Uganda Church of Uganda leaders stand before a cathedral being built entirely through the congregation's self-help efforts. Protestant churches of this size swell with worshipers even though the church is under fire from the Ugandan Government. luth Seitz his year marks two crucial events for the jver three million Christian Protestants in ganda: first, the centennial celebrations jmmemorating the coming of the gospel om Great Britain in 1877; second, the death f Janani Luwum, the beloved archbishop of lie Church of Uganda for protesting the ;terioration of human rights in his once ;aceful country. He was the leader of the i nly Protestant denomination in this East )l frican country — the Church of Uganda — hich was begun by Anglicans. 0! | Both events, one joyous and the other ■ddening, are spurring Ugandan Christians . ■ a new dedication. Last December, Archbishop Luwum 5 marked to a friend that he had been silent il o long, "I must speak out." In a peaceable, j| )en manner, he pleaded for civil order and ^ iticized the steady disappearance of thou- i nds of his countrymen since Idi Amin xame president six years ago. His Christ- jas sermon broadcast on the government's j/oice of Uganda" emphasized that the only ue victory for Christians is suffering love, ^interpreting this theme as political jimment, the radio station cut off the essage. President Amin is a devout Muslim. The Jjchbishop sensed Amin's growing distrust the Christian church. And he was aware of ie possible consequences. Before a congre- tion of several thousand Ugandans he I lid, "Not only am 1 willing to preach this 1,11 >spel; I am prepared to die for it." ': Following a threatening search for arms in ^jt archbishop's house early one morning, 12 House of Bishops sent an open letter to e president protesting the conduct of his ;urity forces. "The gun whose muzzle has en pressed against the archbishop ... is the i n which is being pointed at every Christian || the church. We have buried many who ve died as a result of being shot and there .(j: many more whose bodies have not been J" land. . . ." ^ iThe letter volunteered to discuss any jf itters "that concern the church and the ,|i IE MENNONITE 589 nation." The archbishop and eighteen bishops signed the letter. One of the signers was Bishop Festo Kivengere, bishop of Kigezi and a worldwide evangelist with African Enterprise, an organization promot- ed by Mennonites on the African and American continents. On February 16 while Kivengere and several other bishops waited for an audience with Amin, the archbishop was led to the next room. "We knew all was well," recalled Kivengere, "because the risen Lord was in command." After an all-day wait, the bishops were ordered away at gunpoint. While they inquired about the archbishop, the "Voice of Uganda" announced that the archbishop and two cabinet members had died in an auto accident following their arrest. In late June at Mellinger's Church in eastern Pennsylvania, Bishop Kivengere told Mennonites of his own escape from his homeland several days later. During the night he and his wife walked south into hills nine thousand feet above sea level to a chilly tropical dawn. A man met them in the bush with, "You can breathe now. You are in Rwanda." In characteristic style, the bishop quipped, "We have been breathing all the time." Kivengere described the response of the Ugandan Church in the aftermath. "People are rallying to Jesus Christ ... the only hope to make a suffering community rejoice." All churches are filled to overflowing. In Kabale a church seating seven hundred draws a thousand worshipers each Sunday. A memorial service for the archbishop carried a high note of praise to the Lord. Because no body was released as originally promised, thousands of Christians stood around the open grave, "a touch of the resurrection," and sang, "Glory, Glory, Hallelujah!" Government agents were amazed at the victorious rather than tragic tone of the gathering. Bishop Kivengere compared the archbishop's life to salt, a compound whose effectiveness increases with its dissolving. "In trying to resist the destructive forces of Amin's regime, he was dissolved," explained Kivengere. The bishop pointed out to the Pennsylva- nia audience of several hundred that perse- cution in Uganda began in 1885 within a decade of the birth of Christianity there. "A British bishop, James Hannington, was the first martyr." Others died because King Mwanza, the successor to the king who had accepted missionary Christians, feared their influence. He charged his own page of being "a poisonous monster conspiring with the whites to overthrow my kingdom." The page was decapitated and his body burned; bitter persecution of those who held to the faith followed. Another martyr to die, Charles Lwanga, was killed by his own father near the site where fourteen Christians were burned to death as a group. Today at this location stands a shrine — a circle of cement blocks painted red on the outside and gray inside, signifying blood and ash. This July, as in past years, Christians met around the altar of this shrine to commemo- rate the death of Jesus and their own blood brothers. "Jesus transformed the cross from a sign of shame," noted Kivengere. "It is now a sustaining symbol that "nerves the feeble heart to fight." Kivengere challenged his listeners to utilize the soul energy of the cross. "It will take you Mennonites beyond not going to war. . . . Use your peace to heal humanity actively so Jesus will have another chance to save sinners." Kivengere acknowledged that we all have our little Amins — people difficult to love. He described his own freeing love for Amin. "By forgiving my persecutor, I am released. ... I have no choice but to love him because my Savior still loves him. I'm stuck with him." This African churchman is writing a book on being a hunted man in hi own country entitled / Love Amin. During his stay in the United States. Kivengere is developing a "community in refuge to prepare Ugandans to return and; rebuild their country." Trained Ugandans; have escaped to neighboring or overseas countries — 400 medical doctors, 200 law yers, 1,500 university students, and 3,00(j high-schoolers whose parents were liquidat ed. This intellectual drain is hindering th< country's development. Kivengere has named his endeavor RE TURN (Relief, Education, and Training o Ugandan Refugees Now). He plans foi refugees to continue with their training an(j also to maintain ties to encourage thei eventual return to restore the country' services. Ugandans could write their own Martyr: Mirror. Its pages would record the persecii tions of Christians during the last centur and many more in this decade. Man Mennonites empathize with Ugandans their sadness, and in spiritual victorie! they've found through their suffering 5 Letters Keep it weekly Dear Brother Editor: My Church of the Brethren upbringing makes me call you "brother." My eleven years as a Mennonite (my husband was Mennonite) have made me call people within both communions "broth- er" in the happy sense of the word. I, too, "have to catch up on a number of issues," as David Nicol wrote in the August 9 issue. (I have spent two months in our western states.) But I do not agree that you should publish biweekly. True, a considera- ble amount of postage would be saved and, of course, the cost of publication would be somewhat reduced. I know it would not cut publication costs in half. My reason for saying this is my experience with our Church of the Brethren Messenger. I have great respect and personal liking for Kenneth Morse, who was editor of Messen- ger for years and still contributes, especially through the "In Touch" section. I have equal respect for Howard Royer who is now editor and whom I also know personally. So I am not taking any slams at them when I say I am still sorry that Messenger is no longer a weekly publication. First it went biweekly, then monthly. The quality of material is splendid and the appearance and format are superb. But I miss the weekly appearance of the magazine. I know it is not possible to include as much material in one issue as in two or four. I think that these denomination- al publications are of utmost importance in informing people in the churches, in foster- ing a sense of community, in cultivating ideas. I am sure you will have to consider many things beyond two letters from readers; but I shall be glad as long as you can keep The Mennonite a weekly paper. In the same issue of The Mennonite (I'm working backward on the collection of unread papers), 1 particularly enjoyed Henry Fast's "Revisiting Camp Funston." I also liked "The Foundation Series." I am doing my best to promote the use of the new series in our Brethren churches in Illinois and Wisconsin, for we need such a curriculum. I am well impressed with the first quarter's course, which 1 had occasion to examine in connection with a workshop I helped with May. And I must reread "Of Good Report which is so well written by Gertrude Rote Best wishes as you continue to keep a goc reputation for a paper I have alwa; respected. Esther E. Frey, 310 W. Brayto Ml. Morris, Illinois 61054 August Commissions involved us Dear Editor: In 1974 in a similar letterto T Mennonite I asked if the General Conferen commissions could work at involving t congregations in the 1977 triennial sessio in the discernment of what their prograrl and goals should be. I want to thank the commissions for doi just that. Each commission did involve us. high point of the Bluffton conference fort was the interaction achieved by the Comm sion on Overseas Mission. We could ha had an entire conference on what they had offer us. Donald R. Steelherg, Watlswor, Ohio 44281 September i k II V; i t Meditation Contents What about the future? Herman Kahn, of the Hudson Institute, paints a pleasant picture of the future. New materials uch as plastic, synthetic cloth, glass, and artificial food will provide cheap, efficient t esources; private helicopters will solve congested urban traffic; desalinization will solve our vater supply problem; houses and other buildings will become automated. He states that xirne will lessen with increased bugging devices and that human behavior will become more olerable through the application of new drugs. j The head of the school of criminal justice at New York University paints a different picture. le says that by the end of this century, urban people (and that will includeover80 percent of 'he population) will live in constant fear. Apartment buildings will be heavily guarded; luburbs will be surrounded by barbed wire; and armed guards will be everywhere. Huge orporations will obliviate individuality. Trees will be destroyed to take away places of iossible hiding for thugs. Slums will multiply. i When you think about the future for our young children and God's beautiful earth, the gns can be frustrating and confusing. The Bible tells us that human behavior in the end will be like it was in the beginning ^atthew 24:37-39). Gadgets will not change human nature and neither will violence. The lajority of humankind will continue to follow their foolish and selfish ways. The Bible also tells us that even in the most wicked times — Noah's time, the time of Baal orship — there are always those who are faithful. There will never be a time that all will bow leir knees to Baal. The psalmist recognized that God holds in his hand "the depths of the earth; the heights of :e mountains . . . the sea . . . the dry land" (Psalm 95:4-5). Our God holds the future and no ie of restlessness and confusion, or artificial goods and abundance, will ever change that ct. We can look with confidence to the future. We have a sure anchor and a firm assurance that sus, God incarnate, will be with us "always, to the close of the age" (Matthew 28:20). There is no need to be afraid for ourselves, our children, Or God's earth. In Christ, the ithful ones will yet see a place and time where God reigns supreme, "and God will wipe away ery tear from their eyes" (Revelation 7:17). , I Sherry Kobus Everything's going to blow up 578 Nuclear power and sin 580 News 582 Record 587 Agony and ecstasy in Uganda 589 Letters 590 What about the future? 591 Credibility in the pulpit 592 CONTRIBUTORS The cover photo is of a successful Commu- nist Chinese hydrogen bomb test. The photo was released July 27, shortly after Vice Premier Li Hsien-Nien told visiting Japanese that China would continue nuclear weapons development. Don Goertzen, 9980 West 59th Place No. 1 , Arvada, Colorado 80004, is working with a Mennonite Voluntary Service unit. Weldon D. Nisly, 315 West Logan Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19144, is an MCC volunteer, working with Evangelicals for Social Action. Ruth Seitz and her husband Blair have recently returned from an Africa assignment. They live at Route 3, Box 642, Halifax, Pennsylvania 17032. Sherry Kobus, General Delivery, Comox, British Columbia V9N 3ZO, is a free-lance writer and photographer. CREDITS Cover, 578, RNS; 581, National Film Board, Ottawa; 583, RNS; 584, GCNS; 589, Blair Seitz; 591, Sherry Kobus. Mciinonhe Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Assistant editor: Vic Reimer, Box 347, Newton, Kan- sas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circu- lation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Evelyn Krehbiel, 229 Brookwood, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, La Vernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117; Encom- pass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805; and Conference of Menno- nites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P0M4 HE MENNONITE 591 Credibility in the pulpit The province of Manitoba is electing a new government. The partv in power is basing its hopes on the slogan, Leadership you can trust. But the new posters were hardly on the street before opposition people began to point out that, in their opinion, it is a false statement. The recent TV series "Washington Behind Closed Doors" suggested that just about any and every person in power has a price. "Trust nobody" seems the direction that our society has taken. In the churches there is a shortage of ministers and a concern for leadership. And somehow this dilemma and the overall credibility gap are related. Every Sunday throughout Christendom, millions of people go to church and listen for the Word of God. Such regular encounters ought to result in a growing sensitivity to the Spirit of God and an unmistakable evidence of maturing discipleship. Leadership problems are always related to credibility problems. Ministers point out that preaching often leaves them feeling empty — people don't respond. These ministers turn to working with social problems, teaching classes to the underprivileged, reforming alcoholics — almost anything where results become visible as a result of putting their own faith into action. Preaching becomes a chore and they expect their ideas to come under fire. The people in the pews say that today's preaching is often so unemotional and so intellectual that it leaves them cold — ministers don't preach the Word. These people listen to more fiery preaching on radio and television, send money to causes they may never see, attend many meetings where they hear simple answers to world problems, join prayer groups where they regularly plead for God's intervention among the evils of the world — almost anything where they can feel a part of a large group or movement as a result of their concern for the gospel. They begin to talk discouragedly about their home congregation and they wonder if a change of pastors would solve the problem. The gap widens. Many Sunday hours instead of good tidings, become times of mutual good chidings. An uneasy truce exists at the best of times. The Mennonite church has always affirmed the belief that God's Word is central. We place the Word ahead of the ordinances. Our churches are usually built to symbolize this confession. The pulpit stands out as the focal point, a place where God meets us through his servants. The current credibility gap around our pulpits has historical reasons. From an untrained lay minister who preached a simple, personal gospel, we have gone to professionally trained pastors who have discovered that our own crude, inexact words seem totally inadequate to communicate the essence of the unfathomable riches and the ultimate Mystery — God. It feels presumptuous to proclaim a convincing assurance that we know God's way for the Middle East, national energy, our neighbor's rebellious teenager, and our personal financial problems. Integrity is maintained more easily by discourses that end with questions, and challenges to study and pray together for answers. The people in the pews have almost all gone into forms of specialization. From a rural people, we have become urbanized and "busified." We have learned to indulge in instant foods, TV, and services; just pay your money, press a button, and it's at your disposal. And that's what we do with anything that upsets us — dispose. The collision is inevitable. Jesus prays for us to "be not of the world" but "as thou didst send me into the world, so I have sent them into the world" (John 17:16-18). The great preachers have always been people who knew pain and doubt and conflict. A fire lit by the Spirit of God welled up within them and couldn't be contained. In their crude words, they gave witness of an ongoing encounter where the victory was sure. People, who listened, had to repent and pray for forgiveness. They were moved to change jobs, attitudes, and friends. Their lives became part of a counterculture. Together, they learned how to be in the world without becoming of the world. The credibility in our pulpits has two sides: preachers must be willing to freely expose what God's Spirit is effecting in our lives; people in the pews must realize that the way of Christ includes the cross — a way of repentance, forgiveness, and service that is distinctly contrary to what is common. Leadership crises reflect bankruptcy both at the pulpit and in the pew. The solution lies in the depth of our commitment to Jesus Christ. His leadership we can trust. BW _ Tlie fm Memioiiite OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO ONE LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST _ 92:37 OCTOBER 18, 1977 S^S n^RE ARE M3 ES ^©te* ARE ALTERN Energy alternatiues Paul Harnis, Our demand for energy will soon exceed the supply. Unless we turn to some energy alternatives the world stands on the brink of crisis. In the United States and Canada our annual energy comsumption has doubled since 1950. And the rate of consumption continues to multiply. The sources of energy (mainly oil and natural gas) upon which our present way of life is based are limited. It took centuries to create these fossil fuels, yet our known supplies of oil and natural gas stand in danger of being exhausted within one hundred years of our beginning to use them. The United States and Canada make up 7 percent of the world's population. We TABLE TWO TODAY'S ENERGY USE TOTAL Personal 37% PERSONAL Com Transportation : Lighting 1% Miscellaneous I Business and Government 63% Source: Energy Conservation Research: Malvern, Pennsylvania 40 Q 30 rS 20 o 10 2.5 TABLE ONE U.S. ENERGY CONSUMPTION In Oil Equivalent Units Gallons Dally Per Person 2.5 2.7 3.9 1 4.5 > 6.9 1850 1875 1900 1925 1950 1975 1980 consume about one-third of the world's annual consumption of energy. To support this thirst for energy, these countries, the United States particularly, have turned to importing fuel. In I973 the United States imported about 28 percent of its fuel needs; today it is 40 percent. To understand this, consider our situa- tion. Most of our automobiles, trucks, trains, buses, airplanes, and ships depend on oil. Almost all homes and other buildings depend upon oil, gas, and electricity for heating and cooling. Most of our industries also depend on oil, gas, or electricity to function. In 1975, oil and gas made up percent of the total United States ener requirements. Our unusual dependence on dwindli supplies of domestic and imported fu makes us and our present life-styles extren ly vulnerable. The high consumption energy by one part of society (usually at h' prices) reduces its availability for the poo segment of society. During the past c winter, many United States citizens had use more heating fuels. Shortages led to pr increases. Some people on lower, fi incomes were unable to pay. Many of th bills are still unpaid; others were subsidiz During the 1974 oil crisis and p increases in India, many farmers could afford fertilizers (from a fossil fuel base) fuel to operate their irrigation syste United Nations' reports estimate that resulting crop reductions could have s plied ample food for 100,000 people. We believe that God is our creator, ju and redeemer. Today's energy probl raise some serious questions. Are consuming ourselves to a self-induced c 594 OCTOBER 18, 1 ire we bringing judgment on ourselves)? ire our patterns of consuming increasing ne plight of the poor? As this issue presses upon us, we may feel owerless because we too are caught in the emands of everyday life. We lack clarity on ow to solve the problem. Answers are not Iways simple, but the need for alternatives is lear. There is no clear picture of how to :spond. But we can see some new goals and egin moving toward them. Dennis Hayes (World Watch, Paper 4) tys that our most obvious opportunity lies i energy conservation. His research shows lat we could reduce our consumption up to ) percent by basic conservation practices id efficiencies brought about by better lgineering and design. This would also ssen the environmental threats posed by ew energy technology. Hayes further says lat often a dollar invested in energy mservation will make more extra energy yailable than a dollar invested in develop- g new resources. Another strategy is one we must apply at e marketplace. We can carefully compare si[ e specifications of energy using devices and " ake our purchases accordingly. { Solar energy is another alternative. The \ n is our most abundant source of energy. It Inerates wind and weather, thereby pro- moting plant growth. Solar energy also heats Se water in the garden hose. Using this Sinciple, some very simple to very sophisti- 4 ted devices have been constructed for ' llecting and storing that energy to use <:er. j Solar hot water, solar space heating, and liar air conditioning presently hold the ost promise. Research shows that solar ergy can reduce the average consumption r space heating and hot water by 60 percent 'd even up to 100 percent in certain ographic locations. Solar heating devices are now available in many countries. Christians can show their concern by starting to utilize such devices where possible. Perhaps the most unique features of solar energy are its accessibility, nonpolluting that I assess my neighbor's need no less than my own. My Christian commitment requires me to be a good steward of the earth. Alternatives which slow down the unnec- essary waste of our natural environment and yet permit us to enjoy the comforts of TABLE THREE HOW A SOLAR HOME-HEATING SYSTEM WORKS Collector Thermostat Warm air into living space Cool air return jihmi^ pnnj Pump Storage Pump Fan iliary heating system Dennis Hayes Energy: The Case for Conservation (World Watch, Paper 4 ® 1976) qualities, and that it's free. Small collection devices are as efficient as the larger ones. Free energy does not make good sense (cents?) to the energy companies and their stockholders. Installations will initially create considerable extra costs to builders. However, the issue is more than economical; it is ethical. Ours is a global age. Global living requires our age, are alternatives that we must pursue. Christians cannot wait for others to act. We can be the example. We can also encourage new legislation which moves in this direction. As we proclaim not only a message of salvation, but also practice a life of redemption, people will listen and follow. We will be God's "salt of the earth." 18/ IE MENNONITE 595 J HRISM Tim Miera The total energy falling on the earth from the sun in fifteen minutes is greater than the annual energy consumption of mankind. The sun's rays, which are the ultimate source of all life on earth, provide warmth, food through the process of photosynthesis in plants, and fuel. Man has ignored the direct use of the sun as an energy source and has become dependent upon indirect forms called fossil fuels. These fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas, and coal) were formed when ancient plant materials decomposed and became trapped beneath the earth's surface millions of years ago. It was considered to be less expensive to mine, drill, and refine fossil fuels than to continue the development of already available technology designed to use direct solar energy. Easily accessible fossil fuels, once thought to be in endless supply, encouraged a life- style dependent upon "cheap" energy. These fossil fuels are nonrenewable, are becoming less easily recovered from the earth, and are in danger of depletion. As fuels continue to be less available and the prices continue to climb, fewer people will be able to maintain a life-style oi massive consumption. Unless consumption is reduced and renewable forms of energy, particularly that of the sun, are implemented, man laces radical changes and possible extinction. Consciousness-raising attempts about continued dependence on nonrenewable forms ol energy are generally thwarted or distorted by governments, utility and oil companies, and others who presume that their power, profits, and life-style are threatened. The proposal that nuclear power is the energy of the future will continue to be reinforced because it is profitable economi- cally and is a basis of power over an energy dependent society. Nuclear energy is more dangerous than the present use of fossil fuels. Radiation pollution and radioactive wastes, which include the nuclear plant itself after several years of use, have the potential of causing mutation of genes and even death. Once introduced into the environment, radiation is absorbed into the biological cycle and thus cannot be avoided. Furthermore, man has no power to reduce the effects of radiation. Only time — thousands of years — can reduce radiation to harmless levels. This willful disregard for the earth partially arises from a belief that man is to dominate nature and force it into submis- sion. Scriptures such as Genesis 1:28 and Psalm 8 have been used to provide biblical support for such ideas. In doing so, human- kind has lost the sense of interdependence and respect for nature and its mysteries and has become preoccupied with the creation of "things." The devaluation of nature inevitably results in the devaluation of humanity, also a part of God's creation. As technology has become pervasive in developed countries, creativity and freedoms are suppressed. Those skilled in the crafts and arts are forced into mass production; those with less specific skills do work which has little to do with their existence other than to provide a monetary reward. People have value only terms of the work that they provide and tl products they purchase. Production is tl goal. Those unable to provide the woi required by production due to lack training or education, or low mental capab ity, or those who choose not to conform a considered to be of no value to societ Subjection to inhumane welfare systerr imprisonment of those who dare to open protest, or worse, being ignored by societ further reinforce this lack of concern f human values. Creative thinking is essential if we are survive. Respect for nature, its resouro and people must become central to ourw of being. However, it is not likely t technologists will of their own voliti sacrifice a life-style of self-interest. There those who advocate alternative ener| sources, not in the interest of humanity, because they hope to maintain a position either power or wealth, or both. There others who advocate responsible ene consumption for humanitarian purpo and they deserve our support. Those who profess that Jesus is Lord, h the ultimate cause for a way of life whic responsive to humanity and nature. T cause is the love of God as revealed to u the life, death, and resurrection of Jesj Jesus taught in his Sermon on the Mo that we must choose between God mammon (Matthew 6:24). There is no ro for our own values or priorities when choose God. We are to "seek first kingdom and his righteousness, and all t THE MENNONITE seeks to witness leach motivate and build Ihe Christian fellowship within the context ol Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It Isl lished weekly except biweekly during July and August and the lasl two weeks in December al Newton, Kansas 671 14, by Ihe General Board of Ihe General Conference Mennomte Church SecondT postage paid al Newton Kansas 87114 and al additional mailing olfices Subscriptions in United Slates and Canada, $8 00, one year, $ 1 5 50, two years, $23 00, three years, foreign, $8 50 per year S rial office 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard Winnipeg. Canada R3P0M4 Business office 722 Main Streel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67 1 1 4 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 347. Newlon, Kansas 61 h 596 OCTOBER 18, 1 ||| simple foot punip is capable of supplying a village of 500 people with drinking \tler. It raises water by llexmg a rubber lube inside a cylinder. us Winnipeg residence includes a solar heater installed on the roof. People instructing new homes and other buildings today should seriously consider the ssihilities of utilizing solar energy. things shall be yours (ours) as well" (Matthew 6:33). We are to turn from our false gods, "things," which make it difficult to maintain the priority of kingdom values and spiritual aspects of life, rather than cause division. Concerns of the kingdom must include the effects of ourconsumption ol the earth's resources. Fossil fuels, upon which we depend, are being depleted and will be a growing source of conflict between those who have and those who have not. Conservation, although much needed, will not be sufficient. New sources of energy which are not harmful to the environment must be implemented. The direct use of solar energy, while not a Christian response in itself, needs to be given serious considera- tion. The sun is available to all parts of the earth subject only to local climate and meteorological patterns. There is no pollu- tion, no need for refining, transporting, drilling, or mining. The collection systems need not be centralized as are utility plants powered by fossil fuels or nuclear energy, thereby returning processes to the individual or the small community. While some ol the systems are quite intricate, there are many simple and yet useful applications ol the sun's energy to the heating of water, and the heating and cooling of homes and offices. There are increasing numbers of books and courses taught which are designed for the do- it-yourself person. Mennonites have in the past provided leadership in areas such as farming methods and service to those who have social and economic needs. Will this period of impend- ing disorientation and confusion, as "cheap" energy runs out, stimulate us to creative leadership or will we be part of the problem'.' Are we too caught up with the world to see its destructive course of action? News 1 Is MCC structurally disabled? Dave Kroeker Executive members of Mennonite Central Committee and Mennonite Central Com- mittee (Canada) meeting in Toronto, Ontar- io, September 22-23 agreed that new structures are needed to streamline the organization's program and administration, and to take into account changing circum- stances. The agreement by the members "that truly mutual peoplehood and meaningful partnership between the United States and Canada in the work of MCC would be enhanced by a greater balance of structures" may be an historic step for the fifty-seven- year-old institution, founded in 1920 to provide food and clothes for Russian Mennonite refugees after the Communist revolution and World War I. Recognized as factors leading to the consultation and eventually to this agree- ment were, among others: the rapid matur- ing of MCC (Canada), organized in 1963; regional development; increasing agenda of United States concerns; and the complica- tions experienced in the present structures. Called for the purpose of "searching together for organizational structures, work- ing patterns, and relationships that best express our desire to work together," the executives agreed further that "the U.S. constituency needs to form some kind of structure for general U.S. agenda and for reporting by U.S. subsidiary groups. . . ." In the past few years several groups have emerged, particularly those centered in California and Kansas. There are some signs that other regions might develop local organizations as well. Reg Toews, MCC associate executive secretary for administration and resources, said "the movement toward regionalization seems to fit for the present time," but that "it will be a long time, if ever, before all U.S. Mennonites and Brethren in Christ will be part of a region" as they are in Canada. The Canadian model, with its strong and independent provincial components, was one that faced the members at every turn. It was seen as an ideal, and most desirable in the Canadian context but unlikely to happen in the United States because of different area groupings and different geography. Bill Snyder, MCC executive secretary, admitted that "a great deal of inspiration for regional development in the United States Elmer Neufeld, seen here outlining current MCC and MCC(Canaila) structures, and a 1 1. Hi: member of MCC, said that "Mennonite and Brethren in Christ peoplehood is seriousli impaired by the present structures. " comes from the Canadian experience." He continued, "We ought to encourage this kind of local growth in cooperation, based on locally felt needs." However, Mr. Snyder and MCC (Canada) executive secretary J. M. Klassen, in ajointly prepared statement, said the present relationship between Akron and Winnipeg is "harmonious" and no radical change is called for. Several cases in point, among others, were referred to as illustrations for a need to restructure. With increasing programming and regional development in the United States, more and more of MCC's (interna- tional) agenda is taken up by national concerns. This leaves Canadian members on that committee in a quandary as to what their representation means. Siegfried Bartel of British Columbia, executive committee member, said "There are many issues on the MCC agenda which should be taken care of by a U.S. and not an international agency." This led to t suggestion that the U.S. MCC membei convene for at least one separate session the time of the 1978 annual meeting ft consideration of U.S. agenda. The launching of contacts with a offering of assistance to Old Colony Me nonites in Mexico and other Latin Americ countries in their development and immigr? tion needs, and the use of Canadiap government funds (through CI DA Canadian International Development Age |; $ier. J. M. Klassen, executive secretary, jjsj, "I feel very comfortable with present st ictures." Native concerns director Menno . > ;be was of the opinion that MCC (Canada) must have adequate opportunity to express some of its unique qualities "at the executing end of MCC services — we resist just being a collecting agency for Akron." Frank Epp, vice-chairman of MCC (Canada), who presented the first paper to the consultation on Thursday evening, reacted positively to the progress of the talks. He said, however, that implementing the agreements could prove quite difficult. "A special challenge will be to sort out the national and international aspects, now so thoroughly interwoven in the Akron struc- tures. In my opinion, the best way to disentangle is to move the international — rather than the national — program out of Akron." Mr. Epp, a proponent of restructuring, said he could think of at least three reasons why it would be logical to move the international offices to Canada: (1) "It is becoming less and less desirable in more and more countries to do North American work from the USA. (2) Since most of our 'binational' institutions (mission boards, seminaries, etc.) are south of the border it would make sense to locate this one north of the border. (3) Relocation would help the American Mennonites sort out their nation- al agenda, now a high priority when one thinks of the overall mission of the church." Newton Gingrich of Ontario, who chairs both the MCC and MCC (Canada) commit- tees, was pleased both with the tone of the discussions and the findings agreed upon by the members. "Our conclusions were positive," he said, "moving us in a direction that is workable. There was a strong feeling that we want to operate as a North American body with wholesome concern to respect both partners in a binational organization." «E MENNONITE 599 Nickel Canadian, U.S. reps to attend women's conference in India The first nationwide inter-Mennonite wom- en's conference for India has been organized for November 1-6 at the Sunderganj Men- nonite Church, Dhamtari, Madhya Pradesh. The conference will be a historic one. Since the founding of Mennonite missions in India at the turn of the century no such gathering of all Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches has been held. Six women from North America will also attend. Over 200 women are expected to attend the conference whose theme is "We Are One in Christ" (Ephesians 4:4-6). Some delegates will travel about 1,000 miles by train. The overseas visitors will participate in leading Bible studies, in speaking to particular topics of the conference, and in sharing of women's ministries in Canada and the United States. Those attending from North America are Martha Nickel, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and Lois Deckert, North Newton, Kansas, for the General Conference Mennonite Church; Grace Friesen Slatter, Filer, Indi- ana, and Jocele Meyer, Brooklyn, Ohio, for the Mennonite Church; Katie Funk Wiebe, Hillsboro, Kansas, and Malinda Nikkei, Newton, Kansas, for the Mennonite Brethren Church. Martha Nickel has just completed a six- year term as second vice-president of Women in Mission, and was recently elected to the Commission on Home Ministries. Lois Deckert is first vice-president of WM, a position she has held since 1974. Papers will be presented on three topics: (1) the role of women in the church, church planting, missionary work, and other minis- tries of the church; (2) the Christian per- spective on marriage, particularly as it relates to changing women's roles; (3) the whole area of human relationships in the family, church, community, and society. The overseas visitors will be contributing to these topics also. The daily program will include Bible study, to be led by Martha Nickel; discus- sions in groups; lectures on the topics; and reports of women's work in India and North America. Indian Mennonite women have not been active in the formal leadership of the church in India. They have, however, developed organizations which are active in Bible studies, sewing, charity, and financial support of the church. Since the conference will have considera- ble expense for the travel of the Indian women to Dhamtari, special efforts have been made to raise money. The planning committee for the conference, coordinated by Bishop P. J. Malagar, called upon the Deckert churches to observe a special day of prayer and giving, Sunday, October 9. General Conference Women in Mission have underwritten a portion of these costs as well as the transportation expenses of Martha Nickel and Lois Deckert. Workshops proclaim recovery of sight to the blind "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4:18,19). Using this Scripture as their guiding thought, a group of evangelical Christians coordinated by Ronald Sider of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is conducting discipleship workshops which focus on justice. The workshops are seminars that help combine Jesus' command to make disciples, the biblical summons to seek justice, and the growing contemporary yearning for deeper Christian fellowship. They include Bible studies, presentations on discipleship, God and the poor, the bibical view of institution- alized evil, prayer, worship, and singing. Active in the leadership of the workshops are Christians brought together by the Chicago Declaration of Evangelical Social Concern, who are committed to sharing a biblical perspective of discipleship and justice with others. The intention is to make concern for the hungry and oppressed biblical and practical. Workshops are conducted for groups in local congregations on weekends, or during the week as three-day seminars at Christian colleges. During the summer "Families for Justice" weekends have been held at retreat centers. These learning experiences are designed to help parents teach their children about justice and the poor. For additional information, or to explore the possibility of inviting a team to your I church or college, write or call Ronald Sider, L Discipleship Workshops, 312 West Logan j Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19144; ji telephone: (215) 843-9269. Claims made for "Star Wars" are nonsense Lutheran pastor Richard John Neuhaus in Forum Letter says that some of the claims! made for the biggest money-making movie' of all time, Star Wars, are "mitigated, nonsense." Pastor Neuhaus writes that "we are told by some that the movie is 'a skillful restatement of the Christian gospel.' Mitigated nonsense Far from being a statement of future hope Star Wars places salvation in an unimagina- tive return to the past. The hero is a rural boj untainted by the corruption of the supertech nological 'empire' he is called to overthrow Good guys wear monks' cowls and flowinj robes to distinguish them from the metal am plastic villains. The key confrontation is 'sword fight' with laserlike beams betwee: the rustic guru (Alec Guiness) and the blaci knight of medieval romance, complete wit vizor. The cause of righteousness is reprej sented by 'the princess.' The restoration d her rule is, inexplicably, for the sake cj restoring 'the republic' against 'the empire! "It is the 'theological content' that hi warmed the hearts of some Christian critic: In a kind of debased Unitarianism, the cod; name for God is 'The Force.' The For 'holds everthing in the universe together' an will help you out if you suspend yo thinking, close your eyes, and 'trust yo feelings.' As in so many cults the message that redemption comes through getting touch with our real selves, our real selv being revealed in what feels good. "We said the claims made for Star Wa are mitigated nonsense. The nonsense is assault upon the intelligence and good tas of any relatively literate viewer. If o relaxes and suspends critical judgment, St Wars can perhaps be enjoyed as some peo enjoy those reruns of Flash Gordon episod on late-night TV. Flash Gordon, to credit, made no pretensions to theologi insight. The makers of Star Wars, and th who have puffed it in various publicatio are not so modest. The mitigation of t nonsense is that the success of the movie, li| so much other pandering in our cultu underscores the religious and symbi hunger of millions of Americans campuses and in parish discussion grou the movie might serve as a starting point discussing the infinitely more nuan Christian gospel of which Star Wars i caricature pressed to absurdity." 600 OCTOBER 18, ifBftff Meiinonile Edition CENTRAL DISTRICT REPORTER October 18, 1977 QvA^t ^Ayl koLA t>jpj^/)%4A4>v*X*jt4> h the summer of 1977, God's days held party opportunities: For outdoor services. On Sunday, July 3, (iembers of First Mennonite Church, jugarcreek, Ohio, joined with other commu- Sity churches for the morning worship rvice at the athletic field. Speaker for the S rvice was Elmer Neufeld, dean of academic "fairs at Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio, ,id president of the General Conference jlennonite Church. The community park was the setting for ] August evening potluck picnic followed |7 a communion service for the Yoked pllowship of Zion Mennonite Church and inited Presbyterian Church of Donnellson, liwa. ; On August 14 the Comins Mennonite i purch, Comins, Michigan, was in charge of jje evening service at the amphitheater at iilscoda County Park. The church invited (■rsons camping there to the service. ' For service outdoors (of the MDS \riety). On June 21, nineteen Mennonite jisaster Service volunteers from the Mea- |>ws Mennonite Church, Meadows, 111 i— j iiis, and a few other neighbors dismantled a (e-gutted home in Chenoa. Volunteers from h; same church for an August week in . isconsin were Don Augsburger, Myron :'aber, and Doug Wilson. David Funk of Hively Avenue Mennonite ! jiurch, Elkhart, Indiana, served a week th MDS in Kentucky helping with rebuilding after the flood. A group of young persons from the Yoked Fellowship at Donnellson, Iowa, spent one week in reconstruction work in Big Thomp- son Canyon, Colorado. Those who went were David Roller, Mike Jarvis, Jill Hirschler, and Doris Krehbiel. MDS closed its work at Big Thompson Canyon in late August, after providing assistance for thirteen months. De Honn and Arlen Delp, two Menno- nites from the dozen-family Milwaukee Fellowship, led six Calvary Free Church of Muskego members in assistance on June 8 for the Kenneth Pluim family of Waupun. Their farm buildings were damaged by the June 5 tornado. Six Milwaukee Mennonites returned on June 9 to assist. Twice before, the Milwaukee Fellowship has mobilized for disaster assistance. For greeting and parting. During the July 24 worship service at Eighth Street Church, Goshen, Indiana, Marinette Fankhouser, who worked at Walnut Hill Day Care Center under the Mennonite Central Committee Exchange Visitor program, said good-bye to her friends at Eighth Street. At the same service, Jane Yoder, daughter of Ernie and Erma Yoder, who was to leave August 8 for Europe as an Intermenno trainee, shared her plans and feelings. She is serving the first six months of her year abroad at a Mennonite retirement center at Enkenbach, Germany. Lazarus Hamiaya, an Indonesian Men- nonite, is living in Bluffton, Ohio, for six months. He is working in the Educational Media Center at Bluffton College, and with Leland Gerber of First Mennonite Church in Bluffton in his photographic studio. First Mennonite Church, Berne, Indiana, has four MCC trainees as guests with their church families. They are Mr. and Mrs. Ernest (Ruth) Sprunger from Switzerland, Alberto Donda from Brazil, and Christiane Graber from France. For sharing our gardens. A Sunday morning feature at Eighth Street Mennon- ite Church, Goshen, Indiana, this summer has been God's Surplus Table in Fellowship Hall. Gardeners brought their excess pro- duce to share with those who appreciate homegrown vegetables. For teaching Bible school. St. John Mennonite Church of Pandora, Ohio, held a vacation Bible school for migrant children of Spanish background, and continued their work of going to migrant camps to lead children's Sunday school groups. They are now looking for a Spanish-speaking person to help them in their work. For reflecting on conference. The August 14 evening service at Meadows Mennonite Church, Meadows, Illinois, was a slide-and- sound cassette sharing of General Confer- ence sessions in Bluffton presented by Russell Oyer. And now it is fall with new challenges. IE MENNONITE A-1 Testing results of Central District long-range planning Over the past year the committees of the Central District have looked at what they wanted to be in ten years. It was not an attempt to prophesy the future and predict needs by looking at a crystal ball, but it was an attempt to state what they felt their mission was and what objectives they might have for carrying it out. After the goals of each committee were presented at the August 4 executive council meeting, they were combined in a list. Several conclusions have emerged from this study. Findings reported 1. All but two committees listed as a goal the "training and equipping of people in congregations for congregational work." Therefore, one of the conclusions is that our district committees find it their role to sponsor training events for lay leaders. Training for pastors seems to be done on a General Conference level, but lay leader training that has to fit lay weekend schedules seems to be a role of the district committees. 2. If lay leader training is our specific contribution, we might do some more thinking about that, and become more conscious of what that means and how it can best be done. Some congregational leaders get tired of having their Sunday morning events "sabotaged" when choir members, teachers, and youth groups go to weekend workshops instead of being the church here and now. 3. Some areas in which the district might begin include: a. training lay leadership in steward- ship emphases and implementation; b. consulting with congregational rep- resentatives in using mass media in outreach (we have relied on the General Conference to provide this for our district); c. studying with peace and service representatives (MDS, MVS, MCC) as to what their function might be and how they are to work in a congregation or in a community; d. training deacons or people who do visitation among the church membership; e. training lay leaders to do things commonly thought of as pastoral work such as leading worship, counseling, group leading or group starting, and preaching; f. training education committee members, Sunday school superintendents, or those involved in Christian education administration in the congregation (teacher training is already done on local and national levels); g. training people in visitation work or in starting Bible study groups for the purpose of evangelism (we have offered scholarships to congregations to get such training but there still seems to be a need for inspiration and information). 4. The existence of the district conference itself can be aided by training events for lay leaders. To say this in a different way, the reasons a congregation might belong to a network of churches such as the Central District Conference — namely, to clarify its identity and what its contribution as a Mennonite church might be, to see opportu- nities for a mission from a wider perspective, and to exchange ideas and experiences — can be aided by district-sponsored training events for lay leaders. In fact these events might be just as effective as annual business sessions. This would not be a recommenda- tion to drop the annual business sessions, but says that some of the basic needs for a church wanting to belong to a network might be clearly met in district-sponsored events where congregations share motives, methods, problems, and solutions. 5. Many of our committees do not use General Conference resource persons in the normal course of their work and special efforts have to be made to take advantage of such help, specifically asking for the kind of resources a committee wants. The Commis- sion on Home Ministries has recently formed resource councils in such areas as evangelism, peace and service, voluntary service, and church planting. These resource councils are formed of representatives of each district or conference. Our use of General Conference resources might in- crease as these councils begin their work. 6. Several of the district committees (education committee and missions commit- tee) are willing to offer consultation help to a local congregation. Such consultant services may not be used until we find a way to offer them, or discover why they have not been used in the past. Perhaps communities have their own people they can call on for special help. The same is true of a committee stating as its goal "providing resources for the local congregation." Congregations seem to use workshops and seminars more than offers of a resource person or resource material. 7. Overseas mission work has not been on our district conference agenda (except for a small report) since we gave up our role as one of the sponsors of Congo Inland Mission (now Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission), and let the General Conference worry about overseas administration problems and call- ing missionaries. The tristate mission festival scheduled at Bluffton June 16-18, 1978, with John Stott of London, England, may help support local congregational efforts in mission education. To keep this a priority the district conference will have to be again more involved than just hearing a report from a mission board meeting in} Kansas. Getting a reaction Are you as a member of a congregation in! agreement with the district contribution to aft congregation being in the form of 1 1 workshops? If so, in addition to the|! workshops that have been offered for youth group leaders and advisors, peace and!1 service persons, congregational chairper-k sons, women's retreats, pastors, campi' representatives, and church school teachers. 17 what needs would you see? We probabljf " wouldn't scatter such events throughout the; year, but might schedule a workshop foi) congregational chairpersons, Sunday school superintendents, deacons, and evangelisri committee chairpersons all on one weekene to so that a congregation could be representee " by a carload of various lay leaders. Woulc h you share your reaction with the executiv committee? If so, write to Box 1 328, Blufftoi f College, Bluffton, Ohio 45817. Stank ^ Bohn, conference minister in the Centre District w Leadership conference begins October 31 A Christian Faith and Contemporart t Culture conference will be held October 3lj November 2 on the Bluffton (Ohio) Collej campus. Ministers and leaders of the Easter and Central district conferences will vie and discuss "How Should We Then Live?" film series by Francis Schaeffer of L'Abi Switzerland. Subtitled "The Rise and D< cline of Western Thought and Culture," th film focuses on the state of our contempor: ry culture as Mr. Schaeffer sees it and tes his analysis of the direction the Christi: church must take in rebuilding weste civilization. Ten half-hour episodes covi history in interaction with Christian faith, three different points a panel of faculty a ministers will respond to the presentatio and lead the discussion. Howard Charles of Mennonite Bibli Seminary, Elkhart, Indiana, will lead a Bi study Tuesday and Wednesday mornings "New Persons for a New World" (John 2; 3:21) and "True Shepherds of God's Peop (John 9-10:10- There will also be informal times duri the day for interaction on specific conce: of the church and the college. The conferei begins at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, October and concludes at noon, Wednesd November 2. A-2 OCTOBER 18, 1»|;-Vl _ima church sponsors service unit Jiere are three reasons why First Menno- ite Church, Lima, Ohio, can 't have a sum- ter voluntary service unit: (1) They haven't sked the General Conference voluntary ?rvice office to help recruit workers, rovide finances, and send a voluntary ?rvice unit leader. (2) They are a small jngregation — under seventy-five mem- ers — and don't have enough people ee to staff such an operation. (3) They don't lave a full-time pastor to give time to rganize this kind of outreach. Not fully weighing the reasons why it is \npossible, the church has had a voluntary vrvice unit anyway the last two summers. I As their second summer progressed, an iditional offshoot project developed of ipplying surplus garden produce to needy ?ople. (See related story, page A-7.) Brent renneman, a member of First Church, ima, summarizes the unit's activities in the I lowing report. he Lima Mennonite Service unit operated ain this summer. The workers lived at the )hn Brenneman farm near Elida, Ohio. [lassen joins tC faculty Paul Klassen, Wadsworth, Ohio, has ,ned the Bluffton College faculty as an sociate professor of social work. Mr. Klassen joins Carl Smucker, also sociate professor of social work at Bluff- n. Mr. Klassen was one of Bluffton •liege's first social work majors. He iduated from Bluffton in 1948 and peived a master's in social work from the iiiversity of Chicago in 1951. (Since 1974 he has been executive director family counseling services for Stark punty, Canton, Ohio. He was director of ofessional services for the agency from 65 to 1974. The agency serves a metropol- n area of over 300,000. He served as Dervisor of children's welfare boards and a social case worker in both Lucas and mmit counties, Ohio. |Mr. Klassen is a member of the Academy I Certified Social Workers, a national crediting body of social workers. He is also |:harter member of the National Associa- |n of Social Workers. According to Mr. Smucker, chairman of I Bluffton College social work depart- |nt, "The addition of Paul Klassen lengthens our program and helps us move t'i'ard accreditation with the Council of ! ;ial Work Education. It also helps us Iter meet the needs of our social work s dents." Members included: Yohanna Kawira and Josephine Nyangoro from Tanzania; Ruth Okullu from Kenya; Iris Neufeld, Dorothea Rodabaugh, and Paul Weaver from Bluff- ton; Joanne Cherry from Huntington, Indiana; and Brent Brenneman from Elida. The unit was involved with three major projects during the day. At Camp Robin Rogers, Paul, Josephine, and Yohana were counselors for about forty mentally retarded children aged six to twenty. At Camp Roberts, operated by the Lima Rescue Home, Iris, Dorthea, and Ruth served as counselors for inner city children aged six to twelve. Brent was director of the Creative Hour of Storytelling, a government program for poverty-level children aged four to eight. He was assisted by Joanne and others throughout the summer. Religious instruc- tion, arts and crafts, movies, recreation, and music were features of the program. Another project involved a program similar to the storytelling hour and was held at First Mennonite Church, Lima, for two evenings per week. Attendance averaged thirty at these sessions. With the help of area Mennonite churches, four houses were painted in Lima for low-income families. Two houses were cleaned by unit members. Several presenta- tions were made to local churches concern- ing the unit's work. The unit also helped coordinate a vegeta- ble distribution program in South Lima with Grace Mennonite Church of Pandora, Ohio. Tliese are the eight members of the 1977 Lima (Ohio) voluntary service unit: front row — Paul Weaver, Bluffton: Iris Neufeld, Bluffton: Brent Brenneman, Elida, Ohio: Yohanna Kawira, Tanzania; second row, standing — Josephine Nyungoro, Tanzania; Dorothea Rodabaugh, Bluffton; Ruth Okul- lu, Kenya; Joanne Cherry, Huntington, Indi- ana. At least 100 poverty-level families received produce from this project. The unit was financed by Grace Menno- nite Church, Pandora, Ohio; First Menno- Church, Bluffton, Ohio; and First Menno- nite Church, Lima, Ohio. In 1948 at Bluffton College, Paul Klassen (left) studied social work in courses taught by Carl Smucker (right). This year both teach and supervise field work in the social work department. Photo by Fred Steiner I E MENNONITE A-3 A living, active church Hively Avenue Church, Elkhart, Indiana, is studying General Conference resolutions in one of their Sunday morning groups. Mennonite Church of Normal, Illinois, is following a time table of study on mission priorities in small groups culminating in a congregational meeting to make some decisions, select leadership, and agree on long-range facility plans. Instead of having elections, Southside Fellowship, Elkhart, Indiana, meets two Sunday mornings and two Wednesday evenings for Bible study and sermons on leadership and gift discernment. Part of the process involves breaking into groups of about five, where individuals can share where they are in their pilgrimages, in what areas of the church's ministry they would like to serve, and what gifts they see in others that should be used or developed. One group might feel strongly that someone in another group should fill a certain position and then Grace visits Grace When Lee and Betty Hochstetler assumed the leadership of Grace Mennonite Church, Chicago, it was determined that the church needed additional financial support. Grace Mennonite Church, Pandora, Ohio, was asked if their congregation had interest in assuming this opportunity. It was felt that the congregation-to-congregation assistance would result in a more personal relationship, a caring relationship beyond mere financial dependence. The Pandora church approved the plan, and a relationship began to develop between the churches. One Sunday in June, Roger Siebert, Pandora's pastor, and a carload of Pandora members traveled to Chicago to preach there and to visit in the Chicago church. And on the late afternoon of July 9, two vans (borrowed from the Markham Men- nonite Voluntary Service unit) arrived in Pandora, bringing twenty-three friends from the Chicago sister congregation. On Sunday morning, July 10, Lee and Betty shared their vision for their work in Chicago, and their feelings about the challenge of the city and their neighborhood. The mission offering received that morn- ing went toward the Grace Church, Chicago, budget. Any amount over Pandora's monthly commitment went into the guests' rebuilding fund for replacement of the building after their recent fire. A congregational meal provided further time for fellowship before the Chicago group returned to the city. call that one out of the group to test it. There are times when the small group shares with the entire group and then returns for further small group testing. Willard Roth, one of the participants, reports the idea was written up over a year ago in Builder. Southside has used this method for four years, modifying it each year, and reports some positive results in church life and in personal growth. The northern Indiana pastors have again manned a witness booth called "Mennonites: Who and Why" at their MCC sale. They showed films, distributed and sold literature, and talked with inquirers. First Church, Wadsworth, Ohio, celebrated their 125th anniversary October 16. First Church, Berne, Indiana, is providing tapes of the Sunday morning service for their college students upon request. Oak Grove Church, Smithville, Ohio, is helping support its students in Mennonite colleges with a $500 grant. This fund is built by designated gifts. Markham Church in Illinois is studying the Mennonite faith in Sunday evening sessions. Two of the sessions will review other traditions: Catholic, Lutheran, and church life in the black community. Members of our churches in Sugarcreek, Ohio, and in Wayland, Iowa, have been encouraged to read the New Testament during 1977. Claude Boyer, Sugarcreek pastor, has developed a reading schedule and study guide for the readers in his church. On August 21-24 Harry and Olga Martens held special services at the Pulaski (Iowa)l Church reflecting on their recent assignment' in India. The bulletin of the Oak Grove Church. Smithville, Ohio, of July 17 reports that, members were asked to volunteer as babysit- ters for three children of an Orrville family for one day a week for six weeks. The? mother's knee injury prevented her walking: If volunteers were secured, the father coulc return to work. Young people from First Church, Berne1 Indiana, on August 12 traveled to Illinoi for a painting and cleaning Saturday at Firs; Church, Markham. On Sunday they partici pated in the morning worship service. The Michigan Relief Sale was held August in Fairview, Michigan. On May 26-28 the Iowa MDS units Wayland, Washington, and Mount Pleasar worked at Beacon House in Burlingto: which had recently suffered fire damage Beacon House is an interdenominationj) retreat center for persons of all faiths. Freshman Olympics held at Bluffton At the end of their first week at Bluffton College, freshmen enjoyed the tension-releasnm activities of Freshman Olympics. Here each of two teams tries to push a giant hall over^p, goal. A-4 OCTOBER 18, 15 f ^IWI flB About people lurtis Dick, Bluffton, Ohio has begun wo years with General Conference's Men- lonite Voluntary Service in adult education ti Cincinnati, Ohio. He is a graduate of Huffton College, Bluffton, Ohio, in mathe- matics and religion. Paul and Lois Dyck, iluffton, are his parents, and First Church is Curtis' congregation. Tricia Gates, owner of Noah's Fish 'n ^hick, invited members of Community 'hurch, Markham, Illinois, for a free creole Ihicken dinner, on Sunday, July 21, in xchange for a donation to the church. Their jonations were given to the MCC Poverty j'und. I Rich and Marcia Gerig, of Eighth Street uhurch, Goshen, Indiana, left during the jummer for a year's assignment as Study Service Trimester leaders for Goshen Col- lege in Haiti. Rich is on the admissions staff t Goshen College. During the June 12 service in Eicher "mmanuel Church, Wayland, Iowa, Sara froossen was commissioned for short-term nission work in Japan teaching conversa- Jonal English. I Richard and Jean Hirschler of Berrien prings, Michigan, have been reassigned as jleneral Conference Mennonite missionaries h Taiwan. They will be serving at Menno- |ite Christian Hospital in Hwalien, Taiwan, jhere Richard will work as a physician, f hey previously served in medical work in (aire in 1971-75. They have been attending lie Hively Avenue Church in Elkhart, ndiana, but are members of the Beatrice Nebraska) Church. 1 Lois Keener of North Newton, Kansas, is jginning a two-year term as a mission isociate under the General Conference yn voluntary service /oluntary service has meant investigating life-style that is different from much of the st of affluent America. It is being reminded at the path to a fuller and more rewarding e lies in simplifying my wants and needs. It seeing the need to make a living statement 1 those around me that consuming and impiling is not to be the basis of my life, but at I need to center my life around lationships rather than things. It is also :ing reminded that I am still a very affluent Tson in relation to the majority of the rest the world." Kathy Miller, First Church, igarcreek, Ohio, about her present volun- ry service at Champaign, Illinois Mennonite Church as a teacher of elementary-age children of missionaries in Hwalien, Taiwan. She has a BA degree in elementary education from Bluffton College and previously spent 2Vi years in Bolivia with Mennonite Central Committee. She is a member of First Church, Bluffton, Ohio. Dave Metzler, of First Church, Nappanee, Indiana, spent several weeks during the summer in voluntary service at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp in Colorado. Amy Miller of Oak Grove Church. Smithville, Ohio, spent 4'/2 weeks of summer voluntary service in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. John Pannabecker, of Hively Church, Elkhart, Indiana, with his wife Rachel, daughter of David and Laveta Habegger of Wichita, moved to North Newton, Kansas, to accept a part-time position teaching French at Bethel College. He is the son of Richard and Wanda Pannabecker of Bluff- ton, Ohio, John is a 1971 graduate of Bluffton College and holds a doctorate from Case Western Reserve at Cleveland. For his 1-W service, he taught under MCC in a secondary school in Zaire. Recently he spent a year in France studying and teaching. Judy Riethmiller, Neil Avenue Church, Columbus, Ohio, has begun a three-year term under the Teachers Abroad Program in Jamaica. Mark and Jane Thorley Roeschley have begun a three-year term of service with Mennonite Central Committee in Jamaica where both will be teaching in secondary schools. Mark is the son of Burdell and Betty Roeschley of Graymont, Illinois, and a member of the Flanagan (Illinois) Church. He is a graduate of Bluffton College with a BA degree in math and business accounting, and was employed by Bluffton College as a dormitory head resident before beginning his Jamaica assignment. Jane is also a graduate of Bluffton College with a BA degree in home economics education. Her parents are Harold and Janice Thorley of Columbus, Ohio, and she is a member of the Northwest Christian Church in Columbus. Before leaving for Jamaica she was also employed as a head resident in a Bluffton College dormitory. Dennis and Karen Leatherman Sprunger have arrived in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, to begin a thirty-months term of service with Men- nonite Central Committee as elementary school teachers. Both hold BA degrees in elementary education from Goshen College. Dennis is the son of Donald and Doris Sprunger of Berne, Indiana. He is a member of First Church in Berne. Karen's parents are Paul and Loretta Leatherman of Akron, Pennsylvania, who recently completed a year of travel for MCC visiting the Self-Help program projects. Karen is a member of Akron (Pennsylvania) Church. Sandy Steiger, of the Boynton (Illinois) Church, participated in the three-week Mennonite Hospital work camp at Bloom- ington, Illinois, beginning June 6. Byron Warkentin, of Maplewood Church, Fort Wayne, Indiana, left on July 1 1 for2'/2 years of service with Mennonite Central Committee in Bolivia, South America. He will teach elementary school in a village near Santa Cruz. Byron is a recent graduate of Goshen College with a BS degree in elementary education. He is the son of Otto and Louetta Warkentin of Fort Wayne, Indiana. Pastors change posts In recent months there have been several resignations and arrivals in the leadership of our district churches. On June 12 Ben and Tena Rahn concluded their ministry to the Salem Church, Kidron, Ohio. On July 1 they assumed the pastorate of First Church. Aberdeen, Idaho. Robert Schloneger, assistant to the pastor at Oak Grove Church, Smithville. Ohio, has resigned his position there. He and his family have moved to Wauseon, Ohio, where he is now pastor of the North Clinton congrega- tion. 9 Paul Seiber of Arthur, Illinois, has accepted a call to become pastor of the United Mennonite Church, Peoria, Illinois. The Milwaukee Mennonite Fellowship has selected Bill Shumaker of Goshen, Indiana, as its first full-time pastor. Bill and his wife, Eleanor, planned to join the fellowship in October. They have three daughters: Sharon, Patricia, and Teresa. Ray Wallace was installed as pastor at the Yoked Mennonite and Presbyterian congre- gations in Donnellson, Iowa, September 18, by leadership persons from both denomina- tions. Larry and Jane Wilson and their two sons Greg and Thad moved to Kidron, Ohio, September 1 where Larry has accepted the pastorate of the Salem Church. Larry grew up in Gridley, Illinois; graduated from Mennonite Biblical Seminary in 1967; and has served as teacher and pastor in various locations. Jane has training as a nurse and has frequently been employed as a nurse while Larry was teaching or pastoring. HE MENNONITE A-5 Women in Mission: Who are we? MCC worker to assess material aid program John Hostetler, who is the head of the material aid program of Mennonite Central Committee, has announced that plans are being made for an assistant to travel this year from Akron throughout the United States and Canada beginning soon. This person will be available to women's groups to give information and collect feedback on the current directions of the material aid program, including thrift shops. If you would like to be included in the itinerary, write to John Hostetler, Secretary of Material Aid, Mennonite Central Com- mittee, 21 South 12th Street, Akron, Pennsylvania 17501, to find out when she will be in your general area and to arrange for bookings. Women's activity letter Giving and receiving "1 have a dollar, You have a dollar. We swap. Now you have my'dollar And I have yours. We are no better off. You have an idea, I have an idea. We swap. Now you have two ideas, 1 have two ideas; Both are richer. What you gave you have. What you get, 1 did not lose." —Selected I believe in Women in Mission, 10,000 strong across two countries. I believe in our purpose, the goal of helping women become effectively involved in the mission of the church. I believe that women with a personal dedication to Christ and a receiving of his power will fulfill that purpose. Who are we? We are the Annas sharing the good news of Jesus with others. We are the Marthas, eager, aggressive, but sometimes misunderstanding needs. We are the Marys, thoughtful and meditative, trying to get our priorities straight. We are the Susannas and Johannas pro- viding for the work of the Lord through our means. Our name may be Lydia, the business- woman whose heart the Lord opened, showing hospitality and generosity. Are we the Rhodas, excited and thrilled, yet forgetting to open the door? We are the Phoebes, leaders in our churches, helping many in their pilgrimage of faith. Priscilla is also our name, teaching the fullness of the gospel as we lead our churches into the total mission and ministry of the General Conference. And then there's Dorcas. How many of us bear that name by sewing, helping those in need through Commission on Overseas Mission, Commission on Home Ministries, Mennonite Central Committee, or on a local level? Our names may be Lois and Eunice, grandmother and mother whose influence on young lives will bear fruit as Timothy demonstrates. We are women of the Upper Room, constantly in prayer awaiting the power promised by our Lord. We are the unnamed women on the day of Pentecost receiving the Holy Spirit as foretold by the Prophet Joel. We are Women in Mission. Like our counterparts in Scripture, we serve with vigor and enthusiasm, with courtesy and kindness, with love and compassion, making Christ known throughout the world. Naomi Lehman News capsules Have you looked in on your church nursery recently? Perhaps your women's fellowship could help to furnish the nursery with simple, creative toys or other nursery needs Sometimes "needs" are close to home. The annual Illinois Mennonite Women's) • meeting will be held at the Carlock Church; beginning at 9:30 a.m. October 27. Mrs.j Peter Buller will be the special speaker. 111 i Meals are assembled, distributed k| At left, Dorothy Loep holds some prepared meals, results of the Mobile Meals projec : ;r sponsored by the women's fellowship of Normal, Illinois. At right, Mary Yoder deliver} luncheon and dinner meals to a recipient. Under the project, women transport meals t ; elderly individuals who cannot or do not wish to provide for themselves. The meals at * , prepared for distribution at a local hospital kitchen. A-6 OCTOBER 18, 19} Kidron relief sale sets records kn estimated 30,000 persons crowded the ampus of Central Christian High School in Lidron, Ohio, on Saturday, August 13, for he twelfth annual Ohio Mennonite Relief lale. A new record, $110,000, was set for ratal sales and donations. This amount was 0 percent higher than last year's total. One , undred churches, some of them non- i4ennonite, contributed sale items. Beginning at 6:00 a.m., diners moved long the service line into the new relief lenter to buy over $5,000 worth of pancakes nd sausage for breakfast. Later a chicken arbecue was served there. The Oak Grove Mennonite Church, j mithville, Ohio, sponsored a Relief-burger roject which brought in over $2,600. lolmes and Tuscarawas county churches Did Swiss cheese and Trail bologna in indwiches and packages from their tent. The Swiss Pantry section, stocked with omemade foods from churchwomen, was Did out by early afternoon. Other popular >od items on the grounds were decorated ikes, strawberry pies, apple butter, dough- uts, and whole hog sausage. In the main tent, handcrafted items, such 5 furniture and clocks, were auctioned at itervals with quilts, baby quilts, and afghans. George Breneman's eighth grandfather clock sold for $3,500. The 124 quilts sold for over $25,000, an average of $203 per quilt. Although fewer quilts were offered this year than last, the average price was higher by forty dollars. Needlework by local churchwomen dis- played in the quilt tent attracted many shoppers, who also observed the women's quilting bee in progress. Merchandise from the Mennonite Central Committee Self-Help crafts display retailed for $9,400, a nearly 60 percent increase over last year's amount. Craftsmen of wooden plaques and name plates, pottery, and glass blowing demon- strated their skills and donated their receipts. Nearly one thousand dollars was realized from donations in payment for used books. Donations for drilling wells in Chad through MCC reached $1,150, enough for one new well. MCC representatives showed a movie which illustrated world hunger. Hundreds of volunteers had erected the tents, arranged displays, served the patrons, transported the guests by hay wagon and bus, and controlled traffic. Condensed from report by Merl Lehman, Kidron, Ohio lunger task force assists Lima residents rhen the hunger task force of Grace [ennonite Church, Pandora, Ohio, first et to discuss their response to world mger, they did not realize that the activities ey would set in motion would help over 10 persons. To begin the program, the group spoke to rent Brenneman of Elida, Ohio, who orked with the summer voluntary service lit in Lima. Brent referred the group to the irsonnel of Lima's South Side Opportunity ;nter. As the program developed it used the operation of several groups or agencies. Every Monday morning during the mmer, gardeners from Grace Church and her Pandora churches put their home- own produce on the truck, manned by task rce committee persons and other vol- iteers, at the Grace Church parking lot. le truck also made a pickup in Columbus "ove at a Presbyterian church. ' South Side Opportunity Center handled b distribution in Lima. In several low- :ome housing projects, managers invited bir tenants to come through in a line to oose the produce they needed. Deliveries •re also made to a total of fifty private \ mes, some on a regular basis, where senior izens, handicapped, and sick persons lived. Some produce was commercially canned for later use. Total value of the food donated was $1,430, and 648 different persons were helped. The final deliveries of the season were made on September 12. Volunteers needed for recordings for blind Indiana residents — volunteers are needed to tape record published Indiana history in sound booths at the Indiana State Library or at home on your own equipment, for use by the blind and physically handicapped. Some Indiana-related religious titles are available as well as non-Indiana related fiction and nonfiction. This project is sponsored by the Indiana Historical Society as a memorial to the late Eli Lilly. Contact F. Mote, Coordi- nator, Indiana History Project, Indiana State Library, 140 North Senate, Indianapo- lis, Indiana 46204; or call (317) 633-4976. Residents of other states — check with your local library for the address of the nearest depository of taped material for the blind and physically handicapped; or write Volunteers, Indiana State Library, Indiana- polis, Indiana 46204 For eight consecutive years, George Brene- man, of Oak Grove Church. Smithville, Ohio, has built a clock and donated it f or the Kidron sale. This year his clock was sold f or $3,500. Photo by Merl Lehman First Church, Sugarcreek, commissions young people Five young people were commissioned in a special service held Sunday, June 5, at First Church in Sugarcreek, Ohio. The service included testimonies given by the youth in which they shared how God led them into summer voluntary service. The congregation participated in songs and responsive read- ing, pledging themselves also to Christ's Great Commission. The parents of the youth and the deacons joined together in the commissioning prayer by Claude Boyer. Nathan Miller, recently appointed "Vo- luntary Service Person," presented the youth with checks from the congregation to cover traveling expenses. Camp Friedenswald was the summer service place for four of the youth: Chris and Tim Raber, sons of Ernest and Mary Raber; April Showers, daughter of Harvey and Bertie Showers; and Mark Stevanus, son of Reno and Margaret Stevanus. Tally Maust, daughter of Don and Janet Maust, served in Arvada, Colorado, at the Wheat Ridge School. Kathy Miller, daughter of Oscar and Betty Miller, has been serving in Royal Fontana Nursing Home in Illinois for the past year and has extended her term for six more months. IE MENNONITE A-7 Vital statistics BAPTISMS Bethel, Pekin, Illinois: George Hammond. Ebenezer, Bluffton, Ohio: Beverly Auch- muty, Rolland Auchmuty, Arlene Bixel, Debra Diller, Scott Garmatter, Judy Glad- well, Terry Gudakunst, Charles Huffman, Beverly Mihm, Steven Reigle, Cindy Risser, John Shoupe, Alan Sommer. Eicher Emmanuel, Wayland, Iowa: Eula- lia Goossen. First, Berne, Indiana: Steve Bauman, Elizabeth Nussbaum, RonNussbaum, Mark Sprunger. First, Bluffton, Ohio: Randall Althaus, Bennett Balmer, Maureen Kay Bauman, James Caskey, Doris Dyck, Martin Kooker, Janette Mohr, Mary Ann Moyer, Amy Niswander, Julie Niswander, Todd Reichenbach, Suellen Smith, Julia Sprun- ger, Kathie Yoakam, Peter Yost. First, Sugarcreek, Ohio: Teresa Hostetler, Sheree Mast, Sharon McDade, Scott Miller, Mark Raber, Guy Schrock, Todd Schrock, Renee Stevanus, Robert Troyer, Robert J. Yoder. Maplewood, Fort Wayne, Indiana: Sherri Albrecht, Rhett Butler, Niels Lichti, Jimmy Luker, Becky Miller, Mitch Stauffer, Mark West. Meadows, Illinois: Giang Nguyen, Ben Nguyen, Nga Nguyen Ackerman. Neil Avenue, Columbus, Ohio: Jerry Keiper. Oak Grove, Smithville, Ohio: John Goiter, Theresa Randolph. St. John, Pandora, Ohio: Carol Bauman, Mike Bauman, Deon Cook, Max Cook, Natalie Geiger, Troy Geiger, Scott Gratz, Dwight Grismore, Scott Lee, Natalie Welty, Beth Probst. Topeka, Indiana: Teresa Schrock, Dawn Taylor, Julia Yoder. BIRTHS First, Berne, Indiana: Lyska Rayann to Mr. and Mrs. James Blackford, August 13. First, Urbana, Illinois: Adam Michael to Mr. and Mrs. Jim Haefner, May 7. First, Wadsworth, Ohio: Fernando and Daniel to Mr. and Mrs. Roberto Lizarazu, May 19; Steven Jacob to Mr. and Mrs. Dave Welty, June 28. Maplewood, Fort Wayne, Indiana: Todd Daniel to Mr. and Mrs. Dan Emmert, August 19; Matthew Scott to Mr. and Mrs. Mike Moore, August 30. Meadows, Illinois: Micah Jo to Mr. and Mrs. Tony Streid, August 21. Oak Grove, Smithville, Ohio: Matthew William Beechy to Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pfeiffer, August 16. Pulaski, Iowa: Rachel Noel to Mr. and Mrs. Gary Knapp, August 16. Salem, Kidron, Ohio: Sandra Rena to Mr. and Mrs. Ray Miller, September 7. Wayland, Iowa: Dustin Lynn to Mr. and Mrs. Leland Graber, August 4. MARRIAGES Boynton, Hopedale, Illinois: Vickie Donel- son and John Reeser, July 10. Calvary, Washington, Illinois: Beth Ehling and David Chasco, August 6; Alice Duckworth and Mike Wells, August 13. Congerville, Illinois; Connie Wettstein and Marvin Ehnle, July 23; Mildred Kauff- man and Robert Steinwedel, August 6. Ebenezer, Bluffton, Ohio: Carol Vercler and Seth Bixel, September 17. First, Berne, Indiana: Linda Bentley and Ronald Herman, August 27; Kathy Gallet and Jared Habegger, September 3; Carla Reinhard and Lee Von Gunten, September 16; Rosemari Lehman and Elvin Lackey, September 17. Grace, Pandora, Ohio: Gloria Bucherand Jan Wiechart, August 27; Patricia Meyer and Oliver Lugibihl, August 27. Maplewood, Fort Wayne, Indiana: Kathy Reeves and Terry Potter, August 26. Meadows, Illinois: Doris Ackerman and David Egli, August 13. Neil Avenue, Columbus, Ohio: Susan Diehl and Jerry Keiper, August 27. Oak Grove, Smithville, Ohio: Sue Swart- zentruber and Lynn Lehman, August 20. United, Peoria, Illinois: Shirley Dundiff and David Utley, June 5. Zion, Donnellson, Iowa: Angela Walters and Edward J. Krauter, August 20. ANNIVERSARIES Comins, Michigan: Mr. and Mrs. Robert Miller, 50th, July 17. Grace, Pandora, Ohio: Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Basinger, 50th. Wayland, Iowa: Mr. and Mrs. Allen Wenger, 60th. DEATHS Boynton, Hopedale, Illinois: Emma Barbee, June 24. Eighth Street, Goshen, Indiana: Henry D. Blough, July 12; Mrs. A. E. (Stella) Kreider, July 24; Joyelle Hodge. First, Berne, Indiana: Jonas Sprunger, September 6; Allen Luginbill; Barbara Habegger; Mctta Steiner; Allen Kuhn. First, Lima, Ohio; Lulu Taylor; Martha Rowen; Mrs. William Spurgeon, August 18. First, Nappanee, Indiana: Arlene Buss, July 8. Flanagan, Illinois: Bertha Eigsti, April 12. Meadows, Illinois: Ethel Bean. Salem, Kidron, Ohio: Lyman Gerber; Wilmer Shoup. St. John, Pandora, Ohio: Willard Moser, August 3; Maurice Grismore, September 5. Topeka, Indiana: Blossom Lantz, June 21; Martha Peters, July 2. Wayland, Iowa: Mabel Rinner; Anna Rich." t ■ v r To: church secretaries, pastors, historians Temporary editor of the Central District Reporter is Evelyn Krehbiel, of 229 Brook- wood, Bluffton, Ohio 45817. Bulletins and church newsletters should be sent to: Central District Office, Box 1328,1: Bluffton College, Bluffton, Ohio 45817. Jk Articles, photos, and complaints shoulc k be sent to Evelyn Krehbiel at the Brookwooo < address above. > . We welcome illustrations or photograph; accompanying articles, or individual pho tographs with identifying information sotht. editor can write a caption. Though it is noi . always possible, it is desirable to shov persons involved in an activity beinj described, rather than in a face-ahead statiy photo. Not all photographs submitted can b used because of space limitations or poo reproduceability in print. A sharp black and-white picture with good contrast i ,» preferred. Photographs should be large enough s that a person's head is at least as big as [ dime. Identify persons in a picture if possible and if important for the article. Indiana women to hold rally The All-Indiana Mennonite Women's mil sionary rally will meet Thursday, Octobf \< 20, at the Brookside Mennonite Churcl 6535 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Ind ana. Registration will begin at 9:00 a.n Women are requested to bring their sac i lunches to the meeting. Mrs. John Carver, - popular speaker throughout the Midwes will address the group. Mrs. Carver is tl busy mother of three teenagers, counselo and teacher of several Bible classes on weekly basis. She will speak on the then "The Fruits of the Spirit." A-8 OCTOBER 18, 19 gram has received many prayer requests. !. Mainse suggests the venture is like "an f :tronic roof over a huge congregation." i what way is a pop can like an elderly fison? They are both disposable. George tj rry, a member of the Department of <; riatric Medicine at Queen's University, 1 lgston, Ontario, recently decried the natality which considers the elderly and ■3 lit handicapped as "disposable people." 1' drew a parallel between pop cans, wine t ties, plastic garbage bags, geriatric patients, and retarded adults. According to him they have all become throw-away items in today's society. He also noted that insensitive institutionalization causes de- pression, a lack of interest in the outside world, and increased use of drugs such as tranquilizers. Often geriatric patients are not able to go back home from hospital because of the way homes and appliances are designed. Most stoves, for example, cannot be used by anyone confined to a wheelchair. Enrollment for the fall trimester at Goshen (Indiana) College is 1 ,08 1. "We are especially encouraged by the size of the freshman class (303) and by the increase in the number of men on campus (to 419)," said J. Lawrence Burkholder, president of the college. A sod turning for a new church in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was held in mid- August. Located in the suburb of North Kildonan, the 250-seat sanctuary is a project of the Northdale Mennonite Fellowship, an English-speaking congregation which hopes to minister to both Mennonites and non- Mennonites in the area. Services are cur- rently held in River East Collegiate in North Kildonan. The fellowship recently commis- sioned Eleanore Rempel for work as a lab technician in Gaborone, Botswana, with MCC (Canada). Sales at the Michigan Mennonite Relief Sale, Elkhart County Fairgrounds, Indiana, held September 24, totaled $189,000. Last year $204,000 was raised for the relief and E MENNONITE 601 J Self-Help ministries of Mennonite Central Committee. Total attendance was estimated at less than last year's 40,000 persons. Women's activities items sold for $35,700 and 400 quilts sold at auction for a total of $56,000. Mennonites and Amish from 160 Michigan-lndianaarea congregations partic- ipated in the sale. A quilt that had been sold at relief sales in Reedley, California, and New Hamburg, Ontario, was purchased by the auctioneers and clerks for $1,150. They plan to donate the quilt to another relief sale. An enlarged Choice Book ministry has been initiated by Oklahoma Mennonite churches. Walter H. Regier, 320 Dogwood Lane, Enid, Oklahoma, has been appointed supervisor for the state. At present eighteen Choice Book displays are operative in the state. The hope is to place more racks in supermarkets in cities. Bishop Ernest J. Swalm of Duntroon, Ontario, will receive an honorary doctor of law (LLD) degree from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, at a convocation Octo- ber 21. Mr. Swalm, age eighty years, is the honorary bishop of the Brethren in Christ Church in Canada. Active on behalf of pacifism for sixty years, the conferring of a doctorate on Bishop Swalm coincides with the inauguration this fall of a peace and conflict studies program on the University of Waterloo campus, under the auspices of Conrad Grebel College, the Mennonite college at Waterloo. // Christians are serious about reaching the earth's population, 200,000 North American missionaries will need to be commissioned by the year 2000. This is the conclusion of research done by World Vision. By the turn of the century the world's population will top six billion. Of that number, 4.7 billion probably will be non-Christian, stated the sobering report. Financial support of the missionary enterprise would have to increase 7.5 percent annually if the $3.5 billion needed to fund that ambitious evangeliza- tion program is to be realized. Giving to missions in 1975 was $656 million. Why people choose a particular church has more to do with the fact that friends and neighbors took an interest in them and invited them, than any prior denominational affiliation. According to a survey in a suburban area of Houston, Texas, reported in Pulpit Helps, October 1977, nearly 40 percent of people motivated to join a church did so because they were befriended. Beard cropped for CROP. Perhaps the most famous beard in recent Mennonite experi- ence was shaved during the annual interde- nominational drive for food and commodi- ties of the Christian Rural Overseas Program (CROP). Peter Ediger, pastor of the Arvada (Colorado) Mennonite Church, put his beard up for bids. About $100 was realized. Contributors to CROP can specify the service organization to which they wish their donations to go. Mennonite Central Committee is one of the relief groups which cooperates in the fund-raising effort. Usually CROP funds are raised by walkathons. Humanitarian concerns will be the focus of four public meetings sponsored by the churches of Moundridge, Kansas. Eden Mennonite Church, Moundridge, is part of the sponsoring group. The topics to be discussed are child abuse, community leadership and community activity, the responsibility of church and school in teaching values, and whether there is a need for a day-care center. East Swamp Mennonite Church, Quaker- town. Pennsylvania, has moved its thrift store into a larger building. The store can now take appliances such as refrigerators, washers, driers, and all types of furniture. Believing that freedom from exploitation is a civil right, United Citizens for Integrity, a Vancouver, British Columbia, organization, will present a 20,000 signatured petition to the Canadian parliament this fall. The petition specifically requests that hard-core pornography be prohibited, that public advocacy and assertion of homosexuality continue to be illegal under the law, and that literature promoting genocide, illegal drugs, and sadism be banned. Vancouver alderman Bernice Gerard said, "Citizens should not be compelled to have their conscience insulted or their community undermined by the merchandisers of violence and filth. We are one of the many concerned groups in Canada and the United States who believe in religious principles of integrity, community responsibility, brotherhood, moral purity, and social justice." Permission for the printing of 120,000 Bibles has been given by the Ministry of Culture of Czechoslovakia. Scheduled for release in 1979 to mark the four-hundredth anniver- sary of the Kralice Bible, it is an interconfes- sional translation in modern Czech. Bohum- ir Sedlisky of the Czech Bible Work has appealed to the United Bible Societies for help in purchasing paper for the new Bible. The paper must be bought in Czechoslova- kia, but with foreign currency. The original Kralice Bible was translated by scholars belonging to the Unity of the Brethren (the spiritual heirs of John Huss, the fifteenth- century Bohemian reformer). Peter and Sara Krahn Mexican couple administer medical clinic In what is deemed a significant step toward; r local staffing, the governing body of th( General Conference Mennonite Church ir Mexico has appointed the first Mexicar Mennonite couple to work at the Nuevc Is Namiquipa medical clinic. The clinic ■am about sixty miles north of Cuauhtemoc^ Peter and Sara Krahn began their work alp the beginning of September, Peter as genera™ administer of the clinic, and Sara as aunt assistant to the staff. Previous to their appointment the Co mi ; mission on Overseas Mission of the Genera 1 Conference (Canada and United States}.;, arranged for the administrative staff for thllkt clinic. i i The clinic, which serves both German speaking Mennonites, and Spanish speaking Mexicans, provides public healt education, as well as minor surgical an emergency services, and maternity care. I addition to the Krahns, two maternity nurst are on staff, Margaret Dyck, Abbotsfort British Columbia, and Marsha Sprunge Berne, Indiana. Ms. Dyck previously serve with COM at Mennonite Christian Hospit; in Hwalien, Taiwan. Mr. Krahn is a graduate of Columbi Bible Institute, Clearbrook, Bntis Colombia. Ms. Krahn is a graduate of tt Quinta Lupita Secondary School and hag been a teacher at the school for several yeari ts. Prior to the Krahns beginning the worki ^ the clinic, Willard and Elma Regier, Ne\| \,, ton, Kansas, served two years at the clinl , , under the Commission on Overseas Missiof They were instrumental in the improveme of the physical plant of the clinic. The ministry was also supported by the church ■•■ Mexico. The General Conference Menn ( nite Church in Mexico has about 3f members in three congregations. 602 OCTOBER 18, 19 ^ Etecord Vorkers irry Buller, Newton, Kansas, has been j med assistant social work field placement : pervisor at Bethel College. Irene Goerzen of Carstairs, Alberta, is ginning a two-year term of service with ennonite Central Committee in Appala- i ia, probably working as a nurse. She ibeived her diploma in nursing from the ply Cross School of Nursing and has i ended Rosthern Junior College and the IVift Current Bible Institute in Saskatche- ■ in. She is a member of the Bergthal 'ennonite Church, Didsbury, Alberta. Officers elected to the Freeman Junior aul AT/flii^, Wadsworth, Ohio, has joined tj Bluffton (Ohio) College faculty as an a sciate professor of social work. He graduated from Bluffton in 1948 and received a master's degree in social work from the University of Chicago. He has been serving as executive director of family counseling services for Stark County, Canton, Ohio. David and Diane Klaus, Mennonite Voluntary Service appointees, have been assigned to youth and community work with the Lame Deer(Montana)Churchforaterm of two years beginning in August. They will also be working at the Lame Deer trading post. Both are members of Messiah Luth- eran Church. Denver, Colorado. David graduated from Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, with a BA in sociology and religion. His parents are Gerald and Donna Klaus of Westminster, Colorado. Diane has been a student at Kearney State College, Kearney, Nebraska. Her parents are James and Patricia Case, Los Alamos, New Mexi- co. Timothy Liau and Peter Lin from Taiwan and Mr. and Mrs. Takeomi Takarabe from Japan are taking part in the Overseas Church Leaders Study and Service Abroad program of the General Conference's Com- mission on Overseas Mission. They are currently enrolled at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana. Amy Litzell has been named an admis- sions counselor at Bluffton (Ohio) College. She is a 1976 Bluffton graduate who majored in English and psychology. Ward Mowery, Bluffton, Ohio, hasjoined the Bluffton College faculty as part-time assistant professor in music for the pre- sent school year. Elaine Mover has been named chairper- son of the health, physical education, and recreation department of Bluffton (Ohio) College. She will continue to serve as director of women's athletics and women's volleyball and tennis coach at Bluffton. David Simmonds, Newton, Kansas, is a lecturer in psychology at Bethel College during the fall term teaching the course in abnormal psychology. Letitia Smith, Buffalo, New York, is beginning one year of Mennonite Voluntary Service in Denver, Colorado. She is a college graduate in modern languages, and has had experience in cross-cultural training and community organization. She attends Ep- worth United Methodist Church, Denver. Her mother is Ms. Henry Smith, of Buffalo. Marlene Steiner has been named assistant director of admissions at Bluffton (Ohio) College. She is completing her master's, from Bowling Green State University in student personnel. This past year she served as head resident of Ropp Hall at Bluffton. Lorraine Webb, Wichita, Kansas, has been named instructor in flute at Bethel College replacing Margaret Toews who has resigned. B. Werner W. Werner Willie and Beverley Werner, Steinbach (Manitoba) Church, have arrived in King- ston, Jamaica, to begin a three-year term with Mennonite Central Committee. Willie has a teaching assignment and Beverley is working at a day-care center. Both Willie and Beverley attended Elim Bible Institute, Altona, Manitoba. Willie is also a graduate of Red River Community College with an IA degree in teaching. Before leaving for Jamaica, Willie worked in maintenance for Loewen Millworld and Beverley was em- ployed at Stylerite in Winkler, Manitoba. Roy Young has been named director of men's athletics at Bluffton (Ohio) College. He will continue as head football coach and track coach at Bluffton. Published Nutrition and Development by Doris Janzen Longacre, the fourth in Mennonite Central Committee's Development Mono- graph Series, is now available for thirty-five cents each from MCC, 21 South 12th Street, Akron, Pennsylvania 17501. Previous mon- ographs include Thoughts and Develop- ment by Edgar Stoesz, Humanization and Development by Merrill Ewert, and Women and Development by Luann Habegger. Deaths Laura Ellen Dester, Little Rock, Arkansas, was born August 3, 1899, and died September 24. She graduated from Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, in 1 920 and did graduate work at the University of TE MENNONITE 603 Colorado. Northwestern University, and the University ol Chicago. Ms. Dester served as head ol the Child Welfare Division ol the Oklahoma Department ol Public Welfare from its inception in 1936 until its merger with the Public Assistance Division in 1967. Under her leadership the division established the first foster home program for children, an adoption service, and social services for unmarried parents. She also attended several White House conferences on children and youth. She was a member of I rinity United Presbyterian-Mennonite Church in Oklaho- ma Citv. Letter Calendar October 2 1 -23 — Western District Confer- ence annual sessions, Buhler High School. Buhler, Kansas Central October 3 1-November 2 — Christian Faith and Contemporary Culture conference, Bluffton (Ohio) College; resource person, Howard Charles Northern October 24-27 — Ministers' conference. Swan Lake Christian Camp, Viborg, South Dakota March 30-April 1, 1978— Schmeckfest, Freeman, South Dakota War tax thoughts Dear Editor: In contemplating the war tax resolution for the next eighteen months, some thoughts have come to mind which might be of value to others in considering this issue. 1 . On the reality of a war tax I refer you to "I Also Have a Conscience" by Carl Lehman, The Mennoniie {February 22, page 141). 2. Who is responsible for the use of taxes? Who is responsible for the payment of taxes? Can I be responsible for how taxes are used? If, under our system of government, I am responsible for their use, does not paying the tax (or part of it) remove my responsibility for their use? 3. In one of the basic texts used to establish and defend the doctrine of nonre- sistance, Jesus tells us to not resist him who is evil (Matthew 5:39). In this context, some of the examples (perhaps all) in which a Christian is not to resist are unrighteous demands. No limits are put on the nature of the demand. From other Scripture we would limit our involvement, or nonresistance, to exclude any overt acts of sin. and even ^ questionable areas. This allows for an act of J conscience, such as not paying certain taxes. Nonpayment is based on the alleged unrigh- teous use of these taxes. But the very acts we are not to resist are physical assault or the taking of personal property, with no hint that any righteous cause is involved in the demands. Nonresistance here is expressly to the evil man and his demands. Are we to expect evil men to have only righteous motives? Is Jesus saying that nonresistance is only to the righteous demands of evil men? If we allow that matters of conscience can eliminate obedience to this command of Christ, then we need to redefine nonresis tance. Is the refusal to pay war taxes not an express act of resistance to the demand of an evil man? Perhaps we need to make clear what we mean by nonresistance, for in many cases the fact is that we are not nonresistant to the demands of evil men. 4. How do the principles in Romans 14: 1 12 apply in this situation? Stephen Strunk, 700 South 19th Street, Clinton, Oklahoma 73601 September 16 « s > DLsmssion Bood stewards live longer bhn H. Rudy lave a theory about good stewards. Maybe s just a suspicion. It's this: Christians who e faithful managers of their accumulated 'ssessions live longer. I can't document this. I have no hard data, i figures to prove my theory. But during the st several years I have made some :eresting observations. A strange tranquillity seems to settle over ople after they get their financial houses in der. But the converse also seems to be true; untidy financial house can be a source of xiety. People seem to relax — and maybe live a tie longer — when they get their wills up to te, when they provide for their families, len they let go for the Lord's work, jlf I were a doctor perhaps I could relate ;se financial matters to psychosomatic lesses. Maybe guilt from not having a will ects one's health. Maybe it's bewilderment out legal complexities, worry about high taxes, fear of inadequate income. But I don't have to be a doctor to notice the joy, the satisfaction, and the fulfillment — even the excitement — when people quit procrastinating: when they complete their estate planning, when they get secure income from a gift annuity, when they are relieved of management burdens by way of a charitable remainder trust, when they minimize the tax liabilities, when they participate in the mission of the church. I wish I could persuade more people to make an appointment with an estate plan- ning doctor (a lawyer); someone who really knows his stuff. As they commit themselves into his care, they may enjoy cures which may even extend life. Maybe one of the remedies will be major surgery such as effective disposition or deaccumulation. I don't want to be misunderstood. I'm not talking about life after death. Sure there is eternal life for the Christian. Certainly possessions can be used to extend one's usefulness long after his work on earth is done. No, I'm suggesting that you as a good steward may live a little longer, right here on earth, if you get your affairs in order and if you faithfully manage your resources for the needs of your family and for the work of the church. Then you can relax and enjoy fulfillment. And live! Pastor needed The position of pastor for the Rosthern Mennonite Church, Rosthern, Saskatchewan, will become vacant as of July 1978. Letters of inquiry may be addressed to Len Enns, Chairman of the Pulpit Committee, Box 701, Rosthern, Saskatchewan SOK 3R0. today for overseas missions, home ministries, Christian education, seminary. Our 1977 goal is $3,179,883. GENERAL CONFERENCE MENNONITE CHURCH Box 347 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard Newton, Kansas 67114 Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4 PORTRAIT! IN LIVING La Vernae J. Dick Sin and forgiveness The people at Alpine Mennonite Church (not the real name) suspected that sixty-year-old Margo Shetler (not her real name) was "shacking up." When they heard that she had asked the pastor to marry them, all within six months of her first husband's death, they were aghast at her sinfulness. That was sin which they could not ignore. Margo's new husband had never lived in a small town before and was eager to find his place in the church as well as the community. He insisted after their marriage that they begin to attend Alpine Church. "I want to join the men's organization and eventually the church," he was overheard to say. "Not on your life," one of the church members said loud enough for him to overhear. That didn't dampen Margo's new husband's ardor. He just pretended that he didn't hear. He still insisted that he and Margo attend church regularly even though they received plenty of cold stares. The only warm, friendly handshake they had was from the pastor. Then one day one of the church women came to return something her husband had borrowed from Margo's first husband. When Margo answered the door, the woman shoved the item into Margo's arms and shouted at her, "You just wait, you'll pay for all the sin you are guilty of." By the time Margo's second husband got there to see what all the shouting was about, Margo was in tears and the other woman was rushing off the porch. After that, Margo's husband did not insist that they attend church. Their attendance became irregular. Then it got so they just never went even though they never con- sciously decided to stop going. Eventually Margo was put on the inactive church membership list. Then Margo began to have heart prob- lems. One hospitalization quickly followed another. Margo's only visitor from the church was the pastor. She seemed indif- ferent to his visits at first. But gradually she became friendly although she refused to talk about why they would not attend church anymore. Shortly after she returned home from still another hospitalization, she got to thinking about her relationship to the church. She was alone and couldn't divert her attention quickly to something else. Her first thoughts were all about the sin of thechurch members in the way they had treated her. But the more she thought about it, the more heavily her own conduct weighed upon her. Her grief had made her act irresponsibly; her actions had not always been what they ought to be; and it was true that her second marriage had been hasty. "I need to ask their forgiveness," she thought. So she called the pastor, made a confes- sion, and asked for forgiveness. She was not well enough to make a public confession, so she requested that he make it for her on the following Sunday morning. She also asked that her name be placed again on the active church membership roll. The strain was too much for Margo's heart. She was hospitalized again before Sunday came, in the intensive care unit. The prognosis was not good. This time she had ¥ suffered severe heart damage. An ominous quiet settled upon th congregation that morning during th pastoral prayer. "Our Father, many of us d not know what it is like to admit 01 sinfulness to others. Yet we all have needt be forgiven, some of us unknowingly si against others by our indifference to the plight. Others of us do it by voicing 01 suspicions as if they are actual facts and th carrying that gossip from one to anothe And still others of us do it by our ove actions which hurt people who have hurt by what we consider their sinful action * Today we need your forgiveness as well others who transgress against your laws.' Many persons did not hear the rest oft pastoral prayer. The renewed awareness their own sinful condition, and its contrib tion to the lives of others, took over th< total thinking. They were brought back the present when, after the pastoral pray the pastor very simply reported Margi confession, her request for active chur membership again, and her most recent a most serious hospitalization. An elderly man, at the front, spoke with a strong, firm voice, "Pastor, please 1.' Margo that we forgive her and please ask to forgive our sinfulness towards herand husband." There was a strong murmur support from the congregation. That morning as the congregation walk from the sanctuary, they walked slow quietly, and thoughtfully. With Pogo, tl could say, "We have met the enemy and us." Not only had one sinner, Margo, foi her way back to God, they had too 606 OCTOBER 18, 1 Heditation Simple prayers here was a time when I thought my simple prayers were too elementary to share audibly in a roup of persons. When a pastor or leader of a meeting would ask persons to pray, I heard od asking me to pray audibly, but I couldn't do it. 1 was too self-conscious and thought I dn't have words worthy of speaking out loud. I listened to words flowing from mouths of her persons and told myself "I can't pray like that" and refused to try. Each time this >ippened I felt guilty. I was guilty of keeping my mouth closed. It took several years for the Lord to change my mind about this. Each time spoken prayers sre called for, I prayed silently. This happened after Bible studies when we closed with •ayers by various persons. It occurred in a reading group when we prayed together, it ippened in congregational meetings when people were asked to pray, and it happened other aces. I couldn't bear to talk to anyone except God about this. "God, I can't pray audibly in a oup because I don't have words to speak and I can't pray eloquent prayers," I said. God on let me know that this was a feeble excuse. People began using the very words I was inking silently. God was telling me I did have words to speak if I was willing to say them. Ithough some people used big words, others used simple words. Justifying the fact that meone else prayed the prayer for me didn't work. I continued to feel guilty. It was God's rsistence in pricking my conscience that made me decide to attempt an audible prayer. One day, when a leader called for sentence prayers, I thought that might be a good place to gin. If I couldn't say a long prayer, maybe I could manage a sentence prayer. But I skated. Again people began expressing the words in my mind and I noted that no one ighed at these prayers. For some reason I always thought my words were so plain that ople would snicker at them. Although I don't remember the sentence I finally prayed, I do remember the day I prayed where I was seated in the room, and that I didn't get flustered as I thought I would. It was ; beginning of many audible prayers — prayers that are still simple. Last Christmas my six-year-old niece proved that the simplest prayer can be a meaningful ayer. Grandparents, uncles, aunts, nieces and nephews were seated in a circle and praying fore opening Christmas gifts. Sometimes the young nieces and nephews do not pray or they :rely say "Amen." My niece, realizing it was her turn to pray, began to recite a table prayer, rod is great, God is good. . . " Everyone in the room began to chuckle. We were not laughing her; she had taken us so by surprise in saying a table prayer that we chuckled. When she ard the laughter, she hesitated. At once everyone in the room became silent for we knew she nd not continue if we were not still. She finished the prayer, "And we thank him for our lpd. Amen." ;lt took the person seated next to her a while to collect her thoughts to continue in prayer. Btne of us remember the contents of the other prayers that day, but we all remember the l|)le prayer of our niece. jRecently, I accompanied a nursery school class on a field trip to the fire station. Although I fireman seemed aware of the need to use common words in talking to the children, his 1 rds kept getting longer and longer as he talked. When he would lose the children's < ention, he would make an attempt to speak words the children could understand. This I n struggled to use simple words just as I would have to struggle to use big words. If God |/e you a vocabulary that contains big words, perhaps you have difficulty in praying a s lple prayer. Whether your vocabulary is rich, or ordinary like mine, God wants to help you ej|)erience the joy of audible prayer. Donna Lehman II Contents Energy alternatives 594 Energy and Christian faith 596 News 598 Record 603 Letter 604 Good stewards live longer 605 Sin and forgiveness 606 Simple prayers 607 To each a gift 608 CONTRIBUTORS Paul Harnish, 1474 Turk Road, Warrington, Pennsylvania 18976, is a junior high school science teacher. He has done research for MCC on the world food crisis Tim Mierau, 1721 Prairie Street, Elkharf, Indiana 46514, is a student at the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries. Dave Kroeker is editor of the Mennonite Reporter, Waterloo, Ontario. John H. Rudy is treasurer and director of financial services for Mennonite Mutual Aid, Goshen, Indiana. La Vernae J. Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas. Oregon 97338, is a member of the committee on The Mennonite. Donna Lehman, 51 1 1 East State Boulevard, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46815, is a free-lance writer. Katie Funk Wiebe, Tabor College, Hills- boro, Kansas 67063, writes often in Menno- nite periodicals. CREDITS Cover, John Hiebert; 597, UNESCO, Paris, and Greg Burner, Box 7000, Winnipeg, Manitoba; 598, Dave Kroeker; 601, Menno- nite Urban Ministry, Denver, Colorado. The Memioiiile Editorial office; 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781 Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4 Assistant editor: Vic Reimer, Box 347, Newton, Kan- sas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel Circu- lation secretary; Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Evelyn Krehbiel, 229 Brookwood, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, La Vernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117; Encom- pass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission. Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805; and Conference of Menno- nites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P0M4. "I E MENNONITE 607 To each a gift Katie Funk Wiebe Imagine yourself a member of a local orchestra. The director waves the baton to the musicians. The first- chair violinist plays the opening bars. A clarinet adds a few notes. The drummer taps a weak rhythm from the corner. The effect is fragmented and without form or beauty. Why? The other members of the orchestra don't know what instruments they are to play, so they sit empty-handed. But no orchestra functions that way, you say. True. No players become members of an orchestra unless they know what instruments to play and can play them. The preceding illustration may be used to describe the way the institutional church under- stands, or rather, misunderstands the doctrine of the charismata, the gifts of the Spirit. Though Scripture clearly teaches that each Christian has one or more gifts to build the body of Christ and spread the gospel (I Corinthians 12:7; Romans 12: 1-6), not enough church members know what their gifts are. They hold membership in the orchestra, but they're not making any music. Recently while listening to Peter Wagner of Fuller Theological Seminary on the gifts of the Spirit, I tried to figure out why the subject is so misunderstood when the Bible seems so clear. Peter Wagner pressed the point that each Christian can know what his or her gift is. That means the individual can refer to it by name, like one does to a musical instrument. A violinist knows when one is playing the violin and not a fife. Mr. Wagner said it is possible to know which of the many spiritual gifts an individual has received, whether it is teaching, knowledge, wisdom, prophecy, and so forth. But for me to admit openly to having received a charismatic gift collides violently with my Menno- nite upbringing, which urges modesty and self- effacement. Wouldn't a person be guilty of the sin of pride and ostentation to speak of having the gift of helps or administration? Another reason for our confusion on this doctrine is that we have confused gifts with other matters, such as talents or natural abilities. Sometimes they coincide, said Mr. Wagner, but not always. A person with great talent for music, may have a spiritual gift in an entirely different area, such as administration. He warned also against confusing the gifts of the Spirit with the fruits of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, and longsuffering, or even with Christian roles. He explained that though every Christian has the role of witnessing, not every Christian has the gift of evangelism. Because we tend to confuse gifts with talents, we make the next mistake which is to decide who has or does not have certain gifts. And our decisions are usually determined by our cultural conditioning. A person with degrees is expected to teach, and a person with money is expected to function on the board of trustees or finances. Persons who are from the lower social classes are not expected to have the gifts of administration or leadership, nor are women expected to have the gifts of prophecy or wisdom. And how frequently are blacks or people of other minorities encouraged to work as deacons in a ministry of helps? On the one hand, the church urges its members to use their gifts, yet at the same time it encourages them to bury them if they don't fit the cultural patterns of our time. I see another problem. The spirit of individualism and self-fulfillment which has infected nearly every aspect of our society has left its mark here also. As a result, some believers think of gifts as being given for their personal enrichment without regard to the body of Christ. Yet Scripture teaches that the gifts of the Spirit are given for the common good of the church. They are not meant for you to do your own thing. Gifts are called forth from within the body of believers by the other members for the mutual edification of the church. They are affirmed by the church and used for the building of the kingdom of God. Gifts are a body function, not an individual matter. Yet another reason keeps Christians from using their gifts. To know my gift means I have to become part of the action. Nap-time is over. As Peter Wagner stated, to know one's gift means to know one's call from God. There is no difference. God does not give a gift without a call. The person who has discovered a spiritual gift can no longer sit passively in the pews, but must join the fight against sin and oppression. Finding one's gift means deliberately taking up one's cross. And there's the rub. But back to the orchestra. Imagine a church in which each member, young or old, male or female, rich or poor, knew what gift God had given him or her to live the life of faith. Everyone doing his or her part. What tremendous music they could make together for God. The Meiuioniie OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO ONE LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST 92:38 OCTOBER 25, 1977 Evangelism in dispersion Ralph A. Lebold Mennonites have not had a particularly good record in evangelism and church growth. In many areas of church life and service we have demonstrated some creativi- ty, but in this area we have floundered, with few exceptions. My own experience is probably not unlike others who have been engaged in church extension. Coming into an urban setting in the early sixties, I rejected the "storefront" approach and the Sunday school emphasis for church extension. I was determined to build a Christian community through families. Our fellowship had commitment, vision, and enthusiasm, but people did not come flocking to us. In the frustrating moments we found ourselves examining and often borrowing from a variety of Protestant evangelism methodologies. The Mennonite community was not particularly helpful. Their expectations were that "mission churches" would be evangelistic and grow while established churches need not do the same. There were few models that we could utilize. What we saw was either unacceptable in terms of effectiveness or borrowed from the Protestant evangelical community. We also struggled to sort out what the good news was which we had to share. It was not very clear what it was that we had to offer other people. We were often clearer about what we were not. Adding to our confusion, we experienced the fruits of an ongoing dispersion. Menno- nites came from various parts of Ontario and Evangelism in dispersion from many different Mennonite groups. We were scattered across the city and we worked in diverse vocations, so there was no automatic experience of community. We were like "strangers in a foreign land." It was not easy to become God's people who can "declare God's wonderful deeds." We have now had over a decade of learning and observation. There is no sense of having arrived nor of having been particularly successful. But here are some thoughts about Mennonite evangelism for the future. The task before us The missionary vision. The Mennonite people have a missionary heritage. Our Anabaptist forefathers were a missionary people. We lost that vision. It is true that we have rediscovered it in part by our concern for peoples overseas. We have not, however, captured the vision of what it means to be missionary in our own congregational and community settings. To survive as a people, we must capture a missionary vision in our congregations. In our diversity and in our dispersion, we must gain a sense of excitement about sharing the good news and being good news people. The focus must not only be on vocational or family concerns but on spiritual concern for extending God's kingdom on earth. The missionary message. What do we have to share? Do we understand the nature of the message that we have? We often give easy and quick answers. One wit has said, "Christ is the answer but what are the questions?" Too many current approaches to evange- lism are propositionally oriented and en- courage individualism. The call to become a Christian is presented in terms of believing a set of propositions which in turn are to produce a personal relationship with God. This focus tends to ignore the emotional and interpersonal needs of the individual and downplays the community aspect of salvation. The message must be a whole message which is incarnational in its presentation and which calls for response and change at the level of the will, the emotions, and behavior. This means that we need to incarnate the The call to become a Christian is more than believing a set of propositions; it calls for response and change at the level of the will, the emotions, and behavior. good news into our lives. It forces us into tr area of relational concerns where we begin t feel the heartbeat of people. It means that w may need as much training in listening as v do in telling. D. L. Moody wrote in the book Great Jc that "God never repeats himself. He does I approach any two people the same way." ft taught his soul-winning classes, "If you a going to be successful in winning souls Christ you need discrimination in findin out people's differences." This relational style allows us to be god news people at many levels of life. It doesij force us to do personal soul winning on t street corner or to go knocking on doors, allows us to be good news people where we happen to be. The evangelism goal encompasses: helping people become acquainted with t Jesus Way and inviting them to beco followers of the Way; (b) helping persons find meaning in their lives by appropriati resources inherent in the Christian fai focusing on the emotions, the interperso relations, and the style of life (values); and helping persons become members of Christian fellowship. The missionary opportunity. We have unprecedented opportunity to be a missi ary people. Our vocational pursuits taking us to many new places. We gradually breaking out of our cultu ghettos and are meeting the non-Christ world in a new way. We need not be against other religi groups in order to be enthusiastic about Own. I am disturbed at times about nonchalant attitude people take toward Mennonite church. I hear some say, 'T Christian first, and secondly a Mennoni That is a half-truth. Nobody lives in t isolation from tradition and culture. We not Christians in a vacuum. We need understand our particular heritage and c- to terms with it. It can become the veh through which we express the good ne Potentially it is a dynamic vehicle missionary growth. Our history stresses congregational s ing, family relationships, and pers expression of our Christian faith. We take that orientation and model it in evangelistic task. Let's not borrow met ologies which do not allow the relati component to be prominent. Too often, David, we have tried to do battle in S armor and we have failed. Many current methodologies stress nessing as telling people what they need 610 OCTOBER 25, at we have the answer. A relational style of angelism is comfortable in being with ople, responding to the needs and hurts of ople, binding up their wounds. It means )inting them to One who is both the giver id sustainer of life. It means inviting them join the community of Jesus' followers. In style of Jesus we learn how to eat with iblicans and sinners without becoming one them. In the words of D. T. Niles, we are beggars telling other beggars where we id bread. here do we go from here? Don Jacobs writes (Mission Focus, May ue), "I find myself driven to what is for me inescapable conclusion. Fellowship for- ition is at the center of missionary thodology because God has chosen to zeal himself in word and deed through zing communities of hope." Evangelism is not complete unless it calls ople into community. Our message, our thodology, and our program should all be used on helping people find new life in irist in the context of a discipling commu- y. When this happens, our churches ome centers of evangelism. The onus is t just on the isolated individual. Each rson in the congregation is an important ?nue and link to the discipling group. Many church groups are not geared to oecting outsiders, and don't know how to pond when one comes. We fail to provide important link in the evangelizing task, r eyes are turned inward toward our Fellowship formation is at the center of missionary methodology because God has chosen to reveal himself in word and deed through loving communities of hope. friends' and our own needs. As in the story of the paralytic coming to Jesus, people must show a lot of persistence to break into our group. Where in our churches can people make a public declaration of their decision to follow the Jesus way? Many have moved away from the revival meeting and do not have a public call to follow Christ in the worship services. Where are the points of entry and the vehicles for recognizing and calling for commitment? The annual membership classes are increasingly being rejected as a way to make commitments. Also, this vehicle has been geared more for helping our own children find faith than to help the outsider. We must develop explicit vehicles if we want to help people make explicit commitments. We must work at the relational dimension of church life. Too much of what we do in worship is monological and encourages individualism. Relational evangelism creates opportunities for persons to be part of small groups where they can share, be nurtured, and discipled. This direction suggests that we need leaders who are not threatened by dialog, by intimacy, and by a shared ministry. Dispersion and church extension. The above speaks to existing congregations. Let's focus now on church extension. In our scattering abroad there has been a pattern of getting lost to the church or of joining other churches. (There are times when it makes most sense to join other groups.) We have a faith and heritage that are worth sharing and we need not be apologetic about developing new settings for Christian com- munity. We have been fairly active in developing programs where social ministry is the focus and we have done it rather well. Why are we so inept and apologetic about developing new congregations? Some of us are trying to work at this area in a way that will help us get moving in a new direction. A booklet has been prepared to give guidance to congregations. Its title is Evangelism Through Small Groups. This booklet takes relational evangelism serious- iy- Recognize the gift of evangelism. Recently there has been a lot of attention on the discovery of gifts. Each person can make a contribution to the church. In leadership gifts we have stressed preaching, counseling, and administration among others; but we have seldom looked for the gift of evange- lism. There are persons who have the ability to meet people easily, the ability to listen and to articulate their faith. These persons could be called to help equip congregations for this ministry. They should be called to leadership roles in developing new congregations. Rethink the meaning of community when developing congregations. We should put less stress on the geographic community and more focus on the kind of Christian community we want to be. If an evangelism component is reflected in the programming of the church, it allows the members of the congregation to utilize the congregation as part of their good news sharing with friends, co-workers, and neighbors. Good news sharing will go on at many levels both formally and informally, by individuals as they live and work in their own communities, and in the gathered congregation at worship, study, and sharing. As this began to happen in the place where I was involved, there was less need for evangelistic outreach programs in isolation. Evangelism was imbedded in the life of the gathered congregation and it was happening through the scattering of the congregation in their own activity. This interplay of good news sharing fits with our heritage and our theology. It also makes sense for many persons who have been turned off by some of the other approaches to sharing the good news. It is my hope that the Mennonite church will rise to the challenge and be a missionary people. In our dispersion we need not disappear and die; it provides a new challenge to be salt and light to the world. IE MENNONITE 611 Reforming the Reformed tradition Thomas Orrin Bentz I was baptized in the Evangelical and Reformed Church, confirmed by the United Church of Christ (UCC), and will likely be buried by a minister of a denomination yet to be named. I will then return to the God who gave me form and gives us all the will and the way to reform all our institutions until that day when we may all be one. Meanwhile, I work as my denomination's editor of A. D.,a magazine that also serves the United Presbyterian Church in the United States. Pilgrim way. As Abraham went out from his own land to the unknown, from the given to the promised gift, so all our forebears in the faith have left or been driven from states and churches that closed to others and then closed in on themselves. Yet they were not escapists. The Israelites did not flee Egypt in the night. Jesus did not avoid Jerusalem. Luther answered the call to Worms and said, "Here I stand." He resisted his church but would not leave his people. John Knox fled Scotland to study under Calvin, but he returned to set up both a democratic church and a representative Presbyterian govern- ment. The U.S. Government is less an heir of philosophical independence than of the religious interdependence reflected in John Calvin's sixteenth-century Institutes of the Christian Religion and his plans to reform both church and civil institutions. When neither the Roman nor English churches opened to reform, the rebels formed their own congregations. When persecution closed in, one group in Scrooby, England, fled to Holland, and then, calling themselves "Pilgrims," sailed for the New World. Puritans intended to purify the Church of England. The Pilgrims decided instead to separate and reform themselves in a new church and land. First seeds of the United States and the United Church of Christ, the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth with a compact binding them "by the grace of God" to build "a civil body politic" for the good of all. Their government was of, by, and for the people, for there was no king, not even a pastor. Elder William Brewster led them as the laity — the people — of God, and William Bradford headed the plantation as governor. Light motif. Back in Leyden, Holland, Pilgrim pastor John Robinson had sent them off with the assurance that "God has yet more light to break forth from his holy Word." They were heirs of John Calvin, who had written in Institutes the century before, "The light which presents itself to all eyes, both in heaven and in earth, is more than sufficient to deprive the ingratitude of men of every excuse. Yet we need added the light of his Word to make himself known unto "Christian rules should be the practice and business of life. " Jonathan Edwards, 1734 salvation. So the Scripture, collecting in our minds the otherwise confused notions of deity, dispells the darkness, and gives us a clear view of the true God." Although his own view of the ways of God among us grew to 1,500 pages, Calvin explained to Francis I of France, "I plead the common cause of all the godly." A decade before Calvin made Geneva the capital of the Reformation, Ulrich Zwingli in Zurich said, "Now in our time, the bright light, the Word of God, has been so dimme> and darkened with human ambitions th;r the majority who call themselves Christian know but little of the divine will. All 01 happiness and good consist not in 01 merits, nor in external works, but rath alone in Jesus Christ our Savior." May God rule. Luther and others transla ed the Word into common words, and t people found that redemption and justific tion rest in God, not in any present ruler institution, and that release is not a drea but a realistic demand. As Zwingli said: "T sum and substance of the gospel is that o Lord Jesus Christ has made known to us t will of his heavenly Father.' Reforming the church. Luther, Knox, a Zwingli were Catholic clergy. Thou; Calvin was never ordained, he, too, studi< for the Roman priesthood. They were children and reformers of one church, intentional founders of denominatio Calvin was not the theological and structu architect of a Reformed church or Presbyterian church; his "institutes" were "the Christian religion. All our denominations, including the o! based in Rome, are splinter groups w: partial claims to truth and faithfulness a with no authority save in our one Lord a gospel. Forgetting Zwingli's simplicity, have made martyrs of many for the sake conformity to our conflicting dogmas aj polities. Reformation is not an event history, but an historic process in which are living heirs. We are not reformed; we reforming. My denomination is the United Churcf Christ; my church is the uniting church Christ. Despite its pretentious name, United Church is one small step for Chris the first major merger of distinct ethnic THE MENNONITE seeks to wilnes9. teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and freedom under the guidance of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit It is I lished weekly except biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newlon, Kansas 671 14, by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonlte Church Second-d postage paid at Newton, Kansas 671 14, and at additional mailing offices Subscriptions in United States and Canada. $8 00. one year, $15 50, two years, $23 00. three years, foreign, $8 50 per year El . rial office BOO Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg. Canada R3P 0M4 Business office 712 Main Street. Box 34 /, Newlon, Kansas 67 1 1 4 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 347. Newlon. Kansas t|BI|< 612 OCTOBER 25, 1 y ■ £_ ■"''.'f Jfi^'iP'. ieological strands within the fragmented Iix of American Christian sects. Two icades ago it brought together Congrega- Ipnalists and Christians with roots in i ngland, New England, and the American • Jontier, and former Evangelical and Re- armed German immigrants. - Though the UCC ordains pastors and '4 Socialized ministers (I was ordained as a ; ligious journalist), we hold the priesthood \ f all believers. Self-governed local congre- ■itions control their own resources and X jactices, and relate by choice to area I !!sociations, state conferences, and national ! j.urch agencies. Elected delegates to a I lennial general synod set priorities and ij iide the future for national staff of the fiurch, and make recommendations to nferences, associations, local churches, ■\ Id to governments and others. \ Parochialism remains among some who t I: the Congregational way become the only \ \iy to identify their affiliation (some ; 1 ngregations never joined the United It lurch), or that their Reformed practices l ip the true fruit of the Reformation. ■\ {Reforming the world. "First Church" (l Ipears in front of many UCC congrega- <\ >ns. So our forebears have set and continue U record many firsts. UCC sources estab- ' bed the first college in America ( Harvard), 4 Id the first colleges for Indians and for sllprnen, as well as hundreds of schools for j| twly freed slaves. The Stowes in New York d id Evangelical Joseph Reiger in Illinois k !jre leading abolitionists. John Hancock I Id thirteen other Congregationalists signed fc \: Declaration of Independence. Noting \C ''it more than "all men are created equal," :.. OC pioneers ordained the first woman to if, 'iristian ministry in America more than a iBfltury ago. They also built ninety-six ilth and welfare institutions. Contending that "the Christian law covers 1 'ry relation of life," Congregational pastor , Jishington Gladden championed the rights V !j workers in the late nineteenth century and John Calvin was a major Protestant reformer and theologian in Switzerland during the Reformation. Here he addresses the Geneva city council. Calvin and most others of his time had no concept of the separation of church and state. opened the social gospel movement. Evan- gelical Reinhold Niebuhr later lent theologi- cal sense and realism to our efforts to reshape society. "Man's capacity for justice "The Bible alone is the rule of faith and practice for the people of God." Barton Stone, 1801 makes democracy possible; man's inclina- tion to injustice makes democracy neces- sary." Today the UCC continues in the forefront of social reform. It addresses institutional racism with an established Commission for Racial Justice, and continues five years of financial and moral support for the Wil- mington Ten, now nationally noted young black men imprisoned for a 280-year-term in North Carolina for alleged arson on testi- mony of witnesses who have since admitted they lied. It supports an all-native Council for American Indian Ministry and a Com- mission on Women. It fights for fair employment and community service broad- casting on TV and radio. Although its drive to save the world sometimes leaves its own floors unswept, the UCC better errs by seeking the wider vision than by scouring and serving its own vessels. Goodbye, United Church of Christ. The church in which I worship, work, and hold ministerial standing may be dying at an early age. A faith crisis was recognized six years ago, and now, at age twenty, the United Church is feeling the tremors of an identity crisis. Some will urge us to stay inside our walls and get to know ourselves until the quake passes. Others will ask us to step out and renew merger talks with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). If the United Church of Christ dies on behalf of the Christian unity that gave it birth, then it will have given itself faithfully to its constituting prayer: "I do not pray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through their word, that they may all be one" (John 17:20-21). Jesus died at an early age to release our parochial and national ties and bind us instead to one God in one whole new world. We should not fear to follow, for if we wait to save our life we may lose it. Surely whether we live or die we are the Lord's, so, UCC, as it used to be said, goodbye — "God be with ye." IE MENNONITE 613 J. News Seminole Mennonites need support . . . permanent visas predictec Vic Reimer The Mennonites near Seminole, Texas, need "our moral and spiritual support" said Paul Stoltzfus, Mennonite Church elder in Carlsbad, New Mexico. The Mennonite Church congregation in Carlsbad, which is about 100 miles from Seminole, has initiated fellowship with the immigrant Mennonites. Since July several members of the Carlsbad Church have been ministering to them each Sunday. On Sunday, October 16, four Seminole Mennonite families, altogether twenty-five persons, drove to Carlsbad to worship with the congregation there. To date, most of the contacts have been with approximately twelve General Conference Mennonite families among the immigrants. However, Mr. Stoltzfus and others have also been in conversation with members of the Old Colony group. A recent United Press International story Seminary enrollment down Combined enrollment figures for Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries, Elkhart, Indiana, have decreased slightly to 177 full- and part-time students from a total of 191 last year. Fifty-five students are women and 122 are men. Students come from five Canadian provinces and over seventeen states in the United States. International countries represented include Ghana, Taiwan, India, Paraguay, Indonesia, Japan, and Germany. Mennonite Biblical Seminary, the General Conference member of AMBS, has enrolled thirty-one continuing students along with thirty-six new students. Of these students there are thirty-two men and eight women in full-time studies with sixteen men and eleven women in part-time classes. MBS has a full- time equivalent of fifty students. Goshen Biblical Seminary, the Mennonite Church member of AMBS, reports fifty-five new students and fifty-five continuing students. GBS has a full-time equivalent of seventy-one. In addition to students from the Mennonite constituencies there are other denominational affiliations in the student body. These are Assemblies of God, Church of the Brethren, Na/arene, United Methodist, and Lutheran. (October 14) said that the U.S. Labor Department had granted job certification to thirty-one Mennonites trying to settle their families in West Texas. The certification is a key step in obtaining permanent visas. Earlier the group had received a four- months extension, until January 31, 1978, to show "just cause" for staying in the United States. In order to obtain permanent visas from the Immigration and Naturalization Service the Mennonites must first prove to Labor Department officials that they wouldn't take jobs away from U.S. citizens. Senator Lloyd Bentsen, Texas, and other congressmen have said they were interested in sponsoring legislation to have the Mennonites remain in Texas. The UPI story quoted him as saying, "It appears at this point that all of these industrious Mennonites, who come here from Mexico and Canada, are going to be allowed to stay in this country, and that it won't take special legislation to get the job done." More applications are expected to be processed, and an immigration commissioner in San Antonio said the Mennonites would never be forced to leave. The 500 Mennonites, about eighty families, who came to Texas early in the year, have invested about $2.5 million in 6,400 acres of land and equipment twenty miles south of Seminole. Although there have been questions about the honesty of the real estate deal, the settlers do have title to the land. Albert Gaeddert, Newton, Kansas, who has visited the area said that the agricultural potential is quite good, although the soil is inclined to drift, and there are water supply problems. Mr. Stoltzfus said that some settlers had their irrigation well-drilling stopped by oil companies who have first rights on drilling water wells. The settlers planted cotton, milo, and sunflowers last spring. Wherever well irrigation was possible the crops are good. But generally the crops are skimpy to fair. Most of the immigrants live in mobile homes, a few have houses, and some have begun to erect permanent buildings for equipment. Mr. Gaeddert said that "by and large they seem to have funds, although some said they were running low." Pastor Peter Hartman of the Carlsbad Mennonite Church indicated that realto'j Setch Woltz, one of the men involved in th< land deal, and Seminole mayor Bob Clarlf have been working hard at keeping tbi Mennonites. They have been very helpful \% "crisis management," he said. The spiritual ministry is one of preaching and fellowship. "We have impressed on ther that we want to relate to them as a siste church, being careful not to push ourselvd on them," said Paul Stoltzfus. "We war! them to develop their own leadership." With his Pennsylvania Dutch backgrour Mr. Stoltzfus is able to communicate wits the settlers. He chuckled as he recalled th;: the first time he preached there he spoke! mixture of Spanish, German, ar Pennsylvania Dutch. But he says he picking up the Low German. One of his burdens for the settlers is th)| they also receive some economic support, says they have a real need for equipment fif| a cheese factory which would me government specifications. Russian Mennonite studies seminar A two-day seminar for persons interested j Russian Mennonite studies will be held Winnipeg, Manitoba, November 11- Major papers will be presented Mennonite scholars and historians duri; the day sessions. Presentations designed the general public are scheduled for be Friday and Saturday evenings. On Friday, the first major paper, "Sounf for Mennonite Research in Non-Noil American Libraries," will be delivered Peter J. Klassen, Department of HistoR California State University, Fresno. In afternoon, Carl Bangs, a church historiji from St. Paul School of Theology, Kani City, Missouri, will present a major paperjj "The Kleine Gemeinde in Russia." "Rusj as I Knew It" will be the theme for the put evening session. It will be presented Gerhard Lohrenz, Mennonite historian i minister, Winnipeg. "Those Who Remained Behincl Mennonites in Russia Today," is the to for Saturday morning. Walter Sawatz 614 OCTOBER 25, 1 Resiliency of Chinese people evident during Taipei flood [ennonite Central Committee research holar residing in Neuwied, West Germany, [ill speak on this topic, j For Saturday afternoon three papers, 'jtlining current topics under research, will 8; presented. Frank H. Epp from Conrad rebel College, Waterloo, Ontario, will ilidress a public meeting Saturday evening, i-esenting an illustrated lecture titled "A bcond Look at Russia." | Persons who wish to register for the minar may do so by writing Lawrence : lippenstein, Conference of Mennonites in ■ anada, 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, ,'innipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. The jgistration fee is ten dollars. ecognition dinner or Cornelius Krahn bout 170 persons, including visiting i ennonite historians, representatives of ennonite institutions, and friends, Itended a dinner at the Bethel College ennonite Church, North Newton, Kansas, ■ btober 7 honoring Cornelius Krahn on the j casion of his seventy-fifth birthday. J Mr. Krahn, church historian, teacher, "iter, and founder of the quarterly plication Mennonite Life, was a member i; the Bethel College faculty for thirty years, ILm 1944 to 1974. Under his direction the i ennonite Library and Archives at the I) liege became one of the three largest Mennonite historical collections in the ibrld. He launched Mennonite Life in 1946. i;The speaker of the evening was Cornelius i Dyck, Elkhart, Indiana. 1 The major part of the address was devoted (I four aspects of Mr. Krahn's work since ; ; ming to North America in 1937: Ijbliophile and historiographer, historian ||r the church, historian of Dutch rhabaptism, and interpreter of the | ennonite experience in Russia. | In describing Mr. Krahn's role as historian I |r the church, Mr. Dyck pointed out that in it |] dition to his scholarly historical writing he I also a part of the church in the present d addresses contemporary issues. . . ." This [{reflected in the numerous articles he has ■ itten for Mennonite periodicals in which \'i "shared the heritage and the vision with ijpry member." (During a period of sharing, a number of Ijiociates, friends, and former students gave Ijbutes to Mr. Krahn as a teacher, an IJthority on Anabaptist-Mennonite history, | |d one who builds bridges of understanding | jhis wide contacts in the Mennonite world. ■Jin his response Mr. Krahn referred to the ,iny Mennonites coming out of Russia to I ;st Germany in recent years and expressed il concern that they be helped to discover )| ir Anabaptist roots. Richard Blosser Big typhoons, large fires, and, most recently, a massive flood in Taipei, Taiwan, have been faced with resiliency by the citizens of Taiwan. Mennonite missionaries living in Taipei, as well as Mennonite churches in the city, were also affected by the floodwaters. This report is based on letters sent by Shirley Hildebrand and Hugh Sprunger to the Commission on Overseas Mission. The Taipei flood, a result of very heavy rains, occurred September 22-23. Writing from Taipei, Hugh Sprunger said, "It rained steadily on Wednesday afternoon and evening and all day Thursday, but when we went to bed Thursday we never expected a flood. Janet (Ms. Sprunger) woke up about 2:30 a.m. after hearing shouts outside and looked out to see water all around us." The Sprungers went downstairs to find water already lapping at the doors of the church. Books were quickly put on higher shelves, file drawers were moved, the organ was lifted to a platform, and some items were carried upstairs to their apartment. Within thirty minutes the floor of the church was covered and water in the street was three feet deep. The flood covered much of Taipei. The Taipei American School, a facility used by Mennonite missionary families for the education of senior high school students, was flooded to a depth of eight feet. The school had already received heavy damage during an earlier typhoon, and the floodwaters raised the losses to well over $500,000. Shirley Hildebrand was also awakened by noises in the street. Like the Sprungers, she also lives in a second-floor apartment, so she was able to help her first-floor neighbors. Mutual Aid manager resigns Harold Swartzendruber has announced his resignation after twenty-four years, as president and general manager of Mennonite Mutual Aid, Goshen, Indiana. The resignation effective in May, 1978, comes in the context of a recent organizational study which allows the board to freely staff for the future. In accepting the resignation, William Dunn, MMA chairman, expressed "ap- preciation for Mr. Swartzendruber' s lead- ership in developing MMA from modest beginnings into an organization that affects tens of thousands of members." Since 1954 MMA has grown from 3,500 to over 50,000 adult members, plus their dependents in the various health and survivors' aid programs. Annual premiums have grown from $60,000 to over eight million dollars. MMA now has Despite floodwaters in Taipei streets, a vegetable vendor has needy customers. Deacons Hwang and Liu went to the nearby Mennonite church to move books and files. Fortunately the floodwaters receded rapidly. Writing by candlelight that evening, Ms. Hildebrand observed, "As the sound of water and brooms goes on in candlelit homes along my street, 1 am again amazed at the resiliency and good nature of the Chinese people. I hope that today's communication as we together faced our problems may result in more open doors for the gospel in this neighborhood." combined assets of $35,000,000, and there are eighty-three employees. In view of this rapid growth, MMA engaged a consultant firm to develop an organizational blueprint for the future. One of the major recommendations was the development of a new administrative structure which will include a president as the chief executive officer, and general managers both in finance and mutual aid. Mr. Swartzendruber has endorsed this recommendation, as well as the consultant's report in general. In 1946 Mr. Swartzendruber served as agent for Mennonite Central Committee in shipping thousands of tons of relief supplies overseas following World War II. In 1947 he established the original Menno Travel Service at Akron, Pennsylvania. 5*1 IE MENNONITE 615 U.S. Mennonite Brethren — toward stronger identity U.S. Mennonite Brethren may be headed for stronger national identity following their triennial convention in September at the Rosedale Mennonite Brethren Church near Bakersfield, California. Many observers agreed that the confer- ence seemed to be declaring itself in favor of growing stronger as a U.S. brotherhood, rather than becoming a weaker section of the Canada-U.S. General Conference of Men- nonite Brethren Churches. Central to the apparent new identity consciousness was reaction to a proposal to streamline and reorganize the bureaucracy. For two years a blue ribbon task force has been wrestling with reducing duplication of ministries by phasing out U.S. agencies whose ministries could be assigned either downward to the district level or upward to the binational level. Their proposal called for retaining boards like education and publications, and elevating to board status commissions on evangelism and mass media. But it also called for disbanding boards of reference and counsel, church music, the committee on contemporary concerns, and the youth and Christian education commis- sions of the board of evangelism and Christian education. The proposal quickly met with stiff resistance. Some delegates felt the districts weren't equipped to handle the new duties headed their way; a few felt the plan wasn't a streamlining after all, but merely a "rotating of tires"; others were wary of reducing the stature of agencies charged with overseeing the spiritual life of the brotherhood. Backers of the proposal said the idea wasn't to phase out ministries, but rather to move them closer to the local churches. Nevertheless, strong feeling against the restructuring plan led to its tabling for further study. Many delegates interpreted the swell of resistance to the plan as endorsement of the U.S. conference as a national entity. Said Vernon Wiebe, later chosen as chairman for the next triennium, "Something beautiful is happening here. We are becoming stronger as a national brotherhood." Mr. Wiebe is known to favor strong identities for all national Mennonite Brethren conferences, and hopes to someday see them as equal partners in a world Mennonite Brethren fellowship. "This meeting may spell the beginning of the U.S. conference as a strong national body," mused one delegate. "There was a minimum of regionalism, and a general willingness to work toward unity. I think I sense a new vision emerging among our people." Watty Kroeker Mennonite camp leaders discuss curriculum Some participants at the Mennonite Camp- ing Association workshop, held September 1 1-16 at Divide, Colorado, said the consulta- tion on camp curriculum restored their sense of mission in camping. More than fifty camp leaders, representing twenty-two Mennonite camps across North America, interacted during the six-day workshop at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp. A curriculum task force led by Virgil Brenneman spent two years planning and developing the workshop. The task force grew out of a need the various camp organizations saw for an inter-Mennonite \ ■i [\ consultation on camp curriculum. Participants noted that there is a need t view camping program and activity as ministry, and as an extension of congregc tional life. The format of the workshop wi experimental. Each person experience activities as a camper would, and in this wa :;; was able to assess the purposes of progran ming from a camper's viewpoint. It was fe is that camp settings can contribute signif : cantly to the growth of the whole person, an j that a mark of quality programming woul be development in five areas: spiritu social, physical, emotional, and mental In the photo are workshop leaders and the executive board of the Mennonite Campin, Association. Workshop leaders gave instruction in nature crafts, music, trail hiking an backpacking, nature hikes and photography, climbing and rappelling, outdoor recreatiom games, orienteering, and group problem-solving. The persons kneeling are the executiv members of the MCA, from left, William Weaver, Terry Burkhalter, Virgil Brennemat Chris Kauffman, Richard Oswald. The persons standing are workshop leaders, from left, Hostetler, Jess Kauffman, Patricia Shelly, David Helmuth, Orv Gingerich, Don Troyei Frank Brunk, and Oswald Goering. Si! Taiwan Presbyterian human rights document appeals for international support The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan released a declaration on human rights in Taiwan, August 17. C. M. Kao, general secretary for the Taiwanese Presbyterians, said, "The text was written by people from all over Taiwan, ministers and lay persons, after much prayer and discus- sion, and in the full knowledge of the possible consequences of our actions." Two key requests are made in the declaration. The first asks President Carter to continue "to uphold the principles of human rights while pursuing the 'normaliza- tion of relationships with Communist China' and to insist on guaranteeing the security, independence, and freedom of the people Taiwan." The second point is that t Taiwanese should have a right to se determination. The declaration urges t Nationalist Government of Taiwan (Repu lie of China) to "take effective measui whereby Taiwan may become a new a independent country." Specific requests for support are made the president of the United States, and Christian churches throughout the world An ad hoc committee of Taiwan* Christians living in the United Stat£tf coordinated by Morgan Chang, Woodsi< New York, has organized an appeal I « ■ - jo tmi is 616 OCTOBER 25, t Words©* deeds inds and moral support from North merican churches, including Mennonite »encies. The committee wishes to widely jblicize the declaration, and also reports lat since the declaration was published in aiwan, local churches have been disturbed / police. The committee has communicated its mcerns to the United States Congress. In a tter to the senators and representatives, the immittee also encourages the normaliza- jn of United States-China relations, but ates, "We refute the claim in the Shanghai ommunique (Nixon — Chou En-Lai) that ates Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan rait agree that Taiwan is part of China. We clare neither Nationalist China nor the :ople's Republic of China can represent liwan. We oppose any international ;reement about the fate of Taiwan without nsultation with the Taiwanese." The Commission on Overseas Mission of 1 General Conference Mennonite Church i s decided not to take a position on this ipeal for support from the Presbyterian lurch in Taiwan until COM has consulted th Mennonite church leaders in Taiwan. : The background to this declaration is that hough both Communist China and itionalist China view Taiwan as a province China, the Taiwanese see themselves as a ijitinct people, separate from both the i linese and Japanese. They claim they have j|ver had an effective voice in decisions ide about their homeland. || Prior to 1895 Taiwan was under various ilgrees of control from the mainland, and ;j migration of Chinese to the island did ' cur. From 1 895 to 1 945 Taiwan was under .ipanese control. During these fifty years 1 :re was considerable development, partic- ijirly in transportation and education. For i 'eral years after World War II the island '! s again considered a province of China by ^Nationalists, and in 1947 the Nationalists i tlaced all local officials. There was a j]rge. As the Nationalists withdrew from t; mainland in 1949-50, a stream of troops, ! /eminent officials, and mainland refugees i|mbering about two million came to the i! ind. A Nationalist government was estab- iied. Although 85 percent of the seventeen ii lion people on the island are Taiwanese, t y do not have representation in the I tionalist Government. This, however, £ >ears to be changing under the new [ mier, Chang-Ching-Kuo. iThristians in Taiwan, Protestant and Cholic, are a minority, numbering perhaps ( ',000 or about 4 percent. Of these, 300,000 aj Presbyterian, many of whom are f: minent in business and professional life. 1: Protestant churches in Taiwan have a till membership of about 350,000. Charleswood Mennonite Church, Winni- peg, Manitoba, recently began using a new addition. Also included in the $180,000 building program were renovations to the old sanctuary. Members of the congregation did much of the work, creating, according to the congregation's reporter, an "atmosphere reminding one of barn raisings and quilting bees — family feeling was nurtured." Four Ontario churchmen who gave out- standing leadership in the first half of this century are to be featured in a book being written by Urie Bender. Historical and biographical in content, the book will highlight the work of C. F. Derstine, J. B. Martin, Oscar Burkholder, and S. F. Coffman, all of whom are known to thousands of Mennonites throughout Cana- da and the United States. The Mennonite Conference of Ontario is sponsoring the writing of the book which will also tell the story of the time in which these men served. It is to be written in popular style, spiced with anecdotes. Persons who have reminis- cencesof these leaders are asked to mail them to Urie Bender, c/o Conrad Grebel College, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G6. President Idi Amin of Uganda has banned all but three Christian churches — Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Orthodox Christian — from operating in Uganda. Included in the ban were twenty-seven religions, all but one of them Christian. Among these are the Seventh Day Adventist Church, the Salva- tion Army, and the Uganda Baptist Mission, all of which employ some foreigners. In addition to the three Christian groups not prohibited, freedom of worship was granted to Islam. Some good advice comes from Vernon and Phyllis Lehman, missionary children's hostel houseparents in Kinshasa, Zaire. They have recently begun work there, and there have been surprises and some hassles in trying to keep an extended family and household on an even keel. Phyllis noted that a verse from Proverbs had come helpfully to her aid: "Since the Lord is directing our steps, why try to understand everything that happens along the way?" (Proverbs 20:24) Elim Bible Institute, Altona, Manitoba, has enrolled forty-two full-time, and twenty-two part-time students for 1977-78. The majority are from Manitoba, some from other provinces, and a few from Texas and Mexico. Elim offers two programs, one in Christian education and the other in church music. However, the wide response to an evening course on Hebrews by members of the Altona community has motivated the school to consider expanding its evening program. Mennonite refugees, particularly those who have come to Canada since 1945, planned a special service of thanksgiving and remem- brance on October 23 at the Springfield Heights Mennonite Church, Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Dankfest was to praise God for "his wonderful leading of us, our fathers, and our ancestors in bringing us to Canada." Peter J. Dyck, Mennonite Central Commit- tee, spoke at the afternoon service, and in the evening the film "Berlin Exodus" was shown. Taiwan missionary Hugh Sprunger reports that two Chinese young people were bap- tized in the Ta-Tung Mennonite Church in Taipei. August 28. Mr. Yang is a student in senior high school, and Ms. Chou has just graduated from college. Both have been active in the youth program of the church. After the baptisms the congregation cele- brated the Lord's Supper. Tfiree visiting Zairian Mennonite pastors, in their farewell talks last August with the staff of Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission, Elkhart, Indiana, expressed their "gratitude for the brotherhood we have in Christ." The three were Kabangy Shapasa, president of the Mennonite Church in Zaire, and pastors Kazadi Muadianvita and Kabangu Lubadi. Pastor Kazadi especially expressed gratitude for the opportunity to make a second trip to the United States (twenty years ago he was the first Zairian pastor to come to North America), and that he could make the trip with Kabangu. Pastor Kazadi saw the second invitation to visit America as a symbol of AI M M's acceptance of him as the leader of an autonomous Mennonite church. World Vision International intends to internationalize its administration by the end of 1978. President W. Stanley Mooney- ham said, "It represents World Vision's recognition for a policy body that cuts across cultural, political, national, and ecclesiasti- cal lines to respond to existing realities. We believe that policy and ministry decisions must be made by those who receive as well as those who give." The Life of Jesus in sixteen-page four-color picture booklets has been overprinted in six Indian languages of the United States and Canada by Wycliffe Bible Translaters. The languages are Crow, Cheyenne, Northern Carrier, Paiute, Tiwa, and Papago. I E MENNONITE 617 Record Eastern November 11-13 — New Call to Peace- making conference, Powell House, Old Chatham, New York November 18-19 — New Call to Peace- making conference. Church of the Brethren, Lancaster, Pennsylvania Northern November 18-19 — Farm and food semin- ar. Bethel Church, Mountain Lake, Minne- sota; resource people, Harold Regier, Russell Mast, Doris Longacre, Arnold Harder, Cecil Graber Published Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winni- peg, Manitoba, will reissue Gerhard Loh- renz's popular picture books on the Menno- nites in Prussia and Russia in an enlarged and revised edition this fall. The new editions of Heritage Remembered and Dam it es Nicht Vergessen Werde include all of the No man can be called friendless when he has God and the companionship of good books. —Elizabeth Barrett Browning Faith and Life Bookstore 159 West Main, Berne, Indiana 46711 Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Fellowship Bookcenter 302 Kennedy Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2M6 material found in the first edition plus 250 additional photos, several pages of maps, and a subject index. The new book, appearing in hardcover only, will have about 290 pages and will retail at $15 per copy. Prepaid orders sent to CMBC Publications, 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4, will be mailed &s soon as the books arrive in October. Workers •> !"<• It 1 a vjr 1-i ■« n-«4„.. Barkett John Barkett, Wichita, Kansas, is beginning two years of Mennonite Voluntary Service with the Seattle, Washington, unit as a counselor. He is a graduate in political science from Kansas University and is a member of Church of the Saviour, Wichita, Kansas. His parents are Henry and Grace Barkett of Wichita. Rosemary Beachy Bloomfield, Montana, has begun two years of Mennonite Volun- tary Service at the National Interreligious Service Board for Conscientious Objectors, Washington, D.C. She is a social work graduate from Hesston (Kansas) College and is a member of Red Top Mennonite Church. Bloomfield. Her parents are Jonas and Katherine Beachy of Bloomfield. Ms. Beachy has had work experience in a nursing home and also as a member of the live-in staff for a halfway house for emotionally disturbed adults. Conference budget Beachy C. Lepp D. Lepp Christopher and Dodie Lepp have begunl three-year term with Mennonite CentrJ Committee. They will first study French Brussels, Belgium, then go to Ntondo, Zair| where Christopher will work on a houi construction project and Dodie at a clini| Dodie attended Canadian Mennonite Bib College, Winnipeg, and graduated from til 1977 BUDGET: $3,179,883 Budget for 1977 includes: Commission on Education $234,048 Commission on Overseas Mission $2,084,949 Commission on Home Ministries $579,918 Mennonite Biblica Seminary $280,968 Total $3,179,883 Receipts for August and September of this year exceeded 1 976 receipts for those monlk This is an encouraging sign. Nevertheless, total receipts through September (49. 1 percent) still $25,000 behind I976 receipts through September (52.9 percent). Approximat| $1,620, 000. which is 50.9 percent of the budget, is needed in the final quarter in order to nij our goal. May we share from the bounteous blessings the Lord has given us. Ted Stuck conference treasurer 618 OCTOBER 25, 1 •gistered nursing program of Grace General S ospital. She has been employed at West -incoln Memorial Hospital. Christopher jis been employed as an electrical journey- Ian at Swanwick Electric in Grimsby, ntario. He is a member of the Vineland inited Mennonite Church in Vineland, [ntario. Dodie is a member of the Grace ;hurch, Steinbach, Manitoba. I Judy Loganbill, Lorraine Avenue Church, |j 'ichita, Kansas, has begun two years with jjlennonite Voluntary Service as an elemen- I ry school teacher at Hopi Mission School, ■raibi, Arizona. She is a graduate majoring biology from Bethel College, North lewton, Kansas, and has also studied 'lucation at Wichita State University. Her Wirents are Fernon and Elaine Loganbill of f| ichita. ■ Rodney Regier, Rosthern (Saskatchewan) Ipurch, has begun one year of Mennonite Ipluntary Service working in housing 1 habilitation for low-income people in ■ ichita, Kansas. His parents are Waldemar ■ id Hildegard Regier of Rosthern. Rodney p a high school graduate. ganbill Regier ilesselman Joy Schlesselman, Kansas City, Missouri, beginning a year with Mennonite Volun- y Service. Her assignment in Oklahoma :y, Oklahoma, will involve her in commu- y services and a church mission project, e is a college graduate in English and ends Immanuel Presbyterian Church, nsas City. Her parents are Paul and irian Schlesselman, Kansas City. ■A \Kathy Unruh, Grace Church, St. Catha- lies, Ontario, began one year of Mennonite I Uuntary Service in September, working as a community worker and program coordina- tor in Arvada, Colorado. She has studied psychology and sociology at Brock U niversi- ty, St. Catharines, for two years. Her parents, Wilfred and Virleen Unruh, live in St. Catharines. Wiens Zacharias Gene Wiens, Dinuba, California, began two years of Mennonite Voluntary Service in September. His assignment in Kansas City, Kansas, is in community work, with a particular emphasis on housing needs. He has studied at Pacific College, Philipps University, and Fresno State University, all in California. His church membership is with Clovis Community Church, Fresno. His parents are Mr. and Mrs. Leo Wiens of Dinuba. Eileen Zacharias, Winkler, Manitoba, has begun one year of Mennonite Voluntary Service as a day-care worker in Liberal, Kansas. She has studied at Winnipeg (Manitoba) Bible College and is a member of the Winkler Evangelical Mennonite Mission Church. Her parents are Abe and Mary Zacharias of Winkler. Study Guides 1 A six-session study on the auto- mobile and Christian responsibil- ity. 49 pages, paperback ...... $2.00 2 A study guide for Christian peo- ple on social change. 59 pages, paperback . . $2.00 3 SWifif Women in the till Bible and sss msm Early Anabaptism Lesson Helps for Mil We're mm Meant to Be i ' : New Men New Roles A thirteen-lesson study in two parts on the role of women in church and society. 63 pages, paperback $2.00 Send orders to: Congregational Sales, Faith and Life Press, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 >$,' HE MENNONITE il 619 HERALD PRESS: Fall Reading for Young and Old qaAU From the author of KATIE, THE CRYING HEART, and THE TENDER HERB. TO ALL GENERATIONS Clara Bernice Miller tells a fascinating story through the eyes of Daniel Brenne- man, an eighty-eight year old Mennonite. From his retirement home, Dan relives his Amish childhood and wayward youth, his romance and his spiritual conversion, the church split over telephones and his adult life as a Mennonite farmer. A moving, authentic, prophetic story. Hardcover, $6.95. For children: From the author of THE BIBLE SMUGGLER, A HEART STRANGELY WARMED, THUNDERSTORM IN THE CHURCH, THE BEGGARS' BIBLE, and six other historical novels that make church history come alive. THE MAN WHO LAID THE EGG Young Gerhard Koestler meets Erasmus in the streets of Basel, Switzerland in the 1500s. Through the eyes of Gerhard we learn the significance of the man who laid the egg that Luther hatched. Softcover, $2.50; Hardcover, $3.50. The M» f" FAITH AT WORK In History HE FREED BRITAIN'S SLAVES by Charles Ludwig This book retells the remark- able story of William Wilberforce and his tireless crusade to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire. Few persons today realize that it was because of Wilberforce 's Christian convic- tions that he dedicated his life to this goal. Hardcover, $5.95. 1 AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE. Today LIKE A WATERED GARDEN by Maureen Hay Read "(Maureen Hay Read's) faith is so woven into her life that it breathes through every paragraph without ostentation or display. I know you will enjoy this book and the warm, human person who wrote it."— Sherwood Eliot Wirt. Hardcover, $5.95. Herald Press Dept. TM, Scottdale, PA 15683 Kitchener, ON N2G 4M5 620 OCTOBER 25, 1 Notes on church growth Conference growth — 1967-76 1976, General Conference membership s 61,255, an increase of 5,310 since 1967. is reflects a growth of about 10 percent, ice the conference began in 1 860, member- p growth in our conference has come istly by adding new churches. Nineteen Canadian churches, with a total 3,312 members (an average of 174 per igregation), joined the conference over ||: last decade. Twenty-three American larches joined, with 1,761 members (an I page of seventy-seven per congregation). Ijie churches withdrew from the confer- B:e. The net growth comes largely from the I ty-two new churches. Lyle Schaller has I served that denominational growth usual- loccurs through planting new churches. I r experience confirms that. iNew members to established congrega- Ins generally come from baptism of limbers' children, transfers from other lurches, and baptism of persons who did I] grow up in our churches. ■Baptism of members' children has been ■ primary source. American churches ■rage four such baptisms per year for each ■Igregation. Canadian churches average l;er to six. ■)ur information on transfers goes back ■y to 1974. Most have been in-house ■ nges. Canadian churches have averaged Brly six transfers from other General Inference congregations annually, while llerican churches averaged less than two congregation each year, he number of persons coming into our ■ rches from other backgrounds has been | easing in the seventies. Our Eastern and ific districts have averaged nearly six per gregation annually, including transfers baptisms of people from non- inonite background. The other U. S. ricts and Canada averaged less than three l accessions per year in each congrega- ongregations that would have grown H to the birth rate of their families should U a 25 percent growth over the decade. M General Conference total increase ^(ijiuding new churches) was 10 percent. For Canada, our growth was 5,280 members, or 30 percent. U.S. General Conference growth was 159 members, or about 0.5 percent. The differences in Canadian and U.S. growth are noteworthy. (1) Several of the new churches from Canada are established groups which simply had not become offical members of the conference before 1967. (2) Our Canadian churches do baptize more children of members. (3) Retention of General Conference transfers has been higher in Canada, partly because there are General Conference churches in many cities of those provinces where we have rural churches. By contrast, in the United States, General Conference churches in the cities are few and often new, even in states with many rural churches. (4) The stream of Mennonite immigrants has continued in Canada, with practically no parallel in the United States. Some of the new Canadian membership has resulted from a ministry to these people. At Bluffton we accepted a resolution encouraging congregations to give priority to church planting. A goal of fifteen churches by 1980 was suggested. Such growth can happen and will occur if we can combine internal motivation forgrowth with a readiness to reach out as the Holy Spirit leads. Lyle Schaller lists the following as indicators of a church's capacity for growth (in order of importance): ( 1 ) attitudes of the members; (2) capacity of the congregation to assimilate new members; (3) balanced and meaningful program of evangelism, fellow- ship, nurture, and worship; (4) health of the group life in the congregation; (5) clear sense of identity; (6) quality of leadership; (7) location and appearance of the church building; (8) space in the church building; (9) unchurched people in the area to whom church members can relate. One of our ministries is to provide resources to congregations who want to do an assessment of their capacity for growth. We are prepared to help you take a new look to the future. Floyd G. Bartel, secretary for CHM congregational mission WW? Elizabeth Searle Lamb There is only now! Now is the time to still down into the very center of being and let be. Now is the time to let a prayer flower out into the whole of being. Now is the time to rest easy and let flow a fresh creative stream to nourish joy, peace, love, praise. When? Now is the only time there is! $ \ MENNONITE 621 V The mlddlei passage Charles Ludwig The white races are ashamed of the Middle Passage and are anxious to forget it. But remembering that George Santayana said, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," it is good for us to occasionally remember the Middle Passage, embarrassing though it may be. The first Englishman to transport slaves from Africa was Sir John Hawkins who made that initial voyage with a squadron of private ships in 1562. "Partly by the sword and partly by other means," as he remem- bered, he acquired 300 blacks and traded them for ginger, sugar, hides, and "some quantitie of pearles." Queen Elizabeth was horrified. She declared the affair was "detestable and would call down the vengeance of heaven." This reaction didn't frighten Hawkins. He responded by showing Elizabeth his profit ledger. Entranced by the easy money, Good Queen Bess became so enthusiastic that she went into partnership with Hawkins and provided him with the 700-ton Jesus of Lubeck for the transportation of more slaves! By 1564, Hawkins had four slavers under his command. And just before he sailed for Africa to load up with more slaves, he piously summoned his sailors and issued sailing orders which have become a tradition in the British Navy. Said Sir John, "Serve God daily, love one another, preserve your victuals, beware of fire, and keep good company." The "trade" lined the pockets and treasur- ies of many European countries. But since some Christian nations were uneasy about Brands were usually seared into the skin of slaves. The branding irons were made of silver to lessen the danger of injection. J what was being done, the Middle Passage evolved. The new system was extremely simple. When ships left Bristol or Liverpool, they were heavy with guns, beads, cloth, iron bars, brandy. These items were retailed in Africa for slaves. After the ships were emptied of merchan- dise, they were crammed with slaves and sent directly to the Sugar Islands — the West Indies. Here, the slaves were sold and the ships refilled with West Indian rum, spices, and sugar. Finally, these valuables were unloaded in the same English ports from which they had sailed. Thus, the man on the street was almost unaware of what was taking place. Those who knew kept quiet because of their shares in the business. In the early days, the entire western bulge of Africa was known as Guinea. The slavers cruised up and down the coast looking for smoke signals which indicated that there were slaves for sale. k Generally the slaves were obtained froi the interior. Slavers had learned the art ( creating wars between neighboring village and then buying the captured warriors a: their families. Another productive way w, devised by the chiefs themselves. Thirsti for the white man's brandy, potential slav were accused of a crime and forced to taki test. A popular one was to force the victim drink poisoned water. If the water made hi sick, he was considered guilty and sold in slavery for a few bottles of brandy. Having purchased slaves, the captain the ship had them branded, generally witl silver branding iron. (Silver irons caused li infection.) The Duke of York's compa: used the letters DY. Some tribes were considered more vai able than others. Cormantes were conside to be far too wild; in order to discoura] their purchase, a special sales tax was levi| on each one. However, one captain recall that Ibo children screamed with pain wl they were branded while Cormantes endu the ordeal without wincing. Slaves were usually packed into the shi] night in order to lessen their fears. Many hi never seen the ocean before. Most of thi felt they were destined to be eaten. The method of packing the slaves divi the captains into two groups, the lo packers and the tight packers. The lo packers argued that by giving the sla more room and better food, less of themd en route and the owners made more mo The others countered that although m died when they were tightly packed, pro soared because they delivered more slav During a period when the trade was be investigated by Parliament, experts w sent to measure the 320-ton Brookes. T| ship had carried as many as 609 slaves on voyage. Like others, the captain possess* chart which enabled him to sardine his sp to the utmost. His chart allotted a sp 622 OCTOBER 25, 1 xteen inches wide and six feet long and i:nerally two feet and seven inches high for i tch male. The children were cramped into '/en tighter quarters. 1 Many slavers arranged for their slaves to I; on their right sides so as to protect their baits. Buckets were provided for the xessities of nature; but since the slaves sre shackled together two by two, it was ten difficult for the one to persuade the ;her to go with him. This was especially true ipen members of rival tribes were chained i gether. At the time, Europeans felt that night air lis dangerous to the health so the portholes ;re all carefully closed. In addition most of e slaves got seasick. Because of such facts, nslaver could be smelled as many as five [iles away. Each day, in good weather, the slaves were nt up to the top deck where they were reed to dance up and down in their chains, uring these dances a crude rhythmic music is played. Often a captain advertised in a :al paper for "a person who can play the gpipes for a Guinea ship." Slaves who kre reluctant to dance were encouraged to so by the application of a cat-o'-nine-tails. any danced until their leg irons were mson with blood. As the slaves danced, the holds were abbed with buckets of vinegar into which i-hot bullets had been dropped. The lors hated this job; and thus many were gged — sometimes to death — for refusing comply. The slaves were fed twice a day. The Irmal meal consisted of horse beans yered with "slabber sauce," a concoction tide of flour and palm oil with a heavy ! inkling of red pepper. Most slaves hated I s food and occasionally hurled it at one Jjther. Often seasick, frequently forced to lie in 1 ir own excrement for days and even weeks m time, as many as 25 percent of the slaves < d during the Middle Passage. Sometimes t slaves tried to starve themselves to death, lien this happened, a special tool was used t pry open their mouths and force-feed \im. \s a ship neared a port where the slaves \j-e to be sold, they were given extra rations in order to fatten them, and thus bring a higher price. Special dyes were also available to disguise their wounds and deformities and thus deceive unwary buyers. The Portuguese were slightly more hu- mane than the British. They provided a mat for each slave, and also they insisted on baptizing them before chaining them on board. The concern of most captains was to earn the last possible farthing. When the slaves on the Zong became ill, the captain made a decision. He knew there was no market for sick slaves. On the other hand, if he could prove that the ship was out of water and that the slaves had to be drowned in order to stop rioting and save the crew, he could collect from the underwriters. And so, without a twinge of conscience, he chained the slaves together and heaved them overboard. In court, the judge declared "that the case of slaves was the same as if horses had been thrown overboard." Mercifully, however, a higher court reversed the decision and the insurance company was not required to pay. Still, the murderous captain was not prose- cuted! One wonders how the Middle Passage could have existed, and how Christian men like John Newton could have continued in this business even after their conversion. (Yes, even after he was saved, John Newton used thumbscrews on the slaves.) The answer is that it takes a long time — a long, long time — for God's truth to sink into the human soul. Even so, it is comforting to note that eventually Newton saw the truth and used his influence against the slave trade. It is also pleasant to remember that it was the influence of Christ, through such men as William Wilberforce, which finally ended this business. Today we cringe at the Middle Passage with horror, but undoubtedly, Christians in our time are doing things which a new generation will condemn with the same thoroughness with which we condemn the trade, the Middle Passage, and other horrors of slavery. Because of this, we should be thankful for the Quakers, Mennonites, and other minority groups who have the courage to take unpopular stands on such current issues as war and poverty. Contents I The space for slaves was i drawn up in advance to k ize each inch. Males were generally otted a space , 'xteen inches wide, six ■et long, and 'wo feet and seven inches high. j Evangelism in dispersion 609 Reforming the Reformed tradition 612 News 614 Record 618 Conference growth— 1967-76 621 When? 621 The middle passage 622 Reforming power 624 CONTRIBUTORS Ralph A. Lebold is conference minister of the Western Ontario Mennonite Conference, London, Ontario. His article is adapted from an address to the Conference of Mennonites in Canada last July. Thomas Orrin Bentz is the United Church of Christ editor of A.D. magazine, 475 Riverside Drive, New York, New York 10027. Richard Blosser is associate editor of the Mennonite Weekly Review, Newton, Kansas. Wally Kroeker is editor of The Christian Leader, Hillsboro, Kansas 67063. Elizabeth Searle Lamb, 970 Acequia Madre, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501, is a free-lance poet. Charles Ludwig, 7217 East 30th Street, Tucson, Arizona 86710, is the author of a new book "He Freed Britain's Slaves," being published by Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania 15683. CREDITS Cover, David Hiebert, Box 301, Scottdale, Pennsylvania 15683; 610, 613, RNS; 611, Paul M. Schrock, Box 200, Scottdale, Pennsylvania 15683; 615, Shirley Hilde- brand; 622, 623, Charles Ludwig. The Mennonite Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781 Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4 Assistant editor Vic Reimer, Box 347, Newton, Kan- sas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circu- lation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Evelyn Krehbiel, 229 Brookwood, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, La Vernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338, Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117; Encom- pass, Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805; and Conference of Menno- nites in Canada, Lawrence Klippenstein, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P0M4. Reforming power October 31 marks 460 years since the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. A key impetus to the Reformation was the power of God's Word. Martin Luther found himself so moved by this Word that it changed his life and the course of history. Paul writes, "For the kingdom of God does not consist in talk but in power" (I Corinthians 4:20). Paul's reminder was necessary for the people at Corinth. Among the Greeks were many great orators. They had the gift of giving excellent talks without saying anything of consequence. Some devoted their lives to exercises in mental gymnas- tics. Their word was talk. Such an idea was new to the Hebrews. They thought of word and deed as two sides of the same coin. The Old Testament repeatedly illustrates this. "And God said . . . and there was." Names were more than identification tags. Jacob becomes Israel (people of God); the place where God spoke to Jacob becomes Bethel (house of God); Simon becomes Peter (a rock). Words are power (dunamis in Greek, from which we derive dynamic and dynamite). It hasn't been only the Greeks who used words to play games. That problem has plagued the church in all the centuries. The general (catholic) church of the sixteenth century had decided that the ordinary person could not be expected to understand God's Word personally. Church professionals told the common people what to believe and what to ignore. The power of the Word became veiled through second- hand contact. Our time, too, has become proficient at masking the power of God's Word. Some do it by insisting on archaic translations which use a vocabulary totally foreign to seekers. We have allowed the commercial media to take biblical terminology and use it to sell things — converter bars on tractors, sewing ma- chines with reverence, and Life-Saver candies. Others have developed an in-house religious jargon that can only be understood by certain brands of Christians. When the Reformers came eyeball-to-eyeball with God's Word in a language they could understand, they were unable to remain the same. The Word became dynamic in their transformed lives. As we again celebrate the Reformation, many Christians are praying and seeking for a fresh evidence of the reforming power of God's Word. And we wish that we knew exactly how to release this power. There is a strangeness to the gospel. Paul says it's "a stumbing block to Jews and folly to Gentiles" (1 Corinthians 1:23b). You never can predict just how and to whom the reforming power will come. But when it comes, you will know. Those lives will never again be the same. Let me share a personal illustration. We had announced church membership classes and they had been under way for two Sundays. That second Sunday, in the afternoon, I was sitting by our living room window. Suddenly, a car drove up rather fast and the brakes were applied abruptly. Before the automobile could stop shivering, both front doors flew open and out jumped two boys. They ran up to the door. I recognized them as a couple of fellows who attended church occasionally and frequently held their own meetings during worship services. Now they asked if they could still join the class (obviously having been pressured by their parents and hoping that I'd say it was too late). When I welcomed them to attend next Sunday, they mumbled that they'd try to be there, ran out and took off as fast as they'd come. They made it clear in the class that they were there because they had to be. Those of us who were teaching felt helpless in our attempts to get them involved. We and others in the class simply tolerated them, praying that God's Spirit might help. Our lessons took us into direct Bible studies. One Sunday, about halfway through the course, they began to ask a few questions. Their Bibles did not miss another class. Both asked to be baptized and joined the church. Both became excellent additions. Both were ready to assume active responsibility immediately. Both are still active workers in the kingdom. What happened? Somehow they, too, came in contact with God's Word. Its reforming power changed their lives. Concerned parents, a church class, willing ministers, prayers, patience, tolerance — what stim- ulated the encounter? Maybe it takes the combina- tion of all of these and more for a new reforming power to break loose among us. God's Word is power — reforming power. BW The eimonite OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO ONE LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST General Conference Mennonit e Church 1 s% 1 ' 1 1$ 4 1 5. Roy Kaufman In Romans 12 Paul says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind." Nonconformi- ty to the world is one of the distinctive beliefs of Mennonites. But we have become so seduced by worldly values that nonconformity is just a quaint belief of our church, one that we are rather embarrassed to own. Our identifica- tion is with worldly values. We often explain nonconformity with reference to our Amish and Hutterite brethren, while we are at a loss to say how we ourselves are nonconformed to worldly ways. Nonconformity to the world raises the question of life-style, and life-style raises the question of values. What are the values of the worldly society in which we live? What are the values that Christ's kingdom calls us to live by? And to which set of values do we actually conform? I think we often fail to reflect on our values for fear of what we will find. For it only takes a bit of reflection on everyday life around us to describe some of the key values and life-style of our society. As I look at Mennonites, I see that this is the life-style most of us accept as well. Perhaps the most common characteristic of U.S. and Canadian life is affluence, which grows out of materialism. We idolize economic growth, and economic values become the measure of persons and nations. But this is an expression of the sin of self- interest and greed. It has led to industrializa- tion and the urbanization that goes with it; so that industry, not agriculture, is seen as the mainspring of society. And this in turn has led to the consumer mentality. As work becomes more routine and less meaningful, we find no reward in producing. Work is a drudgery to be endured for the sake of the things we can buy, and consumption becomes the end toward which we labor. Another key characteristic of our society is technocracy, the rule of the technical experts. This grows out of our blind faith in the ability of science and technology to solve every problem of human life. Whether the problem is disease or pollution or military weakness or deviant behavior, wc arc assured that technology will soon provide the solution. But this in turn is an expression of the sin of self-reliance and pride. Underly- ing this outlook is the belief that self- fulfillment comes through the exercise of power over others. Competition is under- stood to be the only motivation for action. On a national scale, security is sought in superior military might alone. The consequences of this way of life are disastrous. Waste and pollution, exploita- tion of the earth and the world's poor countries, and an escalating arms race are only a few of the consequences. Our industrial cities are an ecological death trap, representing an intolerable burden on earth's resources and returning nothing to the earth but harmful wastes and pollution. Even agriculture is industrialized into agribusi- ness. Work is dehumanized and persons are reduced to statistics. Indeed, the U.S. and Canadian way of life is the primary cause of global crises threatening the very survival of mankind — crises such as world hunger, the breakdown of ecological systems, the scarci- ty of natural resources, and the threat of a nuclear holocaust. One could go on to indicate that changes in our life-style are essential if humankind is to survive. But such a rationale is essentially an appeal to selfishness, to the will for survival. It is not my intention to appeal to our selfish instincts, for that, too, is the way of the world. Instead, there are three questions Worldly values and the way of life that grows from them, now as al- ways, stand in direct contrast to the calling of the Christian. to be asked in a Christian context: (1) DdE > our way of life encourage trust, loyalty, am s obedience to God, the Lord of all? On th contrary, the common life-style prevents thi by encouraging us to trust in our ow strength and by asking us to give our loyalt to the industrial, technocratic state. (2) Doe our way of life establish justice and peac and love among humankind as the sign c " God's redeeming presence in the worl «< through Jesus Christ? On the contrary, th .... 'erage life-style makes this impossible :cause it is based on self-interest, greed, and wer. (3) Does our way of life foster ewardship and conservation and provision r the earth God has made? On the mtrary, the popular life-style seeks to ploit the earth, to extract desirable oducts from it, and to build an artificial iman environment which denies that we are in the natural life of the world. A faithful Christian cannot conform to the U.S. and Canadian way of life and the values of self-interest and greed, self-reliance and pride. Worldly values and the way of life that grows from them, now as always, stand in direct contrast to the calling of the Christian. Our conformity to worldly values confirms that we have been trying to have the best of both worlds — claiming Christ as our Savior from sin but denying his lordship by the way we live. We want to be citizens of his eternal kingdom but till then we want to reap all this world has to offer in power, wealth, and pleasure. On the other hand, a life of nonconformity to the world would seek first to be faithful to the God revealed in the Bible — the God who requires obedience from persons who call him Lord; the God who is establishingjustice and peace among humankind through his Son; the God who, according to Romans 8, intends to redeem the whole creation from destruction through Jesus Christ, and his body, the church. Nonconformity will mean a life of cooperation rather than competi- tion, a life which finds fulfillment in community with others not in lordship over others, and a life of harmony with nature rather than control over nature. Nonconfor- mity requires a life of economic sanity, for what is the value of having more than we need for the sustenance of our lives? We often explain nonconformity with reference to our Amish and Hutterite brethren, while we are at a loss to say how we ourselves are nonconformed to worldly wars. Nonconformity means a life that is ecologi- cally sound, for if we believe that the earth is the Lord's, we will no longer tolerate the destruction of earth's living systems for the sake of our short-term economic advantage. Finally, nonconformity will mean a global political outlook and a rejection of national- ism, because in an industrial state, national- ism is only another word for corporate greed. If we are serious about taking Christ as our Lord, we will need to talk together about the practical implications of a life of nonconformity. But I have some practical suggestions for those who may not be doing this. Why not make our families productive as well as consumptive units by raising as much of our own food as possible and sharing it with our neighbors? Not only is this a simpler, less wasteful life-style that puts us in touch with nature, but most importantly, it will strengthen our families as we actually produce together what we need. Human life is nowhere brought closer together than in the accomplishment of a common task done together, and families need to work together as well as to eat and sleep together. Beyond this, I believe we have the structures in our congregational life to develop practical, workable alternatives to the worldly ways of doing things. We are a church that gives lip service to the idea that we should be different from the world. We rightly assume that this means we will avoid the immorality and permissiveness of worldly society. And yet, all the while, we allow ourselves to be seduced by the world's values of self-interest, greed, self-reliance, and pride. We claim that we have no alternative but to conform if we wish to compete and survive in society. But isn't that just a way of saying that we're not prepared to pay the cost of being Christ's disciples and that we're too apathetic to explore the alternatives? If we conform to the values and character- istics of worldly society, we are a living contradiction of the faith we profess. Jesus said we ought to put his kingdom first and he'll worry about the rest for us. Isn't it time we took him at his word? For he is not only our Savior, he would also be our Lord. He is in fact the Lord of all! Ptdgi&ss, they say Merle Good I write from a part of unmelted America, where one can stand in the shade of a maple on the edge of an open field of growing crops and breathe clean air, and hear neither plane nor truck for the better part of a morning. Things are different here. The soil is respected and friendships are for life. People know their neighbors and few lock their houses at night. The clock (a hand- carved grandfather's) has more minutes per day than modern ones seem to. Most of which explains why the people here are backward. A lot of us are, especially the Old Order Amish and the conservative Mennonites. So backward, in fact, that we've become the object of curiosity. Four million people come to Lancaster every year to eat the good food, breathe the fresh air, and marvel at our backwardness. By now you know I'm going to ask it. It is a fair question, isn't it? Not for argument's sake, but for truth's sake. It's a question we can't afford to ignore. If this is backward, what is forward? Before you laugh, permit me to be more specific. Let's take education as an example. Most of our Old Order groups have been suspicious of progressive education. "Eight grades is enough learning to supplement anyone's education" might be a typical sentiment. Persons involved in modern education will view such a comment as naive or cynical. But let's look closer. Take your average ten-year-old and compare with an average ten-year-old Amish child. The Amish child in the one- room school receives less personal attention but more group experience than the "pro- : If* gressive" school normally gives. The Amish child is less "sophisticated" in math and science but is quite "advanced" in language arts, being trilingual (the Pennsylvania Dutch dialect is the primary spoken lan- guage; at school, the child learns to read, write, and speak English, and to read and write German). But the comparison goes much further. The average Amish child knows how to work the soil, how to bake and can and butcher, how to make his or her own clothes, how to plan and bargain, how to get along with others, how to help neighbors, how to sacrifice one's wishes for the group's needs, how to paint and saw and nail, how to lay concrete block, how to read the weather, how to maintain credit, how to laugh and cry and invent one's own toys and games. But we were discussing education, you say. So we were, in the truest sense. Please understand, I do not wish to romanticize the Old Order way of life. It has its difficulties and restrictions. This is why so many of my generation are rejecting the Old Order for a more "progressive" world view. And let's be honest— few Americans are giving up the modern way of life to join the Old Order groups. So, I'm not trying to act as though it's heaven on earth. It's not. But it's certainly not the hell most modern city dwellers presume it to be. Which brings us back to the original question, "If this is backward, what is forward?" Speaking as one of the younger generation who grew up in the Old Order world view among conservative Lancaster Mennonita and who has explored the modern world c late, I must first confess that I'm no' inclined to choose "backward" over "moc ern." Modern progress, as I've witnessed an experienced it, has some basic flaws. I adm that my primitive perception (I mean thi honestly) may have prevented me froi understanding the modern appeal, just as tr basic assumptions of many moderns preveii them from experiencing the richness ( of mu Br the sen chi der Inc Za Za coi itse Me occ foi the (2) the the ] dis of be int pre pa frc be< mi M< vie Br Cr an Mi Cc flu 1 Stocking Staffers for You] My Walk Through Grief Janette Klopfenstein shares her touching cou- rageous story to give insight into help- ing oneself and others through grief. Paperback, $1.75, C $1.90 Christmas for Holly Dorothy Hamilton's warm story of the unusual surprise that awaited Holly as she left the children's home with her new foster parents. Paper, $1.95, C $2.15 Chinese Eyes Marjorie Waybill tells the story of Becky, an adopted Korean girl, as she learns that it is not bad to be different. This delightful story will help young readers understand dif- ferences and the feelings of others. Hard, $5.95, C $6.55 Insect Parables Robert Baker takes a look at the miniature world of six- legged creatures and comes up with a wealth of spiritual lessons. Paperback, $1.95, C$2.15 Cotton Patch Parables of Libera- tion The parables of Jesus as you have never heard them before. With the same impact of Jesus' story 2,000 years ago, these are folksy, homey, ex- plosive! Paperback, $1.95, C $2.15 Tell Me About Death, Mommy Janette Klopfenstein's sequel to her award-winning My Walk Through Gnef shares the child's grief experience. She provides basic con- cepts to lessen the trauma and help the child better cope with death. Paper, $1.75, C $1.90 Rosalie Dorothy Hamilton's latest novel takes 9-to-14-year-olds back to the early 1900s in Indiana. School buses and automobiles have changed, but family relationships and school problems haven't. Hard, $3.50, C $3.85; paper, $2.50, C $2.75 Supplement to: The Mennonite *U Bookstore Order te this form for orders only ite letters on separate sheet. sh this order to: me dress y/State or Prov./Code arge this order to (if different from above): me dress y/State or Prov./Code jve the Christmas tide, and yet I notice th is, each year I live; Iways like the gifts I get, Bu t how I love the gifts I give! —Carolyn Wells i that is how it should be. For you give part of yourself ?n you give a gift. You call on the best of your wledge about the receiver to select what he will like. i.;ally you would love it yourself, especially if the gift is >ok. Books reflect your genuine interest in the iiver. They become part of his mental heritage — a gift »ossible to lose. Buy books early— and read before you .p. |der from your nearest Conference Bookstore lowship Bookcenter M Kennedy linipeg, Man. R3B 2M6 /943-1521 I th and Life Bookstore I W. Main St. |ne, IN 46711 '589-2135 th and Life Bookstore Main St., Box 347 /ton, KS 67114 »/283-2210 Introducing Ruth Nulton Moore- Our Gift to Young Readers Peace Treaty Ruth Nulton Moore follows young Peter Andreas in his travel across the Allegheny Mountains. Conestoga wagons, In- dians, soldiers, Daniel Boone, and a Moravian minister all contribute to the story of 12-year-old Peter, whose parents were massacred by Indians and who, himself, becomes a captive. Hard, $3.95, C $4.35; paper $2.95, C $3.25 The Ghost Bird Mystery Katie and Mark Yoder looked forward to living on Blue Mountain in Pennsyl- vania, where their father was to manage a refuge for migrating birds. Little did they realize that their experiences would include a haunted house, a ghost, and a ghost bird. Hard, $3.95, C $4.35; paper, $2.95, C $3.25 Su )lement to: The Mennonite I J Mennonite Encyclo- pedia This four-volume set covers the whole 450-year history of faith, life, and culture of the Anabaptists in Europe and the Men- nonites throughout the world. Four volumes, $69.95, C $76.95 Conrad Grebel, Son of Zurich John L. Ruth brings to life one of the outstanding leaders of the early Anabaptist movement. A dramatic, gripping story photographically illustrated, and with a binding reminiscent of Reformation era publications. Cloth, $6.95, C $7.65 Martyrs Mirror Thieleman J. van Braght's gigantic record of Christian faith and endurance from the first century through the Anabaptist persecutions in the 16th century. Illustrated with reproductions of original prints. Cloth, $19.95, C $21.95 'Twas Seeding Time John L. Ruth provides little-known facts of how Mennonites were involved and related to the American Revolu- tion. A look into the past that will have sur- prises for everyone. Paper, $4.95, C $5.45 Discover and Share Your Living Heritage Christian Models for Young an< Levi Coffin and the Under- ground Railroad Charles Ludwig recreates the drama, pathos, danger, and excitement surround- ing Levi Coffin. Coffin was so suc- cessful in helping slaves, the slaveowners named him "President of the Underground Railroad." Cloth, $4.95, C $5.45 He Freed Britain's Slaves In fictionalized form, Charles Ludw retells the remarkable story of William Wilberforce and his tire- less crusade to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire. Cloti Supplement to: The Mennonite Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission faces current challenges Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission executive and board, meeting in Berne, Indiana, October 9-10, increased its budget slightly and has provided missionaries with several term options. The board meetings also included a public rally at which reports and insights were given by missionaries. The Sunday rally focused on three current aspects of Christian mission in Africa. In Zaire, Christian education has been in high gear for about two years, ever since the government took the school system away from the churches. Now, however, the government has called in the churches to again administer and staff the schools, and there is concern among the African churches to maintain the momentum in Christian education which the congregations have evolved. There is a concern that the church not let Christian education be a function of the schools only and lose the quality and interest there is now in the congregational settings. A second feature of mission work in Africa is the teaching ministry to the independent churches of Africa. The inde- pendent churches were reactions to Western- style Christianity, and they have generally not been accepted as Christian by the traditional missionary churches in Africa. Yet, these indigenous churches saw Menno- nite Central Committee workers as different from traditional missionaries, and from this perception they asked for persons to give them biblical training. Ed and Irene Weaver have been part of this ministry, and the :hallenge of relating to these groups con- inues to be an important service, although it will not result in church planting. Currently, Harry and Lois Dyck, Botswana, are the anly General Conference missionaries en- gaged in this type of work. Upper Volta, a new field of AIMM, is the hird challenge. Here, in a new model for missionary endeavor, a team of four younger persons (Loren and Donna Entz, Dennis and leanne Rempel), and an experienced mis- ionary couple to be appointed, will begin vork in about a year. Theirs is a commit- nent to a holistic ministry which views ihysical and social problems along with piritual needs with genuine concern and ompassion. They are to study local culture sympathetically, seek cultural bridges, and allow freedom for the expression of Chris- tian faith in African terms and idiom. They are to live a simple life-style and form a fellowship of believers with national Chris- tians. AIMM's budget for 1978 has been increased 4 percent, to $160,800 from $154,400. This is the working budget and does not include the salaries for missionaries which are provided for the missionaries by each participating Mennonite group. How- ever, the AIMM board does set the salaries for the various cooperating boards, and the salary scale has been increased 6 percent. Three options for terms were also formu- lated. Under one option a missionary can spend twenty-two months in Africa and two months in North America; a second choice is thirty-two months abroad and four months at home; and the third possibility is forty- eight months in the field and twelve months in Canada or the United States. Layettes laid to rest After 1979 layettes for Africa Inter- Mennonite Mission will be no more. It is another signal, a small one perhaps, that patterns in worldwide mission are changing. Indigenous materials and money are replac- ing material aid in some of the overseas ministries of Mennonite churches. The executive committee of the women's auxiliary of AIMM, meeting in Berne, Indiana, October 10, felt compelled to phase out the layette program despite its populari- ty with North American Mennonite women. Tens of thousands of layettes have been given to African mothers with newborn children. The mothers were happy for the gift of a blanket, shirt, and soap (locally bought). But there are reasons, the executive decided, to cease the program. One of the chief factors is the rapidly escalating cost to get the layettes to the recipients, which has increased 600 percent in the last several years. Import duty has been a major item in this escalation. Another factor is that African church leaders have generated plans which have a higher priority than layettes and which need funding. The Maison Diaconale (depart- ment of education for women) of the Zairian Mennonite Church has worked out a program of leadership seminars for women in the church. Assistance in funding is needed for this, and the women's auxiliary has allocated $4,000 out of its $10,000 budget for these training sessions. Several two-week seminars have already been held. It is an experience, says Sara Regier, former missionary to Zaire, that has made Zairian women "blossom." For some it is the first time away from home, field work, food preparation. It is a message that the church cares about the status of women. Kmm A!m £M Mm A SM m im mIMIM m 'HE MENNONITE I 639 El High school drop-outs in the Appalachian hills have an MCC teacher to help them learn skills. Bihari children are hungry; they have litde to eat The clinic at Saidpur has many needs to meet. #10 feeds a child for one month 875 supports the teacher for one week From Russia to Germany these Mennonites came. Now they 're free to have Bibles to worship God's name. #4 buys a Bible MS Many Third World mothers need fabric to sew clothes for their families as their children grow. J In Jordan and West Bank the farmers who toil need olive tree groves to make olive oil. 825 subsidizes 50 lj* seedlings 820 buys a bolt of fabric The Amazon Indians need clean water to use. They 've asked help with wells; how can we refuse? Floods and tornadoes hurt poor of all ages. MDS carpenters go where disaster rages. 850 supports a carpenter for one week J* 868 buys one hand pump The Indians in Canada need seed, hoe and plow. They 're helped by the farmer who shares liis know-how. At Mennonite colleges students learn about peace through the IPF program. Mav their witness increase! 850 runs the Intercollegiate Peace Fellowship for one we The Zaire church women don 't have much wealth, but want to teach seminars on family life and health. 883 buys one month s materials 8/5 supports the farmer for one week. Urgent human needs in rhyme For sharing gifts at holiday timi All must give as they feel led . . . for God loves a cheerful giver . . . He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever. II Corinthians 9: 7,9 MCC invites sharing from various age levels and groups such as families, Sunday 3 classes and congregations. Mark your contribution clearly for MCC and note the pariula project you chose. Gifts can be sent through church conference channels or to Mer| Central Committee at one of these addresses: 21 Soutli 12th Street, Akron, I'A 17501 201-148!} Pembina Highway, Winnipeg, Manih K«T 2CH Record Calendar ' November 11-12 — Region III Mennonite disaster Service annual meeting, Bethesda Thurch, Henderson, Nebraska . December 2-3 — General Board executive ommittee meeting, Chicago J February 2-4, 1978 — Canadian Council of toards, Winnipeg 1 February 10-14, 1978 — Council of Com- nissions, Newton, Kansas [Central . June 16-18, 1978— Tristate Festival of /lissions, Bluffton (Ohio) College; theme. Missions Alive"; speakers, John R. W. tott, Donald Jacobs, Paul Smith, Robert \ 1 less Northern November 20-23 — Mission conference, (ethesda Church, Henderson, Nebraska; leme, "Our Mission — Good News!"; speak- rs, Fremont and Sara Regier Western November 13-16 — Special meetings, First hurch. Pretty Prairie, Kansas; speaker, >rd Morrow of "Back to the Bible" radio roadcast Ministers t'// Garrison is serving as interim pastor at nited Mennonite Church, Atwater, Cali- irnia. i i John Nagle is serving as interim pastor at i (imanuel Church, Downey, California. len Hunt has been appointed as youth I Sinister for the congregation. Both are judents at Biola College, La Mirada, I alifornia. I } Ben Rahn assumed the pastorate of First ; !hurch, Aberdeen, Idaho, on July 1 . He had ieviously served as pastor of the Salem ihurch, Kidron, Ohio. h IVyron Schmidt, Newton, Kansas, was I jdained October 30 at First Church, j jiwton, Kansas. A Bethel College graduate, II | holds an MA degree in biblical studies I )m Mennonite Brethren Biblical Semi- ry, Fresno. California. He is serving as nister of Christian education at First lurch. [Stephen Strunk was ordained October 9 in ! home congregation, the East Swamp lurch, Quakertown, Pennsylvania. He is jrrently serving as pastor of First Church, mton, Oklahoma. ' William Wiehe, Taber, Alberta, began I ving as pastor of the Vauxhall (Alberta) IE MENNONITE 641 I Church in September. He was most recently employed as a teacher at Bow Island, Alberta. Larry Wilson has begun serving as pastor of Salem Church, Kidron, Ohio. Larry and his wife, Jane, recently completed two years of service with the General Conference's Commission on Overseas Mission. They were engaged in church planting and Bible teaching in Armenia, Colombia. Workers Karen Moore Beitler, Church of the Good Samaritan, Holland, Pennsylvania, began one year of Mennonite Voluntary Service in August as a billing and financial counselor to the working poor in Kansas City. She has attended Bluffton (Ohio) College for two years with an emphasis on social work and church work. Her parents are Dorothy and Harry Moore, Hilltown, Pennsylvania. Richard Duerksen, Hillsboro, Kansas, is beginning two years of Mennonite Volun- tary Service in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, working in housing rehabilitation. He has two years of vocational education in auto mechanics and industrial arts. He is a member of Alexanderwohl Church, Goessel, Kansas. His parents are A. Adolph and Velda Duerksen of Hillsboro. Steve Ediger, Inman, Kansas, has begun one year of Mennonite Voluntary Service in home repair in Portland, Oregon. He is a 1 977 graduate in Bible and peace studies from Bethel College, North Newton, Kan- sas. He has had work experience in carpentry and concrete work. He is a member of Buhler (Kansas) Church. His mother, Hilda Ediger, lives in Inman. Elena Entz, Newton, Kansas, is beginning two years of Mennonite Voluntary Service as a day-care teacher aide in Seattle, Washington. She is a graduate of Hesston Beitler Duerksen Fenstermaker Sherck (Kansas) College in child care. She is a member of Zion Church, Elbing, Kansas. Her parents are Albert and Frieda Ent/ of Newton. Snellen Fenstermaker, Ferndale, Michi- gan, has begun one year of Mennonite Voluntary Service as a day-care worker in Hutchinson. Kansas. She has attended Hesston (Kansas) College and is a member of First United Methodist Church, Ferndale. Her parents are Robert and Virginia Fenstermaker of Ferndale. Carolyn Sherck, Bristol, Indiana, has begun two years of work with Mennonite Voluntary Service in Canton, Oklahoma, as a community worker and as a licensed practical nurse. She has university and technical school education in nursing and business education. She is a member of Pleasant Oaks Church, Middlebury, Indi- ana. Orrin and Elaine Yoder of Middlebury are her parents. Vicki Skryha. Van Nuys, California, began one to two years of Mennonite Voluntary Service working with develop- mentally disabled adults in vocational rehabilitation at the Reno County Occupa- tional Center. Hutchinson, Kansas. West- wood Hills Christian Church, Los Angeles, California, is her home church. Vicki is a recent graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles, majoring in psy- chology. Her parents are William and Stanis Skryha of Van Nuys. Elise Teichert, Hauppauge, New York, began two years of Mennonite Voluntary Service in September, doing community work with the Rosedale Team Ministry in Kansas City, Kansas. As a student she majored in sociology and graduated this year from Otterbein College, Westerville, Ohio. She is a member of First Presbyterian Church, Smithtown, New York. Roy and Velma Teichert of Hauppauge are her parents. Letters Perplexed by editorial Dear Editor: I was perplexed by the editorial statement (September 13): "His spirit also spoke to me through the orderly procedures of all the sessions (even though I was surprised at the authority of the program committee to close doors on reporters)." "Closing doors to reporters" suggests to me that reporters are barred from certain discussions or activities. If this is what it means to the editor, then the statement is not correct, to the best of my knowledge. The program committee has never considered keeping the press from any session or activity; nor did it ever close the doors to reporters at the Bluffton sessions. I think I know what the editor is referring to. Let me explain. The program committee gave much thought to the place of music and worship at the sessions. It decided to invite the Wiebe family from Winnipeg, a family highly gifted in music and competent in leading a large group of people in a worship experience, to lead in thirty minutes of song- worship each morning from 8:30 to 9:00. From past experience with conferences of various types, the committee realized that many people tend to see the singing part as a type of fringe benefit rather than a vital part Study Guides 1 A six-session study on the auto- mobile and Christian responsibil- ity. 49 pages, paperback $2.00 2 A study guide for Christian peo- ple on social change. 59 pages, paperback $2.00 3 ftrt I Women In the Bible and Early Anabaptlsm New Men New Roles Lesson Helps lor 411 Wt'n Muet to tt A thirteen-lesson study in two parts on the role of women in church and society. 63 pages, paperback $2.00 Send orders to: Congregational Sales, Faith and Life Press, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 of the sessions. People tend to congregat during the singing or to stand in the halls an visit. This action can be very disturbing t those who arrive on time. It is very unfair t the people in charge, and it may destroy th; song-worship experience for most partic pants. When the committee saw the facilities, felt it had the perfect solution. Four doo led into the main auditorium. Twoadditioi al doors led into the balcony. The committq announced to the delegates in advance th> the song-worship would begin at 8:30 shar urged all people to try to be on time, and sa that the main doors would be closed at 8:3 but that those who could not be on tir would find ample room in the balcony. , 9:00 the people in the balcony might wherever they chose, and the doors wou again all be open. This procedure w followed. Readers will have to decide whether this "closing doors to reporters." J. Letkemar program committee chairperson, 594 Strai cona Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 31 September Editor's note: Mr. Letkemann is right abc' the issue. And I personally appreciated thi concern. However, several of us had ij? assignment to operate a news desk Marbeck Center. Each morning, long befi t 8:30, we put together the daily newssheet ai prepared to accommodate reporters frim surrounding radio, TV, and newspapersltd was not always possible to control the exit ft - could come to the worst) L minute we session. I was assigned to write about the worm services on several days. When I wantec\o enter near the stage, where it was being h I was refused entrance, in spite of the fact tit I tried to explain. To me that was a surpr.?. Word of appreciation Dear Editor: A word of appreciation for! two poems under Meditation (June "Beneath This Stone and Wooden Cro and "The Gospel: Self-serving or Gj News." No less opportune was Helen C. Co| article in retrospect on the John T. Neul family and the Grace Mennonite Churct Chicago. There would be a great deal nil to tell and write about this beloved pa and his family. John E. Fretz, 531 Sc Lane, Telford, Pennsylvania Septcmbc 642 NOVEMBER 1, I flie chose ministry ily call to the pastoral ministry was an /olutionary process with many contribut- |ig factors. There was an inner sense of call, eminary studies helped. And crucial forme ■ as the willingness of a congregation to give >.e a chance for a summer pastorate icperience. It confirmed my call. 1 I view the outer call from others in the lurch as being more significant in helping a brson discern God's will than to let a person l;ten to an inner call alone. We should be lore ready to tap people on the shoulder id say, "I think you have the gifts for • inistry." They are receptive when we do it lit of genuine feeling and concern, j I don't regard myself so much as "God's S'rson" in the congregation. God speaks rough God's people. He affirms the call of jir Christian community through many ople and in different ways. I regard my Schrag primary task to "call others out" to do their own ministry. I like being a generalist, and that is required in the ministry. It is special to work with volunteers in a variety of tasks and relationships. The ministry demands much from a pastor and the pastor's family. And there always has to be a coping with a job never quite completed. 1 have never tried to do anything more demanding, frustrating, and yet fulfilling than what I am doing in the pastorate. Anyone looking for such a combination, with the emphasis on fulfillment, should seriously consider God's call to the pastoral ministry. James Schrag, pastor, Tabor Mennonite Church, Newton, Kansas Many Gifts, a worship resource book with original songs by Patricia Shelly and poetic images and music by Peter Ediger and Judy Krehbiel, is now available. The fifty-page paperback book may be ordered for $2.00 from the Faith and Life bookstores at Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 and 159 West Main, Berne, Indiana 4671 1 ; or from Patricia Shelly, 5987 Miller Street, Arvada, Colorado 80004. Pastor needed The position of pastor for the Rosthern Mennonite Church, Rosthern, Saskatchewan, will become vacant as of July 1978. Letters of inquiry may be addressed to Len Enns, Chairman of the Pulpit Committee, Box 701, Rosthern, Saskatchewan S0K 3R0. Associate director required An associate director for the Mennonite Voluntary Service office of the General Conference is required, effective June 1, 1978. Tasks include administrative responsi- bilities for regional units, with some traveling involved. Apply by December 31 to: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 An equal opportunity employer M/F re you 35. . . and uccessful? clyifch iieedsyou. Do you care for persons? Can you teach others? Do you want to share your faith? Is God calling you? Be a pastor. f w can make tlic cliangei ;k it over with your pastor, conference minister, or contact Ministerial Leadership Services Box 347 Newton, Kansas 67114 o |E MENNONITE 643 Ruth Seitz Wiping oui the hunger months In northern Ghana, a country at the base of West Africa's bulge. May and June are the hunger months. People who eat three daily meals after the September harvest may get by on one or two during these months. But this dry season Seibu Abukari's family has plenty of chop, the Ghanaian expression for food. His wife, Asadare, munches groundnuts (peanuts) at any time of the day. His children are eating groundnut soup laced with okra that was dried during the rains. (Most farmers have sold the last of this oil- rich legume for cash to buy cheaper food commodities.) Abukari is the product of the extension efforts of Langbensi Agricultural Station, one of ten such outreach points under the Christian Service Committee (CSC) of the Ghana Christian Council of Churches. Three Mennonite volunteers with the Men- nonite Board of Missions (Elkhart, Indiana) staff Langbensi Station. This twenty-five-year-old farmer's four years as a station employee have paid off. While working on the station's experimental farm, he learned improved crop practices firsthand. "What I learned," noted Abukari, "helped me to increase production on my own farm. Since my father's death a few years ago, I've been responsible for my mother and sister in addition to my wife and our three children." In northern Ghana private land ownership doesn't exist. The land is a stretching savannah, and potential farmland is still plentiful. Anyone can farm an unused portion with permission from the local chief. In 1976 Abukari planted ten acres in groundnuts, corn, and sorghum. These crops, all traditional with his ethnic group, the Frafras, provide both year-round food and cash. His wife also gathers bush fruits, vegetables, and nuts. According to Stan Freyenbergcr, a member of Pleasant Valley Mennonite Church, Harper, Kansas, who is serving as director of Langbensi Agricultural Station, Seibu A bukari yokes his oxen for a practice session at the agricultural station. He has learn to care for his family's needs and to give a portion of his harvest to destitute neighbor * J 644 NOVEMBER 1, f Contents the role of the station is to help improve the Luality of life of the 42,000 in the area and to ;ach responsible use of the soil." The latter, dded Freyenberger, is a God-given task assed on to man since Adam. During visits to twenty-six villages, .angbensi extension workers discuss com- osting, grain storage, and care of wells and rops. The station also offers farmers arious services and goods which help them it spiraling costs. By hiring plowing prvices from the station, Abukari saved six edis (1 cedi = U.S. $1.15) per acre. In town, iring oxen to plow is prohibitive — fourteen fedis an acre. In March the station sent Abukari for a po-week course in bullock technology. Ipon recommendation of the station, he ceived a government loan to purchase two lllocks to train for plowing. "If I train them successfuly," mused bukari, "I'll cultivate an additional ten res this year. If they're hard-working, I will re them out for hauling firewood during ick season on the farm." Freyenberger says that Abukari can now vise farmers who have difficulty training eir own bullocks. About half of the rmers own their own draught animals. Abukari firmly believes in the value of mmercial fertilizer, a scarce commodity in veloping Ghana. Last year he was able to tilize all his fields. In 1976 the Langbensi ition sold 2 1 0 tons to area farmers, but the mand was much higher. (The government Is imported fertilizer at the subsidized ce of three cedis a bag.) The station's role a supplier is crucial for farmers like jukari who have no other source of icultural input. Abukari's investment in fertilizer pro- bed impressive yields — twenty-four 100- p bags of corn, twelve bags of sorghum 1 eleven of groundnuts. After selecting the t of each for seeds for the next planting, sold several for cash. In addition to other essities, he bought a plow and a kerosene- fueled stove for cooking. A father of a two-year-old son and twin daughters under a year, Abukari is con- cerned about his family's nutritional status. From an agricultural booklet in the station's library, he learned the importance of protein-rich beans and groundnuts for body building. He sold some of his maize to buy two bags of beans to feed his household of ten during the dry season. It was probably the family's diet that saved his daughters who were struck by measles, a widespread killer disease among African children. Vaccine is not available near Langbensi. His wife uses groundnuts to make gari, a common lunch dish. She mixes water and local yeast with bean flour and steams the balls of dough in a traditional "oven." To prepare an ovenlike environment, she puts short sticks and than a layer of grass inside a cooking pot. She nests each mound of dough in a leaf and places them on top of the grass for thirty minutes of cooking. Garnished with salt, pepper, and shea-nut butter, an oil gathered from the nuts of a tree in the bush, gari provides substantial nourishment. Recently Abukari bought a donkey and cart to haul his crops during harvest and to carry water for other villagers for a small fee. One month this enterprise brought in 130 cedis. Half went to the two people employed to drive the cart and the rest to pay off his investment. Abukari feels responsible to share his well-being with his neighbors. Hauling well water for women who cook in the market is a useful service. Abukari also practices Christian sharing. He gives a portion of his harvest to destitute neighbors. Seibu Abukari is carving out a productive farm, one which provides essential income and nutritious foodstuffs for his family and helpful services to his community. Because of the invaluable educational and economic services of Langbensi Agricultural Station, other Ghanaian farmers are also successfully coping with the hunger months. Nonconformity — who, me? 626 Progress, they say 628 When is enough enough? 629 News 630 Record 641 Letters 642 I chose the ministry 643 Wiping out the hunger months 644 Choose a life-style 646 CONTRIBUTORS S. Roy Kaufman is pastor of the Pulaski Mennonite Church, Box 98, Pulaski, Iowa 52584. Merle Good, 2497 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, Pennsylvania 17602, is the writer of several dramas and books, most of which are set in a fvlennonite-Amish framework Edgar Stoesz, 21 South 12th Street, Akron, Pennsylvania 17501 , is on the MCC adminis- trative staff- Ruth Seitz and her husband, Blair, have recently returned from an African assign- ment. They live at Route 3, Box 642, Halifax, Pennsylvania 17032. CREDITS Cover: Mary Ann Halteman, Urbana 73; Harold M. Lambert, 2801 Cheltenham, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19150; RNS;626- 8: RNS; 632: Lloyd Fisher, MCC; 644: Blair Seitz. The article "Progress, They Say" is © 1 977 by the New York Times Company. Reprinted by permission. The Meiiiionile Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781. Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street. Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114. Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Assistant editor: Vic Reimer, Box 347, Newton, Kan- sas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director. John Hiebert. Busmess manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circu- lation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Evelyn Krehbiel, 229 Brookwood, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, La Vernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117, Encom- pass, Mary Rempel, Box 347. Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road. Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805; and Conference of Menno- nites in Canada, Irene Friesen Petkau. 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P OM4. MENNONITE 645 Choose a life-style Today's common culture can be described as an individualistic, atomistic, secular culture. Your community is yourself; therefore, look after Number One bcause no one else will. Contemporary culture does not know, or understand, commitment and a spiritual community. Technology or gadgetry is the hope for the future. The Bible says that humankind is created "in the image of God" (imago Dei), Genesis 1:27. This makes us capable to act in a holy or godly way. It makes us into moral agents. This capability was marred in the Fall (at Eden) and is restored in the atoning work of Jesus Christ. Christians once again have the capacity to be holy, to live obediently and righteously. We can make morally appropriate decisions. We are true to our commitment only when we decide, to the best of our ability, upon a course of life that will reflect God's image in us and through us. A word that is becoming popular today is interface. The dictionary defines it as the common boundary of two objects. It is that place where two things distinctly separate, but also come together. One good illustration is the two parts of any joint. Christians live at the interface of two kingdoms, the earthly and the heavenly. This fact confronts us with many interfaces — good and evil, prosperity and adversity, ignorance and knowledge, sharing and hoarding, weeping and laughing. It is at this interface that we get into trouble. Since both parts come together at the joint, they seem like one whole. Again and again, we make no deliberate choices. We simply drift along with the mass, not noticing that a subtle surrender has been made. Our moral sensitivity becomes dull as we become comfortable in the earthly kingdom. The occasional guilt feelings are squelched in a game of social and economic detente with our friends and neighbors. The Christian conscience needs to be reawak- ened. Technocracy thrives on competition, not cooperation. Technology promotes itself on con- sumption, not conservation. Common progress cannot tolerate families with kinspeople; they become too hard to uproot and move to the latest frontier. Children become a liability by making it difficult to advance in our careers because they require too much time. When spouses interfere with the idolatrous success ladder, they too become expendable. The dominant slogan becomes "If it feels good, do it." Change comes at us so fast that it overwhelms not only our physical and mental defenses, it obliterates the decision-making process. We no longer control the society we live in; it controls us. The end product of such a process is the holocaust. Too much, Christians are taking their signals from this common society. We evade the interface. Moral integrity, the cleaning up of our conscien- ces so that we can look each other in the eye and face ourselves in the mirror, requires a new look at where we are going. God has given us a gift, the capability to choose. Humankind was never designed to self- destruct. God's image-potential in us is waiting to be unleashed in its full power and beauty. Where Christians deliberately choose a life-style that reflects the heavenly kingdom, the results are amazing. People find that they can enjoy life more and more without "grabbing the gusto," without going deeper into debt to "pass the Joneses," without consuming every moment of time as another unit for materialistic production. Wherever people let the image of God shine forth, a new sense of oneness begins; we realize that our strength lies in togetherness with God and other people. As the Christian community grows, fear lessens and the anxiety pressure drops. God waits for us to choose. He is no Dr. Welby who makes house calls, comes to dinner every other evening, and when he's not at your bedside or house, he's driving you up the wall with incessant phone calls trying to find out how you are. That is adding pressure upon pressure. God waits at the interface. The choice is ours. The play Green Pastures shows it powerfully. God looks down from a window in heaven and sees what is happening at Golgotha. On stage there is a moment of silence, hushed and terrible, as God watches. And all at once, God covers his face. God is God because he gives us the gift of choice. You and I are Christians when we, by choice, at the interfaces, choose a life-style appropriate to our capability in Christ. BW The Mcmioiiite OTHER FOUNDATION CAN NO ONE LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST - 92:40 NOVEMBER 8, 1977 Perspective on Latin America COM special issue Hector G. Valencia V. Signs of yope, m Latin America What the Christian is called to is to liberate people — liberate them from sin, from injustice, from social and economic pressures, and from anything that alienates their functioning as human beings. A great deal of attention has been given to the study of the rate of growth of the Protestant church in Latin America. Ac- cording to some estimates, there are about 20 million Protestants in Latin America today. There will be 100 million by the end of this century, a numerical growth of 3.5 million a year in the next twenty-four years (Richard Showalter, "Planning for Growth," Mission Focus, November 1975). It is a rather slow growth when compared to the total popula- tion, estimated to be more than 326 million. Whatever the size and growth rate of the Protestant population may be, the presence of a comunidad evangelica (Protestant evangelical community) in Latin America is an acknowledged fact. It has taken some hard work, even suffering, but it is there as a witness to the lordship of Jesus Christ. ; The vitality of this comunidad evangelv shows itself in innovative and surprisi; signs of a mature community in the quest lj- solutions to the immense problems faci'; the continent. The Protestant churches i Latin America are speaking and acting qt of the experiences of the past when mh toleration or even outright rejection ws their lot. With more freedom and mle, ministers, women's groups, and more fecently, priests, nuns, and Catholic laypeo- "■le in the basics of Bible distribution. More ,!han 12,000 women volunteers are active in jiible work. And the excellent magazine La tiblia en la America Latina, with a wide circulation, reaches all strata of society. The dynamic translations of the Bible produced by experts, such as the New Testament Dios Llega al Hombre, have been best sellers since their publication in Spanish and Portuguese a few years ago. It is interesting to note that the Good News Bible, so successful in North America, had its origin in the Version Popular published in Spanish using new scientific principles of communication developed in Latin Ameri- ca (Eugene Nida, Good News for Everyone). All these activities of the Bible societies and of the Latin American churches have made an impact on the people. The Bible has become a respectable book instead of a book to be burned or hidden from visitors. The total circulation of Scriptures in 1976 was 1,018,324 Bibles; 1,944 New Testaments; 4,984,806 portions; and 158,877,347 selec- tions, in addition to almost six million Selections for New Readers (United Bible Societies Annual Report, 1976). The new appreciation for the Bible comes as the result of numerous factors. But perhaps the strongest is the effort put forth by those engaged in Bible work, always seeking new and imaginative ways to promote the Scriptures. These original patterns tried in Latin America have been adopted success- fully in Africa and Asia, and even in North America. New patterns of ministry) In Latin America there is a great deal of thought and effort devoted to defining the kind of ministry needed for the Latin congregations. The churches inherited the tradition of a salaried full-time pastor to do the church work with the help of a council or a group of volunteers. The congregations have to raise the money for the pastor's salary, the church building, and the budget for the church program. Some argue that a paid ministry is not necessary and that the answer for leadership in a poor church, such as the one in Latin America, needs to be found in the principle of the "priesthood of all believers." Many churches, particularly the less structured ones, have a minister with little preparation and much dedication. On the other hand, some denominations still feel that a well-trained ministry is basic for the complete proclamation of the gospel and, therefore, they continue preparing their pastors at a higher level. Most of the leaders of the mainline denominations have received seminary training, and in many cases have gone beyond this preparation to obtain degrees in their own country or in foreign universities. There is some frustration on the part of both the well-trained people and the denomi- nations because these highly trained leaders cannot be supported financially by the poor churches and end up by migrating, leaving the ministry, or becoming part of the church bureaucracy. In dealing with this problem the Latin American leaders have been rather resourceful. Some denominations have kept their Bible institutes or seminaries and continue with a program of residence. Others have found the answer in joining forces with otherdenominations. Still others have adopted the method of theological education by extension or some types of informal training programs that take the professors, materials, and the seminary to the students. Whatever the method used, there are evidences of new patterns emerg- ing. A Mexican man receives his introduction to advanced literacy through a Good News selection in Spanish. Training Latin leaders The "residential-type" institutions for theo- logical education continue to have a pro- found influence in the preparation of ministers. Such is the case of the Protestant Institute of Higher Theological Studies in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Theological Community in Mexico City, the Latin American Biblical Seminary in San Jose, Costa Rica, and the Evangelical Seminary of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras. The combined efforts of several denominations makes it possible to have an efficient and yet diversified, up-to-date program in addition to other types of informal educational offerings. Theological education by extension has developed tremendously in the last twelve years in Latin America. Its impetus began with the decision of the Presbyterian Seminary in Guatemala to explore new ways of imparting theological education by abandoning the residential type in exchange for the extension model. The program is based at a central campus with a core faculty, administration, and publishing operation all committed to extension work. The full-time faculty members, some of whom do not live at the seminary, visit all the centers once a week for two or three sessions. The larger two- or three-day gatherings are held at the central campus two or three times a year. There are hundreds of extension programs all over Latin America inspired by and based on the experiment in Guatemala. And this successful experimentation has gone beyond the Latin world to inspire and help churches on other continents. F. Ross Kinsley, one of the exponents of the movement, after a seven-week trip around the world lecturing on the subject, reported: "I arrived, as planned, on November 23, the day of the seminary's graduation. . . . That evening the Presbyterian Seminary of Guatemala held its tenth graduation since the initiation of the extension plan, the pilot program which has influenced so many others around the world" (Center for Studies in Theological Education and Ministry, Guatemala, Occa- sional Paper No. 2). The Mennonites, after a serious and fruitful experiment in theological education at the Montevideo Seminary which ended in 1974, are now exploring new possibilities. The opening of a new Mennonite Theologi- cal Center in Asuncion, Paraguay, is an indication of their interest in this field. r|GLESIA EVANGELICA MENONITA Residential institutions for theological j education continue to have a profound j influence in the preparation of ministers An evanaelism renewal There is today in Latin America a renewed commitment to evangelism. The efforts toward self-propagation take various forms from the massive sophisticated evangelistic campaign to the simple personal witness reinforced by tracts and Scripture selections. The concern of the churches today is not only to face the unbelievers with the Christian alternative, but also to provide an opportunity for growth within the communi- ty of believers so that those who have made the choice for Christ also become messengers of the Word. Evangelism is more than the verbal proclamation of the gospel. It is a process in which the whole church s involved from initial steps till the proclaili- tion is completed, conversions take pi?:, and the incarnation of the Word becof:s reality in the lives of those who mi;e decisions. Some leaders in Latin America htt decided to explore new forms of evangeliln. Indepth Evangelism has been in operant since 1959 under the sponsorship of ■ Latin American Mission and is now^ autonomous body within the Communit Latin American Evangelical Ministries.' organization has done much to THE MENNONITE seeks to witness, teach, motivate, and build the Christian fellowship within the context of Christian love and Ireedom under the guidance ot the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit. H lished weekly e/rept biweekly during July and August and the last two weeks in December at Newton. Kansas 671 14. by the General Board of the General Conference Mennonite Church Secon I'" I.I'M' I >,i id .11 New I in-,;i b / 1 M mil ,il ,1.1' . ,lh ' , i ilv.< I ipt Inn-, in I I Sl.ll.is 11(1(1 Canatln $0 <>0 nnu y (-'ill i 1 '> Ml two veil s t.1 I in. I In ,m> vim i Mi i SB SO ppi year rial office 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Canada R3P 0M4 Business office 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newlon, Kansas 67114 Postmaster Send Form 3579 to Box 34 7, Newton, Kansas 650 NOVEMBER 8. congregations develop an evangelistic life- style, like the early church, whereby the fruit of the Spirit is seen in daily increase in the number of committed disciples of Christ. . . . This kind of life-style takes seriously three basic discipleship commitments: total obe- dience to Christ as Lord; genuine love and j unity within the Body of Christ; and unconditional love and service to our ;neighbors, while inviting them to follow Christ as his faithful disciples and responsi- ble members of his church" (Institute of In depth Evangelism, September 1976). The new structure of Indepth Evangelism, which includes a Center for Pastoral Studies directed by Orlando Costas, has been a source of inspiration not only for the Latin American churches but also for the Protest- ant worldwide community. The principles and practices discovered in the Latin American countries have helped the people of other continents to face problems of growth and evangelistic, congregational life- styles. It is very clear in the writing of Orlando Costas, Rene Padilla, Samuel Escobar, Emilio A. Nunez, Jose Miguez, Emilio Castro, Mortimer Arias, and others, that "triple commitment — with the Word, with the church, and with Latin America," is indeed a serious and creative mission undertaken at a critical moment in Latin American history (Rene Padilla, El Reino de Dios y America Latina, 1975). As the participants in the church-mission consulta- tion held last December 1976, in Quito, Ecuador, discovered, there is still a great deal of work to be done in overcoming the lack of an adequate theology of the church, the acute problem of dependence, the complexi- ty of the missionary structures based in North America, the coordination of these structures with the Latin American churches, and the matter of interdepen- dence. The increasing understanding of the problems by Latin American thinkers within the church is a promising sign in these days of confusion. Many of these leaders are also traveling to world gatherings to interpret the Latin American situation. Through their reflec- tions they are calling the attention of European and North American theologians to get them interested in visiting Latin American countries and to read and reflect upon the reality of these countries. One reads with interest the conclusions of John Stott after a six-week visit to Latin America. He is impressed by the fact that Latin Americans consider themselves as oppressed people. He is also "bewildered by the variety of competing solutions that are being pro- posed." "So," he writes, "is there any solution to the Latin American problems? 1 am still convinced that there is more hope in evangelization than in any other single Christian option. We are under the authority of the Lord Jesus, who has commissioned us. And nothing is more humanizing than the gospel." He also recommends that the missions take social action seriously as an expression of the message. He concludes: "One ardently hopes that Christian missions in Latin America will increasingly seek to promote such projects alongside with evan- gelization; without the accompanying good works the gospel lacks credibility" (John Stott, "A Visit to Latin America," Christian- ity Today, September 9, 1977). Although the comunidad evangelica in Latin America has by no means found its complete identity or clearly identified its mission, the Spirit is showing Latin American Christians new signs of hope. On market day, the city plaza of Anolaima, Colombia, becomes a beehive of activity. Theological ferment There is in Latin America an important theological ferment in process. Serious sfforts are being made on the part of Christian leaders to discern the signs of the dmes and to apply Christian principles to poncrete situations. The theology of liberation, expounded 50th by Protestant and Catholic theologians, Challenges traditional theology to begin :' heologizing from the present historical •lituation of the Latin person. ! What the Christian is called to is to iberate people — liberate them from sin. [rom injustice, from social and economic pressures, and from anything that alienates heir functioning as human beings. The iberation theme not only has spiritual but ilso political, social, and economic implica- ions. "People should be liberated in all ireas, in every way; from sin, which is the lavery that man himself is author of; from he psychological slaveries of fear, anguish, outine, laziness, passions, and prejudices; rom social restrictions; from the systems of omination that hang over most people sday, oppressing even the dominators lemselves; from the economic system that is t the heart of the worldwide system of omination" (Joseph Coblin, The Theology f Liberation, Keyhole Series), j How this liberation is to take place is one If the most difficult questions to answer; hether to follow the option of violent solution using the example of the guerrilla priest Camilo Torres, or the peaceful alternative of Dom Heldei Camara of Brazil, is still unsolved. More and more the tendency seems to be towards peaceful active resistance, although extremists are skeptical of the possibility of peaceful changes after the Chilean overthrow of Salvador Allende. The theology of liberation is not the only expression of Christian concern emerging from Latin leaders. For some years during the fifties and part of the sixties the Latin American Protestant community suffered severe criticism of not making the gospel relevant to the situation. Although this criticism still continues, it has diminished in part because of the new openness of the churches to denounce injustices. The most decisive turning point is that a number of Christian leaders and concerned church members from different countries have come together in theological fraterni- ties, church conferences, seminars, and small ad hoc groups to reflect on the mission of the church and to explore the implications of the gospel on the Latin American scene. Out of these individual and collective explorations, magazines, books, and declarations have emerged and have been circulated world- wide, asking hard questions, explaining possible strategies, and giving Christian hope to dispel the despair and emptiness of an underdeveloped world. News In diversity there is joy — maybe Although "discovering and affirming our theological diversity" was the theme for the annual sessions of the Western District there was little expression of diversity. No resolutions were passed except one expressing thanks to the hosting churches. There was a lackluster, defensive response to the challenge of explaining the phrase "heritage of the Mennonite church" in the revised constitution. Any discussion that did arise from the floor came mainly from pastors. Few laypersons and almost no women spoke. The diversity that did appear evolved mainly from conference speaker Pete Posey, urban ministries specialist for the United Methodists in Wichita, Kansas. As one delegate quipped, "This is a conven- tion, not a conference." Nevertheless, there were good moments: times of joy, affirmation, and faith, and perhaps, even of discovery. The home missions committee, in justifying its 1978 budget request of $79,220, did so creatively, catching the imagination of the delegates. The presentation was a key factor in the approval of the total Western District budget for 1978 which calls for cash donations of $220,000, an increase of 13 percent over the current $193,000 purse. Despite 1977 donations to the end of September being only $100,000, delegates approved the significantly larger spending proposals for 1978. Most of the increase was for home missions. One or two speakers who called for realism in budgeting were overwhelmed by those who said, "We need to set goals so we have a sense of movement; we need a challenge to the life of faith we live." Undoubtedly this sentiment, the sense of being on the growing edge of exciting home ministries, found a hallelujah chorus among the 385 delegates representing sixty-six congregations in Nebraska, Kansas, Okla- homa, Colorado, and Texas. Four new home ministries were funded, and others, already receiving grants, were strongly affirmed. Nine thousand dollars was budgeted to begin a Spanish ministry in Liberal, Kansas. Two part-time home mission personnel have been assigned to the Kansas university centers of Lawrence and Manhattan to engage in church planting. A captivating story came from a strug- gling ten-year-old congregation in Houston, Texas. The congregation of sixty has had severe problems with high mobility which has at times shattered its grass roots support base. It continues to receive subsidy. But October 16 fourteen new members were added to the church, eleven of whom are Spanish-speaking. Among the Spanish members is a pastor, Victor Alvarez, who is now beginning ministry to Spanish-speaking persons. Houston minister Marlin Kim commented, "We had the space and no leadership. They had the leadership and no space." The Western District accepted the Men- nonite Church of the Servant, Wichita, Kansas, into membership, and although the delegate body affirmed the small group, there were hard questions about the congregation during a Saturday buzz session on home missions. "What is the point of another church in Wichita?" one delegate asked. The implication seemed to be that the $17,500 subsidy to the group of less than twenty hardly seemed justified when there already was a church in Wichita. David Habegger, who is heading up this church planting effort, replied that there was a need for more options within the city. Pete Posey addressed the conference several times, and also reflected on each day's happenings. His message was clear: "Diversity is the condition of great joy. . .1 The real position of faith is to ha\ unresolved ambiguity because faith which closed is not able to grow. . . . Theologiq plurality carries an innate responsibility f( growth. . . . Our churches increasing) represent diversity in points of view, and y they continue to see this as a problem rath than a gift." The theme of diversity was also dram tized. Friday afternoon a group of playei- using symbolic blocks, built a wall represer, ing the many dimensions of "the world which Western District is called." Congreg tions, family relationships, agencies, instit tions, ethnicity were all part of the mix. B: there were tensions that shattered the un| of the wall. Yet, "though the bricks ha| fallen, we will build with dressed stones" aj the players began, hesitatingly, then mf1 joyously, to work together at building t[: wall again "in Christ," dramatizing that ev}i as we build we see that things do fall apa. At the end of the conference the questili remained as to whether Mennonites Western District were free to show thjr theological diversity. There seemed to bti nervousness about what might be hidi; under the bushel basket. There was not miji discovery of theological positions. 1(i constitutional discussion on the meaningf Mennonite heritage didn't get beyond geni- alities. Perhaps the enthusiastic support for e very diverse styles of home mission \s evidence of the acceptance of diversity. Ad a gesture toward unity in diversity did oc r when Calvin King, fraternal delegate fnn the Mennonite Church, called for a unin between his church and the General ConJ:- ence. Delegates and visitors roundly |»- plauded the statement. In diversity theijis joy after all — sometimes. Vic Reimer Western District home missions are active and growing. Three aspects are symbolized by the placards — Spanish ministry, church planting, community development. These players dramatize that even as the church builds, relationships eck signals concerning their common :! Imistry. S. Hosted by the Ontario inter-Mennonite v; udent services team, the group of thirteen J pt at Conrad Grebel College. They re- ,;wed what has been going on among Peace efforts stir controversy Both winners of the Nobel Peace Prize announced in mid-October are not without critics. Shown preparing for a television appearance are Mairead Corrigan (left) and Betty Williams of Northern Ireland. They received the 1976 prize — not awarded last year— for "their initiative to end the violence which has marked the unfortunate disintegration in Northern Ireland, " the Nobel Foundation said. The women, both Catholics, have organized a broad- based movement to end violence between Roman Catholics and Protestants in the British province. Tlieir efforts to rehabilitate the violent mind call for an unconditional laying down of arms. Both Protestant and Catholic militants have criticized them. Bernadette Devlin, former member of Parliament, in an interview with the National Catholic Reporter, said the women are wrong in asking Catholics to stop fighting because "the oppressed cannot be the first to lay down their arms." Other Irish Republican Army backers have denounced the women's peace efforts as "peace without justice. " Amnesty International, the London-based human rights organization working on behalf of political prisoners, was named the winner of the 1977 prize of $145,000. It has been censured as "communist" for its work with those imprisoned for opposing apartheid in South Africa. Mennonite urban young adults and students on non-Mennonite campuses and dreamed about the future. The meeting was convened by Eleanor Loewen and Hubert Brown, General Con- ference Mennonite Church and Mennonite Church student services staff workers. Bill Dick, a University of Waterloo counselor and member of the General Conference Mennonite student services committee, offered some handles on "Coun- seling as Ministry: Faith Development of Students and Young Adults." He affirmed the searching, questioning posture of young adulthood and encouraged integrating the teaching-listening or directive-nondirective counseling approaches. "I am indebted to Carl Rogers for introducing me to the concept of uncondi- tional positive response to the other, so poignantly expressed in the Indian proverb: I will not judge my neighbor until I have walked a mile in his moccasins," Bill said. "But to drop our counseling responsibility at that point in the relationship would be shortchanging the young adult. We must be available to help counselees move beyond where they are." Participating in the meeting were Bill Dick, Gloria Martin Eby, Wilmer Martin, John Regier, John Rempel, and Martin Sawatsky, all of Ontario; James Pankratz. Manitoba; Eleanor Loewen, Kansas; John Hershberger, Iowa; Hubert Brown and Willard Roth, Indiana; Arden Shank, Washington D.C. The workers agreed to meet next year in September in Philadelphia. The 1976 meeting — the first gathering of employed student workers — was held in Indianapolis. HI IE MENNONITE 655 Words ffl deeds Application for four $500 scholarships offered annually by Mennonite Mental Health Services must be made by the end of February 1978. College students who will be on the junior, senior, or graduate level next year and who have a declared major and vocational interest in the mental health field may apply. Other requirements are a minimum grade average of C+ and active participation in a Christian church. Applica- tions are available from the director of MMHS, 4905 North West Avenue, Suite 118, Fresno, California 93705. Rosthern (Saskatchewan) Junior College has enrolled 167 students this year. The senior high school is a joint ministry of two provincial conferences, Alberta and Sask- atchewan. One hundred and thirty-six stu- dents live in the dormitories. Most of the students have their homes in Saskatchewan or Alberta, but there are also fourteen Chinese students from Hong Kong. An Islamic seminar is currently under way in Nairobi, Kenya. The purpose of the eight- week seminar is to expose participants to the theological issues involved when Christians and Muslims interact. Peter Ipema, general advisor for the Islam in Africa Project, provides overall leadership; Eastern Menno- nite Board of Missions has David Shenk serving as associate instructor. Participants are from Denmark, Sweden, Kenya, Tanza- nia, and the United States. All are involved in Christian-Muslim encounter in Africa. Among the agencies contributing funds for the seminar is Mennonite Central Commit- tee, which Mr. Shenk says symbolizes a growing sensitivity among Mennonites to carry on a responsible witness to Muslims. Selling used furniture for MCC is the newest wrinkle in community Self-Help stores. Altona (Manitoba) area Mennonite churches have opened a second store to sell furniture. The first store concentrates on used clothing. Semiretired and retired men are taking primary responsibility for operat- ing the furniture store. Donations of used furniture were received in September, and on October 1 the store opened for business. The new store is sponsored by the same group of six churches that sponsors the clothing store. American Indians traveled to a United Nations conference in Geneva, Switzerland, on self-issued Iroquois Nation passports. The Indians had refused U.S. passports and the State Department waived their need for them. The delegates attended a UN Interna- tional Conference on Discrimination against Indigenous Populations which attracted more than 250 representatives from fifteen countries. David Monongye, a Hopi elder from Arizona, said Indian lands continue to diminish in the United States. "Some of you," he told the conference, "may have eaten Crackerjacks. What does it say outside the Crackerjack box — 'the more you eat the more you want.' He (the white man) has eaten up our land already, but he wants more." American Indians who attempted to travel to other European countries did have trouble with the acceptance of their Iroquois Nation passports by immigration officials. Blujfton (Ohio) College has received an $18,000 grant from the Marathon Founda- tion to help with start-up costs in its baccalaureate nursing program. The grant will buy classroom and clinical aids, library books, and periodicals. The new nursing program is for registered nurses seeking a BS in nursing degree. Thirty full- and part-time students have enrolled. The Associated Mennonite Biblical Semi- naries, Elkhart, Indiana, is one of three institutions that have received parts of the library of the late George Wright, Harvard University. The books are in the field of Old Testament and theology. The potential new No. 1 killer of people is job boredom. The U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare claims your life span depends on how much you like your work. One management consultant claims nine of ten workers are dissatisfied because of boredom built into jobs for efficiency. Working conditions often stifle autonomy and creativity, claims the report. A Christian unity service in Newark, New Jersey, recently attracted many leading Protestant and Catholic clergy. William Thompson, president of the National Coun- cil of Churches, addressed the throng of 1 ,200. In his remarks he indicated that in the past the ecumenical movement acentuated common beliefs, but that now there are signs that the future stress will be on resolving, or acknowledging the differences. India's goldsmiths have objected to a translation of Malachi 3:2 by the Bible Society. "Refiner's" fire was translated "goldsmith's" in Telegu, one of the major languages of India. Goldsmith is also used as a caste name and in their letter to the Bible Society 1,500 goldsmiths said the use of the name in the Malachi context was derogatory to them. It is possible that a revision of the Bible in Telegu may be necessary soon because of the social and political awakening taking place in India. Mennonite Collegiate Institute, Gretna Manitoba, has enrolled 223 students thi year, an increase of forty from 1976 Although there are more students, there ar financial concerns because even though tht actual cost per student is near $2,000 the cos billed directly to students is only $ 1 ,000. Th difference is collected through donatio^ income, and hence the extra forty student represent a need for an additional $40,000 i donations. Pastor required Leading minister is required for a congreg? Hon of approximately four hundred member Language— bilingual preferred. Please dire^ inquiries with resume of education ar experience to Bergthaler Mennonite Churc Box 997, Morden, Manitoba ROG 1JO. Associate director required An associate director for the Mennoni Voluntary Service office of the Genei Conference is required, effective June 1978. Tasks include administrative responi bilities for regional units, with sometravelif involved. Apply by December 31 to: Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 An equal opportunity employer Books can inform and in- spire you. Best of all, what you get out of a good book remains with you always, long after you've finished reading it. So discover— or rediscover— the satisfaction and pleasure of reading.— Melody Yoder Faith and Life Bookstore 159 West Main, Berne, Indiana 46711 Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Fellowship Bookcenter 302 Kennedy Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 2M6 656 NOVEMBER 8, lf>l:. Record Workers 'ancy Carlin, Pasadena, California, ;gan two years of service with the Seattle 'lit of Mennonite Voluntary Service in ugust. Her assignment is working with the hurch Council of Greater Seattle, particu- jrly in the area of school desegregation. She \ a graduate in religion and English from ;irnard College, New York. She has had prk experience with CROP (Christian jural Overseas Program) and as admissions •sistant at Columbia University School of isiness. Derksen 'Marjorie Derksen. Olivet Church, Clear- Dok, British Columbia, began one year of i^nnonite Voluntary Service in September ■ the day-care center in Markham, Illinois. je is a graduate of Mennonite Educational ;titute at Clearbrook. Her parents are jiin and Nellie Derksen of Clearbrook. jlenn Edwards, Wichita, Kansas, has I n named lecturer in American history at |hel College while Jim Juhnke is on sj batical leave of absence. IZarl and Marie Flickner, East Swamp arch, Quakertown, Pennsylvania, left vember 5 to begin another term of service India under The Evangelical Alliance >sion (TEAM). A recommissioning ser- : was held for them October 30. tfelvin Goering, Moundridge, Kansas, been named general education director Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, ctive November 1. He will be working l problems relating to career relevance — lin the liberal arts program. A philos- y major at Bethel College, Mr. Goering led a MDiv degree from Vanderbilt inity School and an MA in philosophy of |ion from Harvard University. From ? to 1973 he taught philosophy at Tfton (Ohio) College. He is currently ser and operator of Goering Custom ders, Santa Fe, New Mexico. E Groff Kaufman Sharon Groff, Bowmansville, Pennsylva- nia, has begun two years of Mennonite Voluntary Service as a secretary for Friends of the Earth, an environmental group located in Seattle. She has attended Bluffton (Ohio) College, and is a member of Pine Grove Mennonite Church, Bowmansville. Ray Groff, Bowmansville, is her father. Larry Kaufman. Eden Church, Mound- ridge, Kansas, is beginning two years of Mennonite Voluntary Service in December, working in home repair in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has attended Bethel College, North Newton. His parents are Howard and Neva Kaufman of Mound- ridge. Sheryl King. Huntington, West Virginia, has been named instructor in health, physical education, and recreation at Bluff- ton (Ohio) College. She will also be serving as women's basketball and softball coach. She holds a master's degree from Marshall University in Huntington. B. Nunemaker C. Nunemaker Bill and Connie Nunemaker of St. John's Michigan, have begun a two-year term of voluntary service with Mennonite Board of Missions, Elkhart, Indiana. Both are gradu- ates of Bluffton (Ohio) College. They are serving as assistant directors at Pinedale Boys Club of America, Pinedale, California. Bill is a member of Bethel Mennonite Church, Ashley, Michigan, and the son of Minnie and Marvin Nunemaker of St. John's. Connie is a member of First Church, Bluffton, Ohio, and the daughter of Evelyn and Howard Krehbiel of Bluffton. David Sherck, Bristol, Indiana, has begun two years of Mennonite Voluntary Service in Canton, Oklahoma, as a community worker specializing in youth recreation. He has studied business administration for two years and has worked as a plant manager and payroll supervisor. He is a member of Pleasant Oaks Church, Middlebury, Indi- ana. Junior J. and Iva Sherck of Middlebury are his parents. Linda I. Schmidt of Walton, Kansas, has begun work as an administrative assistant to Peace Section at Mennonite Central Com- mittee headquarters in Akron, Pennsylva- nia. Linda holds a BA in peace studies and history from Bethel College, North Newton, Kansas, and served eleven months in Bangladesh in a peace studies internship program. She has attended Tabor Church, Newton, Kansas, and is the daughter of Alvin and Wilma Schmidt. Sprunger Zacharias Dianne Sprunger, First Church, Berne, Indiana, has begun a one-year term of voluntary service with Mennonite Board of Missions, Elkhart, Indiana, as a registered nurse in Phoenix, Arizona. She is a 1976 graduate of Indiana Central University, Indianapolis, Indiana. Before entering ser- vice she worked at Elkhart General Hospital as a registered nurse. She is the daughter of Gladys and Eugene Sprunger of Berne. Gayle Zacharias, Crystal City (Manitoba) Church, began one year of Mennonite Voluntary Service in September working in a day-care center in Hutchinson, Kansas. She graduated from Canadian Mennonite Bible College, Winnipeg, Manitoba, in 1976, majoring in sacred music, and this year earned a BA degree in fine arts from the University of Waterloo, Ontario. Her parents are Dick and Elizabeth Zacharias, Crystal City. T :. MENNONITE 657 Several couples are urgent! needed for developing tn church and preparing leaders i; Colombia, Brazil, and Bolivia . . .1 geriatrics nurse is needed f(i Colombia. Write: General Conference Mennonin Church Commission on Overseas Missi Box 347 Newton, Kansas 67114 Si Ministers Waldemar P. Regier has accepted the pastorate of the Bethany Church, Virgil, Ontario, effective September l, 1978. Paul Seiber, Arthur, Illinois, has accepted a call to become pastor of the United Mennonite Church, Peoria, Illinois. Arthur Sutton, pastor of the Zion Church. Canton, Oklahoma, was licensed for the ministry on October 30. Mr. Sutton is of the Arapahoe tribe and has served the congrega- tion since 1975. Malcolm Wenger and Ric Dalke participated in the licensing service. Audiovisuals "Hallelujah! Amen!" is a new album of favorite hymns sung by the Mennonite Hour Singers that has recently been released by Mennonite Broadcasts. The album marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of the chorus. Copies will be available from local book- stores and Mennonite Broadcasts, Box I252, Harrisonburg, Virginia 2280 1. Price in Canada is $6.95; in the U.S. $5.95. Smucker ^ Published Underground to Canada by Barbara Smucker of Waterloo, Ontario, has been selected as one of the fifty best children's books lor I977 by the Children's Book Festival of Canada. The book, for ages nine to thirteen, tells the story of slaves from Mississippi during the Civil War period who escape to Canada, receiving temporary shelter from a Mennonite community in Tennessee. It is available from Faith and Life bookstores at Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67 1 1 4, and 1 59 West Main, Berne, Indiana 467 1 1 . Calendar February lO-ll, 1 978— Mennonite Dh) ter Service annual all-unit meetings, Pr nix, Arizona Canadian November 18-19— MCC (Ontario) anr meeting, St. Andrew's United Chui| Markham, Ontario November 25-26— MCC (Alberta) anr meeting, Highland Mennonite Bretr Church, Calgary, Alberta November 26 — MCC (Manitoba) anr meeting. Morrow Gospel Church, Winnil December 3 — Conference of the Unl Menndnite Churches of Ontario delei meeting, Rockway Mennonite Sch| Kitchener, Ontario Northern November 1 8- 1 9 — Farm and food si| nar. Bethel Church, Mountain Lake, Mi| sota; resource people, Cecil Graber, Arq Harder, Doris Longacre, Russell Harold Regier Western November 13 Mission Festival, Bi Church, Inman, Kansas 658 NOVEMBER 8, cussion governmental oppression and our Christian witness 1 response by a Latin America missionary U the General Conference sessions in l Uuffton, Ohio, the Commission on Ch>er- \.?as Mission (COM) presented a resolution i ntitled "Governmental Oppression and Our y'hristian Witness." Laverne Rutschman, veteran Latin American missionary working f the Seminario Biblica Latinoamericano in an Jose, Costa Rica, shares his response nd reflections on the resolution. j.lthough fully supporting the COM resolu- !on in its concern for Christian witness in ituations of extreme oppression, I am jisturbed by certain questions relating to the pntent of this witness. As missionaries and /angelical pastors, most of us are found, pre or less unconsciously, under bondage i ideologies of the right. As the gospel is ught groups of new believers are formed hose lives are transformed. They meet i|>gether often. They sing. They pray. They nudy the Bible. They testify to their ("inversion experience. However, their | itizenship is only in heaven. For them J^litics and religion do not mix — so long as ; le is anti-Communist! i1 These evangelical groups, the majority in i itin America, are no longer subject to ivernmental oppression. Is their presence ""nsidered a palliative for systems of ) Ijustice? Is their message fully liberating? Is f! Us the extent of the new community called obedience to Christ? Have we communi- : ; ted the gospel in its total biblical content uld in its modern context? Concerned nliople find it increasingly difficult to intify completely with this expression of nil; faith. Something is lacking. J jln Latin America there are also ethnic I immunities of Protestant Christians of a lich Mennonite colonies form a part. They Mi the quiet in the land. Survival demands 1 Nation and conformity. However, before I ticize too severely the pietistic and \i< jirismatic groups with whom I share the mgelical faith, or the immigrant colonists :h whom I identify closely in their struggle h !' community and security, I need to ask ' y my own witness has not led to serious Jr. f "secution. Does the immunity I enjoy as an ! ' nerican citizen permit me to urge others to | nd firm in their witness against the nonic powers knowing that this will invite if ! secution which I will not be called to re? The Christians who suffer today are those who participate in the political struggle and unmask the powers. In Latin America the majority are Roman Catholic. Great numbers of priests and laypeople have been deported, imprisoned, tortured, or killed. Many evangelicals suffer with them. The state does not consider them objects of religious persecution. Their sin is political. As Christians they have identified with the left in the struggle for liberation and basic human justice. There is danger in this. There is little merit in exchanging one type of idolatrous ideology for another. They are Letters Small is beautiful Dear Editor: I have been reading the book Small fs Beautiful, written by the noted British economist E. F. Schumacher. It begins to look as if, hopefully, there is a trend in the direction away from thinking big things are the only ones worthwhile. I note, with regret, that Lois Barrett has left The Mennonite. Her editorials and other writings have always been valuable. I hope she will continue to share some of her thoughts with us. I wish I could have an oral interview with someone, to test and share some of the conclusions and convictions from my long life of reading, experience, meditation, and prayers. /. E. Amstutz, 2500 Lee Road, No. 107, Winter Park, Florida 32789 Prison pen pals Dear Editor: In the May 17 issue, you printed a copy of my letter concerning prisoners' mail and the poem Prison Letters. There was a considerable response from readers requesting the names of prisoners to write. We are thankful. Praise the Lord for each one who wrote. Being a prisoner myself and without any income or proper equipment, increased mail caused somewhat of a burden in handling requests from prisoners and those wanting to write to prisoners. I welcome the burden. As a result of your printing my letter and others Christians, not Communists. They dream of a world not unlike that of the vision of the ancient prophets. As we reread the Bible, we find both the foundation and the goal of true liberation to be Christ who through suffering love has "disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them." God calls us to form communities of disciple-believers who witness to the rulers nonviolently with love and who are willing to suffer because Christ suffered for our redemption that, liberated, we might participate in the new humanity. printing it almost the same time, many forgotten prisoners were reached with the message that someone does care. Upon hearing our problems with postage and a typist to answer the mail, the Reno Mennonite Fellowship of Reno, Nevada, has agreed to take over most of the work I was doing in the Prison Pen Pal program. They will be handling requests from prisoners and outside persons who care to correspond with prisoners. Additionally, they will be publish- ing a newsletter to all interested persons. Their address is: Christian Pen Pal Program, c/o Kevin Lineham, Minister, Reno Mennonite Fellowship, 1645 Sterling Way, Reno, Nevada 89512. They need prayers and support for this ministry to those in prison. Loose stamps are welcome to help, even if an individual can't write a prisoner personally. Such may be sent to the fellowship. David R. Hinman, Box 316, Fort Madison, Iowa 52627 September 2 Sometimes disappointed Dear Editor: Sometimes The Mennonite is a disappointment. The stories from Bluffton (August 23 and September 6) are sad. Maybe our conference needs to be treated with a broom and a dustpan. I encircled a number of items in red. Who would want a woman that had an illegal abortion? The conference had no time for Anita Bryant and the abortion issue, but lots flf E MENNONITE 659 of time to discuss war taxes. The war taxes issue means nothing to me. I was not born in the USA but have lived here now for sixty-seven years. I pay my taxes and trust the government, the same way that I give to church and trust that it be used wisely. Hope TTie Metmonite has more valuable news in the future. Peter B. Lehman, Route 4, Decatur, Indiana 46733 September 10 Church constitutions Dear Editor: Most of our congregations operate under some form of written guide- lines, bylaws, or constitutions. These are justified because in form and substance they follow the bibical injunction to "do all things orderly." At various intervals congregations revise, rewrite, or in some manner change the written rules and thereby come upon new documents of rules and regulations. The intent in any modernization is to have a new product, to have a constitution that will meet current needs. What is often not recognized is that the process is as important or perhaps more important than the prod- uct. It is in the process of evaluation, of mirroring the congregation, of putting beliefs into words, of struggling with changed conditions, that the real value lies. Growth and consensus come in the process, not in the final product. It follows then that, as much as possible, Study Guides 1 A six-session study on the auto- mobile and Christian responsibil- ity. 49 pages, paperback $2.00 2 A study guide for Christian peo- ple on social change. 59 pages, paperback $2.00 3 Part I STOW Women in the MM Bible and 0GS Early Anabaptlsm 'mem Lnsson Halpa far All We're Htut It Be New Men New Roles A thirteen-lesson study in two parts on the role of women in church and society. 63 pages, paperback $2.00 Send orders to: Congregational Sales, Faith and Life Press, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 the entire congregation should be involved i the process. This is often extremely difficu The idea that doing, working at, or workii out, is where one should plug in is foreign many church members. Most would like enter the process after someone or sot committee has completed a new or revis document. As one reviews existing church constit tions, one discovers striking similarities form and substance. One then questio whether originality hasn't given way to mild form of plagiarism. There is ofttime feeling of harshness in existing documents there are strict rules on quorums, spec majorities applied to the pastor in his calli and retention, several grades of membersh special rules on who may partake communion, etc. One could perhaps exph or even justify these by the necessity maintain a pure church. There is often no feeling of inclusiveness, of drawing perse in the fellowship with a compassion tows others, especially those of differing vie points. Constitutions are more than ru and regulations, they are mirrors ourselves — how we view the church, propose to write rules of procedure, but w this we draw self-portraits of ourselves i our concepts of the church. We need overall views — to stand bat distance to be certain this is really us. Chui constitutions are not sacred; in fact they r become hindrances to necessary change opportunity. A constitution may, i should be, helpful toward consensus, un and growth of the congregation. /. Schrag, McPherson, Kansas 67460 September^ Editorial was tops Dear Editor: The editorial "Measuring fr n a Zero Base" (August 23) was tops. It sho d be picked up by other magazines! JacotJ- Enz, Associated Mennonite Biblical Semi- naries, Elkhart, Indiana 46514 SeptemberJ7 Help wantejl Wichita and Oklahoma City: Men and wo3n (skilled and unskilled) are urgently needecor housing rehabilitation. Seattle: Openings for s: ial workers: two-year commitment wanted. ContE Mennonite Voluntary Service Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 (316) 283-5100 660 NOVEMBER 8, Meditation An open letter to the commission ')ear Commission on Overseas Mission, | We would like to share some thoughts and questions that come to our minds because of the •ultural and economic differences between us and the people with whom we work. One is, How much of our resources, abilities, and training should we use in the local church? Some lissionaries use all sorts of expensive audiovisual aids to present the gospel. But the Brazilian pastors and teachers don't have the money for such things nor the training in their ij se. Should we use the type of materials that they use? Do we limit ourselves to work only at ne level they can? ! When we lived for seven years in Pennsylvania, we had to look hard to find a family to "horn to give a Thanksgiving basket. Now we are constantly confronted with the physical Seeds of people. The advice given to us new missionaries was not to give money to beggars, ut perhaps food and clothing. Here, besides beggars, we have people come to the house with roducts or services to sell. But how much unneeded stuff does one purchase? We are used to oing our own work, but there is a poor fellow who comes to polish shoes for fifteen cents a flair. Others want to cut the lawn, do laundry, and wash the car. I The really searching questions come in relation to the people in our own congregation. The liore we get to know them, the more we learn how they live and what they need. We have iii;ard much about the problem of creating dependency. But can we allow that possibility to liralyze us? We are searching for ways to help without creating dependency, ways in which liey feel they are also helping themselves. We would like to help a twenty-year-old fellow who as such poor eyesight that he cannot keep a job. Maybe new glasses would help. Should we pip pay for them? A couple of families don't always have enough to eat. How can we help without hurting their sense of dignity? How do we respond when people from the | fingregation ask for loans? How much do we use our car to take them places? Will they pend on us for transportation? f When we learned about two teenage girls sleeping in a single bed and three more in a -puble bed, Erwin put his newly developing carpentry skills into use and made some bunk jps. The family is paying only the cost of the materials. By having the bunk beds, they gave Vie double bed to a widow so she doesn't have to squeeze into a single bed with her twelve- :!ar-old daughter. INot only is Erwin developing his carpentry skills, but his general handyman skills. The :J 'ople have seen him fix odds and ends at the renovated church building, and now ask for his j lp with fixing their door locks, replacing wiring, and making simple shelves. How much of 1'jat does one do? Because of the great gaps between our culture and theirs, we think about the j oblem of dependency. On the other hand, we, too, are dependent on the people here for the : going program of the church as well as helping us to understand their language and : ilture. TjThese are some of the things our minds are grappling with these days. We know that there I no easy answers. Perhaps the underlying question is, How much do we become personally /olved in the lives of the people here? We realize the more we open up ourselves to love and lip, the more we are opening ourselves to the risks of being misunderstood, mistrusted, and being taken advantage of. Pray with us for wisdom as we seek to follow Christ's example p have a ministry of both word and deed. Angela Rempel a prayer from the third world ! rd, listen to us. Give us of your infinite love to love those who have forgotten to treat us as iur children. You can, O Lord, yes Lord, you can. Open the eyes of those who do not see In, and the ears of those who do not hear you. You can give warmth to the hearts that are m zen. : jive faith in the middle of our tribulations to avoid discouragement because of not having < assured job or not even enough to buy our daily bread. You know that we are hungry for e ad. jive us courage to proclaim your Word because you are the Truth, and if you are with us, at can worry us? You also know that we thirst for justice. lelp us, Lord, to walk in your path that will take us towards a tomorrow full of light, ink you, Lord, for you will fulfill our needs. Thank you, Lord. Amen. A prayer of an iguayan Christian Contents Signs of hope in Latin America 648 News 652 Record 657 Governmental oppression and our Christian witness: A response 659 Letters 660 An open letter to the commission 661 A prayer from the third world 661 Barriers broken 662 CONTRIBUTORS The Commission on Overseas Mission staff has done the planning and gathering of material for this special issue on Latin American missions. Writers are Hector G. Valencia, COM secretary for Latin America; Angela Rempel, missionary in Brazil; and Glendon Klaassen, missionary in Colombia. CREDITS Cover photo is of "Christ the Redeemer." a monument built by Argentinian sculptor Mateo Alonso which stands at the top of the mountain separating Argentina and Chile. An inscription at its base reads: These mountains will fall first before Argentinians and Chileans break the peace sworn at the feet of the Cristo Redentor (Redeemer Christ). The photo is used courtesy of Organization of American States, Washing- ton, D.C. 20006; 648, Jean Speiser, UNICEF; 649, Good News for New Readers, American Bible Society, 1865 Broadway, New York, New York 10023; 652, Vic Reimer, GCNS; 655, RNS. McniioiiUc Editorial office: 600 Shaftesbury Boulevard, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4. Telephone: (204) 888-6781 Business and subscription office: 722 Main Street, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114 Telephone: (316) 283-5100. Editor: Bernie Wiebe, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P 0M4 Assistant editor: Vic Reimer, Box 347, Newton, Kan- sas 67114. Editorial assistant: Susan Schumacher. Art director: John Hiebert. Business manager: Dietrich Rempel. Circu- lation secretary: Marilyn Kaufman. Special editions editors: Central District, Evelyn Krehbiel, 229 Brookwood, Bluffton, Ohio 45817; Pacific District, La Vernae Dick, 588 South West Maple Street, Dallas, Oregon 97338; Western District, Elbert Koontz, Box 306, North Newton, Kansas 67117, Encom- pass. Mary Rempel, Box 347, Newton, Kansas 67114; Window to Mission, Jeannie Zehr, 4226 Maplecrest Road, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805; and Conference of Menno- nites in Canada, Irene Friesen Petkau, 600 Shaftesbury, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3P OM4. EMENNONITE 661 Barriers broken Glendon Klaassen Since the days of the Reformation, Protestants have followed certain distinctives of Christian faith and practice. Church consultations have again and again clarified these creeds and confessions but often in direct opposition to other faiths. Anyone questioning the validity of such affirmations in a given church was viewed with great misgivings and often judged. Sometimes these distinctives have been so rigid that they have erected a wall between those Christians leaning more toward personal spiritual experiences and those who are more church oriented. Roman Catholicism, since the Reformation, traditionally has followed a reactionary theology to Protestantism. The Council of Trent, the Papal Syllabus of Errors of 1864, and Vatican I are examples. In general, Catholic faith has been characterized by abstract knowledge rather than a relationship to a living God. Because of the barriers of history and distinctive doctrines, neither Protes- tants nor Catholics have responded to each other in the spirit of Christ or the common faith they both proclaim. Relationships among Protestants and Catholics have often been defensive and destructive. We have witnessed a movement within Roman Catholicism which is affecting the total life of that church as well as their relationships with other Christian groups. While for years Rome seemed moribund, fresh winds of renewal are now blowing through the old structures. This is especially evident in Colombia since Vatican II and Pope John's aggiornamento (updating). Changes have affected the church's doctrine, polity, worship, and attitude toward non-Roman Catholic Christians. In a sense Rome has experienced its own Reformation since Vatican II. This is characterized by a rediscovery of the Word of God and a movement to experience Jesus Christ as living Lord in daily life. When faith and life become based on God's Word and on a commitment to Christ, then the barriers that formerly caused tensions between Protestantism and Roman Catholicism begin to crumble. After eighteen years of experience with Latin American Catholicism we have felt these changes of attitude and relationships. Some of this is due to our own change in attitudes. I had the opportunity to pray together with Pope Paul VI in 1968 during his visit to Bogota and talk personally with him about the mission of the Mennonite Church in Colombia. A greater expression of change within Catholicism has been experienced during the last 3 x/% years in our day-to-day contacts with local priests, their pa- rishioners, and our neighbors in Bogota. There is an acceptance of the Bible and a desire to understand it. In the 1 950s and early 1 960s there was open opposition to its distribution. Today, La Biblia is read and preached within the Catholic context and people are being transformed by the power of the gospel of Christ and witnessing to the ministry of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Because of their lack of a biblical orientation, I, a Mennonite missionary, was invited to teach the Bible in a Catholic church as well as in Catholic homes. Barriers of faith can be extremely strong. How are they brought down to become bridges that unite and facilitate mutual understanding? We found that there is no substitute to simply sharing our humanness with our Colombian Catholic neighbors in day-to-day life. This opens active communication, and mutual help can be offered as needed. With some we began to meet together to share and to study the Scriptures and to hear the Spirit speak. Obstacles which previously seemed insurmountable began to disappear. We were actually drawn together by the common bond of faith and commitment to Jesus Christ. Above all things "Christ himself has brought us peace . . . with his own body he broke down the wall that separated. . . ." We praise the Lord for his grace and for the Christian fellowship we enjoyed in Bogota which included many Roman Catholic friends. CAN NO ONE LAY THAN THAT IS LAID, WHICH IS JESUS CHRIST 92:41 NOVEMBER 15, 1977 civ we knew in part One of the great lessons of life is to learn where our limitations lie. The Greeks called the failure to recognize one's human limita- tions hybris, and warned that the arrogant overstepping of human boundaries brought with it the wrath of the gods. When it comes to understanding and interpreting Scripture there are also certain limitations which we must keep in mind. If the Apostle Paul felt these limitations keenly, and found it necessary to warn the proud Corinthians not to be presumptuous, then surely we all have reason to recognize our limitations. Scriptures don't say all It may sound sacrilegious to speak of the limitations of Scripture, but we must remember that what we have in the Bible is only part of what there is to know about the deep things of God. The Scriptures represent only a fragment of the fullness of the light and the knowledge of God. There are many subjects to which the Bible does not address itself directly, for the Bible is a religious book and is essentially the story of how God provides for our salvation. This does not mean that when a twentieth-century question is not specifically answered in the words of the Bible, that the Bible has nothing to say to it, for there are in the Bible underlying and pervasive truths which give us perspectives from which to view any questions that arise in the church. We should not treat the Bible like an encyclopedia where one can turn to the appropriate page and find information on the subject in question. When Galileo looked at the heavens, churchmen condemned him, because the Bible, they said, taught a geocentric uni- verse. They even found a verse to chastise him, "Ye men of Galilee (that sounded like Galileo) why do you gaze into heaven?" Not recognizing that the Bible is not a book on science, that is, not acknowledging the limitations of Scripture, the church (in this case at least) was wrong. The Bible is not a book on astrophysics. Our Lord spoke in given historical contexts, and it is not always immediately obvious how his teachings are to be carried over into our modern situation. For exam- ple, our Lord's attitude toward divorce and remarriage is rather clear. But when we ask what place and ministry there is in the church for those whose marriage has failed, the answer is not readily available. The Gospels are not primarily "manuals on pastoral care." It is for this reason that the church must search together for a way, in given historical situations, to come to a consensus, and humbly say, "at the moment this is how we understand the Scriptures." Such posi- tions, however, are open to revision and change. David Field illustrates the limitations of what is revealed in Scripture by the picture of a car being driven on a country road on a dark night. The headlights are on and one can see the way and can reach the destination safely, if one doesn't drive too fast and is content not to look at the surroundmg landscape. "Like headlights, God's revela- tion is strictly functional. Its aim is the practical one of imparting enough informa- tion to enable any person to live in a godly way. There are other things we should like, but do not actually need to know, and on these the Bible is often silent. Beyond the light is darkness, and the wise student is the one who is careful, theologically speaking, to drive within the limits of the lights." Sometimes this is called the sufficienc principle, meaning that God has given sufficient light for our life, our mission, 01 calling, our salvation, but not enough satisfy our curiosity on many matters. Ai we shall have plenty of catching up to when we get to the other side (some learnii and some unlearning). The basic message of the Bible is of cour plain; it's when we get to the truths that ] somewhat more on the periphery that o vision becomes blurred and we see by mea' of a mirror. J. B. Phillips suggests that should strenuously resist all books whii make Christianity complicated. He didi say that it was easy, but that Christianity wi essentially simple {Meditations, p. 241). It an accepted rule of hermeneutics (with i limits, of course) that an explanation We know that between us and the Bible there are formidable linguistic barrtyM Like headlights, God's revelation is strictly functional. Its aim is the practical one of imparting enough information to enable any person to live in a godly way. The Bible is silent on some things that we would like to know. kripture that is too complicated and ibstruse is suspect. The Bible was written to >e understood. A. M. Hunter made the acetious remark that if Paul's listeners vould have had to hear all the complicated things that have been written on Pauline