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2009-11-03 issue:

NEWS DIGEST - Nov. 3

by various authors

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Martyrs Mirror should be in Mennonite schools
ELKHART, Ind.—"Can we use the Martyrs Mirror stories to instruct and challenge members of the Anabaptist community and other Christians as well?" said Penny Naugle at an Oct. 16 symposium sponsored by Mennonite Education Agency at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart. "Radical living and radical teaching depend on radical texts. …
In today's Mennonite schools, the voices of the martyrs should still be given opportunity to speak." Naugle, one of six academics whose papers were selected for presentation, is elementary principal at Penn View Christian School in Souderton, Pa. Allan Dueck, principal at Bethany Christian School in Goshen, Ind., opened the symposium with an explanation of its purpose. "What does the growing acculturation of Mennonites require of Mennonite schools?" Dueck said. "We need a new study on the rationale for Mennonite schools and distinctive nature of Mennonite pedagogy."

John D. Roth, professor at Goshen (Ind.) College, has agreed to write a book in response to the Oct. 16 symposium and the first one held in Lancaster, Pa., May 8. Other presenters on Oct. 16 included Ernie Martin, Harrisonburg, Va., Linda Taylor, Muncie, Ind., Robert Reyes, Rebecca Hernandez and Janeen Bertsche Johnson, all from Goshen, Ind.—Everett J. Thomas


Nickel Friesen to retire by July 2010
NORTH NEWTON, Kan.—The executive board of Western District Conference has accepted the resignation of its conference minister, Dorothy Nickel Friesen. Friesen, who joined the conference in 2002, will retire from full-time ministry no later than July 31, 2010, immediately following the next WDC annual meetings in Waxahachie, Texas.

"With Dorothy’s incredible gifts of visioning and administration, Western District Conference has expanded its ministry to meet changing and challenging times," says Brenda Glanzer Lilliston, WDC moderator. During her tenure, Dorothy led a visioning and strategic planning process that led to a new mission statement, priorities and structure, says Lilliston.

Some of the challenges Friesen says she faced as WDC conference minister were "the realities of leading an organization that is over 110 years old; the economic trends in our country and in WDC; the competing loyalties for church members' time, talent and treasure; the lack of spiritual vitality; and the complexities of holding together when we are steeped in individualism." The WDC executive board is establishing a search process to fill Friesen's position and hopes to announce search committee members by Nov. 1.—Western District Conference


Mennonite World Conference begins search
GOSHEN, Ind.—In a letter sent to Mennonite Church USA moderator Ed Diller on Oct. 6, Bert Lobe, search committee facilitator for Mennonite World Conference, announced that MWC has initiated a search process to replace current general secretary Larry Miller. Miller will conclude 22 years of service with MWC by May 2012. "This letter is an invitation for you to submit nominations and to identify and encourage individuals whom you think suitable to consider this position," Lobe wrote. The committee will receive nominations from January-June 2010, meet with candidates on a short list from July-December 2010, conduct face-to-face interviews with two or three candidates January-March 2011. After making a recommendation to the MWC executive committee in April 2011, the MWC General Council will have an email vote to confirm the appointment. Announcement of the appointment is projected for May 2011. MWC president Danisa Ndlovu will serve as chair of the search committee.—Everett J. Thomas


Blogger to cook through Simply in Season
WATERLOO, Ont. and SCOTTDALE, Pa.—First there was Julie and Julia, the book and then hit-movie, about one woman’s quest to make all the recipes in Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Now there is "Simply Me: A Year of Eating Locally, Mindfully and Simply," a new blog by Wendy Hammond of Grand Rapids, Mich., about her goal of making every recipe in Simply in Season (Herald Press, 2005). "It started out with me wanting to make good use of fresh vegetables I was getting from the community-shared agriculture organization I belong to," says Hammond, who works in church relations for the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee. "When I saw Simply in Season, I thought that would be a perfect way to do it." —Mennonite Publishing Network


Anabaptist Communicators meet in Akron
AKRON, Pa.—Fifty-six communicators from the United States and Canada attended the 26th annual Anabaptist Communicators conference Oct. 9-10 at Mennonite Central Committee offices in Akron. This year's theme, "Escape from Planet Blah!," had as its keynote speaker Michael Buckingham of Holy Cow Creative. In addition, several workshops focused on various aspects of communication, ranging across the Internet, print, video and radio-television. Two people joined the Anabaptist Communicators board during the conference. Jon Trotter of Virginia Mennonite Missions is the organization's new vice president. He replaces Kirsten Klassen of Mennonite Mutual Aid. Also joining the board as an at-large member is Jennifer Steiner of Mennonite Central Committee Great Lakes. She replaces Hannah Heinzekehr of Mennonite Mission Network. Stuart Showalter remains chairperson of the organization, and Fred Steiner is the executive director.—Anabaptist Communicators


Young Adult Fellowship meets in Alberta
CALGARY, Alberta—The annual meeting of the bi-national Young Adult Fellowship, held Oct. 23-25 at Menno Simons Christian School, put a new spin on a familiar theme. "When they shall ask," from Deuteronomy 6:20-25, is often used to depict passing faith from seniors to children. The YAF used the passage to encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to share their stories with each other toward the building up of the church. Featured storytellers Adrian Jacobs of Brantford, Ont., and Vinh Le of Calgary told of the ways God works in their lives. Jacobs, a pastor, spoke of how he came to accept Jesus in a Native culture with many reasons to be suspicious of Christianity. Le grew up as a pastor's son in Vietnam. He told of the struggles Christians face and of his and his wife's experiences ministering to oppressed Vietnamese workers in Malaysia. The fellowship was formed in response to the question asked at several large church gatherings: Where are the young adults? The Young Adult Fellowship’s purpose is to connect Mennonite young adults for fellowship, faith building and strengthening interchurch connections. Organizer David Maurer, West Liberty, Ohio, said, "We need intentionality about how we pass on our identity. We are getting so much of who we are from the culture around us."—Donita Wiebe-Neufeld of Canadian Mennonite


Mennonite radio spots win top Catholic award
HARRISONBURG,Va.—The Catholic Academy for Communications Arts Professionals has announced that the Mennonite radio spots "Unsung: Family Voices on Mental Illness"have been awarded a 2009 Gabriel Award. The radio spots from Third Way Media (then Mennonite Media) speak to the stigma of mental illness in society and the difficulty of family members and friends also dealing with the illness of their loved one.—Mennonite Mission Network

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