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2009-11-17 issue:

NEWS DIGESTS - Nov. 17

by compiled by Anna Groff

Print Article

Blough named in list of top Protestants
ELKHART, Ind.—Neal Blough, a long-term worker with Mennonite Mission Network, was recently named one of the 100 most influential Protestants in France by La Vie, a Catholic weekly magazine. Blough and Janie, his wife, have been working in France for 34 years. Blough teaches at Vaux-Sur-Seine Evangelical Seminary, the Mennonite theology school in Bienenberg, Switzerland, and the Catholic University of Paris. Neal and Janie also serve on staff at Paris Mennonite Center. The Oct. 22 issue of La Vie commemorated the 500th anniversary of John Calvin's birth and the influence of Protestantism in France. Part of that influence includes Anabaptists. "Mennonites [in France] have a history as long as that of the Reformed and Lutherans, which is not the case for other Free Church Protestant traditions," says Blough. "In the words of the magazine article, they represent a 'small but essential minority.'"—Mennonite Mission Network


MCC increases Asia disasters appeal
AKRON, Pa.—In response to the needs of flooding and earthquake survivors in Asia, Mennonite Central Committee is increasing its appeal for donations to $250,000. The additional contributions will allow MCC and its partners to respond to extensive flooding damage in southern India and Cambodia and provide permanent housing for people in Indonesia, where earthquakes devastated entire villages. Already included in the initial appeal, launched on Oct. 2, is relief for flooding in the Philippines and Vietnam, caused by September's Typhoon Ketsana. Short-term relief and temporary housing for Indonesian earthquake survivors were also included in the initial amount. MCC is also contributing $480,000 from its account at the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, raising MCC's total relief effort to $730,000.—MCC


New worship council holds first meeting
WATERLOO, Ont. and SCOTTDALE, Pa.—What songs should be included in a new hymnal for the Mennonite church? What new resources could be provided for worship leaders? Those were two of the questions raised at the inaugural meeting of the Mennonite Binational Worship Council, which met Oct. 4-6 at the St. Jacobs (Ont.) Mennonite Church. Council members dreamed about new resources that could be offered to song and worship leaders, such as holding more song- and worship-leading events in area conferences, conversations with Anabaptist musicians and composers who work primarily in the contemporary praise and worship genre, and ways to include input about worship from racial-ethnic churches. The new Worship Council is sponsored by Mennonite Publishing Network and was created following a denominational hymnal consultation organized by MPN in April 2008.—MPN


Bluffton baseball team receives NCAA award
BLUFFTON, Ohio—The National Collegiate Athletic Association honors committee has named the 2007 Bluffton (Ohio) University baseball team a recipient of the 2010 Award of Inspiration. In March 2007 a charter bus carrying 30 of 42 student-athletes and three coaches of the team to their season opener in Florida fell off an overpass onto Interstate 75 in Atlanta, killing five student-athletes and the driver and his wife. All survivors of the team are making positive contributions to their communities, providing examples of courage and determination and exemplifying what it means to be an NCAA student-athlete. They will be recognized in January at the NCAA Convention in Atlanta.—Bluffton University


Bethel announces new interim vice president
NORTH NEWTON, Kan.—Bethel College, North Newton, Kan., interim President John Sheriff has announced the appointment of Allen R. Wedel, Newton, as the college’s new interim vice president for business affairs, beginning Nov. 2. Wedel's term as interim vice president will coincide with that of Sheriff’s term or be extended, as determined by the incoming president. Wedel was most recently general accounting manager for AGCO Corporation in Hesston, Kan. "In that role, he developed annual departmental budgets, worked closely with human resources and provided strategic direction for IT projects," says Sheriff. "In light of our current situation, it was imperative that we find someone with the right skills to begin working alongside administration immediately. Allen brings the expertise in the field and the appreciation for Bethel's role in the lives of today’s youth needed to make an immediate impact." Wedel replaces Laurie Tietjen, who resigned this past spring, and Gregg Dick in the interim.—Bethel College


MMA, Mennonite Financial open new offices
GOSHEN, Ind.—Mennonite Mutual Aid and Mennonite Financial Federal Credit Union recently celebrated the opening of two new offices in which they will share space. The Goshen, Ind., office is located near several neighborhoods with heavy concentrations of members, including Goshen College and Greencroft Communities. The Harrisonburg, Va., office is located in the newly opened Common Good Marketplace, a retail center of organizations that share common values. Each location welcomed the community during open house celebrations and collected donations for food pantries.—MMA


TourMagination celebrates 40 years
WATERLOO, Ont.—TourMagination is celebrating 40 years. In 1970, a group of Mennonites toured sites in Europe in an attempt to retrieve the original Mennonite vision and to have fellowship with Mennonites in these places. Jan Gleysteen and Arnold Cressman organized the tour. Soon the tours became a regular event, allowing people to blend their faith with an opportunity to see the world. Gleysteen and Cressman called their fledgling Mennonite tour company, TourMagination. By 1976, TourMagination alumni were asking the company to lead tours to other parts of the world, while Mennonite World Conference and mission boards were seeking ways to help Mennonites visit other Mennonites around the world.—TourMagination


Wilderness Wind retreat for artisans
ELY, Minn.—On Oct. 1-4, Wilderness Wind, near Ely, hosted its first annual Creator's Retreat for quilters, knitters, scrapbookers and more. No one suspected that Congolese fabrics would influence the event or that it would connect people from many different states, says Kathy Landis, camp director. Lois Kennel, who sewed clothing from different styles of Congolese fabric, offered the pieces to Marlys Wiens, MCC Relief Sale quilt liaison for North America. Consequently, Marlys brought an unfinished wall-hanging to the retreat. In Pennsylvania, Karen Alderfer offered some of her fabric to her daughter, Heidi Feikert, in Kansas. Heidi, in turn, pieced a top that she donated to the retreat for people to work on and auction at a future MCC relief sale. The wall-hanging and some quilts that were worked on will be auctioned at the Rocky Mountain, Idaho and Minnesota MCC relief sales. For information about next year’s retreat visit www.wildernesswind.org.—Wilderness Wind