Menno Focus. Monthly Newsletter of First Mennonite Church of Denver

Transcription

1 Menno Focus Monthly Newsletter of First Mennonite Church of Denver November 2015 Pastor s s Perspective Reflections from Mountain States Conference Pastors Retreat by Rob Burdette So many gathered that there was no longer space, not even near the door. Jesus was speaking the word to them. Some people arrived, and four of them were bringing to him a man who was paralyzed. They couldn t carry him through the crowd, so they tore off part of the roof above where Jesus was. When they had made an opening, they lowered the mat on which the paralyzed man was lying. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, Child, your sins are forgiven! Some legal experts were sitting there, muttering among themselves. Mark 2:2-6a CEB. Chuck Neufeld closed our time together with a meditation on the above passage. He challenged us to reflect on the role with which we might identify; the people in the crowd, the paralytic, the ones carrying the paralytic or perhaps the scribes who were present. He called our attention to institutional barriers with the church of the twenty-first century. In Mark s gospel, the friends of the paralyzed man cannot access the home let alone the presence of Christ. Certainly others would have seen them, but none were moved to assist, instead they are entranced by their own proximity to Jesus. The friends are determined to get their patient to Jesus, so when the crowd refuses to make space, they go to the roof. I always wondered about the dirt, thatch and other debris that must have dropped on Jesus head while the companions tore open the roof. The friends finally gain access! Now they can lower their friend into the presence of Christ where the paralytic was restored. Sometimes you have to tear down the church to get to Christ. These are the words of a colleague when we served with the Mennonite Central Committee. The best intentioned people can become so enamored with their institutional traditions that outsiders can find it difficult to access the body of Christ. Consider the barriers of the church today: ethnicity, education, wealth, vocation, location, gender identity and social position are but a few. These barriers are more impenetrable than any first century roof. We need to ask, Who are the ones labelled social paralytics that are held in abeyance from God s church today? And, What type of barriers must the church dismantle to bring healing and hope to a watching world? These are challenging issues for us as First Mennonite Church of Denver reflects on who we are and how we intend to connect with God s salvific action in the world today. 1

2 The Justness of Justice Submitted by Women Bridging Borders This winter s Women Bridging Borders theme focuses on the justice system and incarceration. There are many incredible books on this topic. Five are listed here. Couldn t Keep It to Myself, by Wally Lamb and the Women of York Correctional Institution Famous author, Wally Lamb, is a volunteer writing teacher at the York Correctional Institution for Women. This collection of stories is written by women prisoners that describe prison life, their past and hopes for the future. Their stories help mainstream society understand the complicated journey of incarceration what leads up to conviction and the struggle of prison life. Debb Reed In the Place of Justice, a Story of Punishment and Deliverance by Wilbert Rideau. This book is unique in that it is written in first person by a man who was incarcerated in one of Louisiana s most notorious prisons for more than 40 years. The author chronicles his early life, the capital crime for which he was convicted and imprisoned, his experiences with the Jim Crow judicial system, his life in prison, and his eventual release His descriptions of the organization of prison life were very enlightening to someone like me who has very little concept of what goes on in the lives of incarcerated people. Marian Rohrer Orange is the New Black, My Year in a Women's Prison by Piper Kerman. I must admit. I thought I wouldn t like this book but boy was I wrong. The storyline is different than the TV series it is true and it offers a needed look into the lives of women in prison. Donna Swartzendruber A World Apart: Women, Prison, and Life Behind Bars by Christina Rathbone. One reviewer stated that A World Apart is both a triumph of empathy and a searing indictment of a system that has overlooked the plight of women in prison for far too long. While the book is not new (published in 2005), I found it to be a quick read that was filled with information the questions that justness of justice. Donna Swartzendruber The New Jim Crow, Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander. Discusses our modern caste system and what must be done to eliminate it. Recommended by MCC. Thank you for your interest and look for our basket of books to borrow at church! Congregational Notes [Compiled by Karen Martin] Fall Raking Day. A small but mighty group of rakers showed up on Saturday, November 7, to clean up leaves. The group quickly raked up the leaves and then enjoyed some delicious refreshments. Thanks to Arlen Hershberger, Vern Stoltzfus, Karen Martin and Matt Baron for raking and Mary Helen Friesen for providing refreshments. FMC Choir sang for the first time this fall on November 15. Singers are invited to join. Two small groups Grupito and Group 87 collaborated in November to put together MCC Hygiene Kits for Syria. 2

3 Building Bridges By Theda Good, Pastor of Fellowship and Nurture I have had the privilege to be in various settings with others from the broader Mennonite denomination over the past three weekends. What amazing opportunities to build bridges with others who seek community in the Anabaptist tradition. My weekend at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary was focused on the history of the Germantown Mennonite Church. We read a draft of a not yet published account of the history of the Germantown Mennonite Church in Philadelphia. I was deeply disturbed to recognize that I am part of a denomination which enables the ongoing practice of ex-communication. For those who do not know this history. Germantown Mennonite Church was the first Mennonite Church in the United States, dating back to The congregation had welcomed LBGTQ members since the 1980 s. Franconia Mennonite Conference voted to move Germantown to a non-member status in 1997 and Eastern District Conference voted to separate all ties in These were acts of ex-communication because Germantown after a considerable amount of study and discernment made a deliberate decision to welcome sexual minorities into full membership including leadership roles. What impressed me most in hearing the Germantown story was their desire to follow the life and teachings of Jesus. After a period in their history where they had several main-stream Protestant Pastors, they made an intentional shift back to their Anabaptist roots. They chose to redefine what it means to follow Christ in daily living. They re-claimed their peace stance which included removing the United States flag from their sanctuary. They have a story of embracing and living out what it means to be an Anabaptist. The fruits of the Spirit that I witness from this congregation are truly inspiring to me. The next weekend was a wonderful retreat at the Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp with other pastors from the Mountain States Mennonite Conference. I look forward to this weekend of worship, prayer, singing, input and hiking with my colleagues from around this region. For a more in depth account of this weekend, see Pastor Rob s article. Working on our relationships and connectedness helps to strengthen the work of the Conference. This past weekend, I had the privilege to worship with the congregation of Chapel Hill Mennonite Fellowship. Again, the coming together to learn to know one another in deeper ways was enriching. This congregation was inspired to welcome me into their midst as a pastor after a church-wide Community Life Meeting which they hold once a month. Their invitation said, Our church desires to know you better as we recognize and affirm God s calling on your life as a pastor. Your worship with us would be a visible sign that we are one in Christ, that we are members of one another. We repent of our complicity in a denominational system that rejected your pastoral calling, and we hope that your presence within our congregation will be a small gesture of our desire to reconcile with you. What are the bridges we can continue to build to make our life together stronger, to make our connections with our Conference and our Denomination stronger? Let us not get distracted with what feels like an impending threat, but look to our deeper calling as followers of Christ and make a difference in our daily living because of the One who calls us to love God and our neighbor as ourselves. Bearing Witness: Nurture Commission By Emily Gingerich I began my time working on the Nurture Commission this August and have been so pleased to learn about all the great work happening in our congregation within this Nurture Commission. Organizing small groups is a big part of this commission, which Theda and I work on, but there is so much more happening as well. I am very thankful for all the people that are giving their time and would like to highlight those doing this work. The Adult Education Committee spends time planning and organizing the adult education hour that happens each week at church. This committee includes Darren Knowles, Jonathan Moyer, Donna Swartzendruber, Mary Alderfer and Aimee Voth Siebert. The Library Committee keeps our library up to date and organized and works on bringing in new, relevant books for us. This committee includes Carol Rempel, Mary Olson, Liz Holdeman, Jennifer Condor and Dawn Kreider. Our Nursery coordinator, Liz Miller, puts together the schedules for who will be in the nursery each week. 3

4 Our Open Table is hosted each Sunday and is a place where you can get the latest information on happenings in the church and get more information if you are new to the church. Wanda Brotherton, Jill Gerig, Lola Hershberger, Jan Griffin, Mim Roth and Erin Geiser have taken on this role week after week. Our Everence Financial Advocate, Dawn Kreider, keeps us informed about Everence opportunities. Our Food Tidings coordinator, Carrie Baron, arranges for people to prepare meals for new parents and those in need. As you can see, there is a lot of important work happening in the Nurture Commission. If you are interested in getting involved, please let me know. Thank you to everyone who gives of their time help nurture our congregation. Highlights of Leadership Council Meetings By Karen Martin, Congregational Administrator October Meeting The FMC Leadership Council met on Wednesday, October 21. Chair Keith Wood led the meeting. Dan Wessner led a meditation reflecting on parallel realities. The minutes and Commission and Pastoral Reports were reviewed and approved. Highlights from Commission work were: Chair - Meetings with Richard Wyse, Karen Martin, Rob Burdette, members of the congregation to discuss various concerns Vice Chair Participated in various meetings Children and Youth Faith Formation Continued organizing the curriculum and individual lessons Facilities Organized Fall Work Day; annual maintenance of heating system was performed, attended to various needs of the facility. Fellowship Provided refreshments for Fall Work Day, planned and hosted potluck to welcome Rob and Patty, organized a crew to deep clean the kitchen, began planning for Game Night Finance Reviewed September financials, met for brainstorming on fundraising, contacted members concerning pledges, conducted two congregational meetings regarding the 2016 Ministry Plan Nurture Updated small group information, organized Adult Education Committee, organized hosts for Open Table, met with new Everence Advocate (Dawn Kreider), organized Library Committee meeting Worship Began planning Advent worship, met with Anika O. to discuss lighting prayer candles; met with Emily Martin to discuss choir and music at FMC. Richard Wyse, Coordinator of Finance, presented the financials as of September 30, Total income is $60,881 below budget. Expenses are $30,933 below budget. Income is $29,947 below our expenses. Council decided to put something in the FMC Weekly about where we stand and to also report most weeks in the worship folder about the status of offerings. Richard also reported on the status of pledging toward the 2016 Ministry Plan. We continue to follow up with people who have not yet pledged. Rob Burdette told the Council about his plans for the transition. He plans to hold 8 or 9 family meetings. The Council discussed best times to capture the most number of people and it was decided to have the first meeting on Sunday, November 22, starting with a brunch followed by the meeting from 11:30 to 1:30 PM. Child care will be provided. Sabbatical for Pastor Theda Good was discussed. The Council tentatively approved Theda s sabbatical for March, April and May, After discerning congregational input over the past several months, the Council voted to request ordination for Theda. The Council discussed how to respond to the concerns of the neighborhood about homelessness in the area. A task force to initiate a meeting with the neighbors was formed. Members are Norm Dewhurst, Shelva Leep, Greg Stauffer and Lola Hershberger. 4

5 November Meeting The FMC Leadership Council met on Wednesday, November 18. Chair Keith Wood led the meeting and provided the opening meditation. The minutes and Commission and Pastoral Reports were reviewed and approved. Highlights from Commission work were: Vice Chair Meeting regarding neighborhood relationships Children and Youth Faith Formation Various meetings, organizing lessons, helped organize child care for November 22 Family Meeting Facilities Organized Fall Raking Day, checked the kitchen evaporative cooler, replaced the heat tape at the northeast downspout, repaired the degraded shingle at the patio and adjusted the heat tape there. Fellowship Planned for November 22 brunch potluck. Finance Reviewed pledges, continued to contact potential pledgers and talked to Karen about different financial matters. Member-at-Large Working to find a second Facilities person Nurture Working on small group placements, met with Adult Ed committee to develop themes and vision, met with Library Committee to make plans for the year; helped plan child care for November 22. In the absence of Richard Wyse, Coordinator of Finance, Karen Martin presented a report from Richard. As of October 31, 2015, total income year to date is about $66,000 below budget. Expenses are about $46,000 below budget. Income is $21,000 below our expenses. We will need a large amount of income in the last two months of the year to make up these differences. Richard also reported on the status of pledging toward the 2016 Ministry Plan. The 2016 Ministry Plan is not yet adequately pledged. The Finance Committee will be considering next steps. Rob Burdette reported on the transition work. He has had a number of interviews and spoke about themes that are emerging. The Council discussed the formation of a transitional listening team to help Rob. Rob is looking forward to our first Family Meeting on November 22 Celebrating our History Together. Council set a date of January 10 for Family Meeting #2. The Council reviewed a draft of the letter to Mountain States Mennonite Conference requesting ordination of Theda and discussed pastoral coverage during Theda s sabbatical in New Books in the FMC Library By Carol Rempel New Books Purchased for Your Church Library How Full is Your Bucket? For Kids by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer (K-2 nd grade) Through the story of a little boy named Felix, this charming book explains to children how being kind not only helps others, it helps them, too. Buffalo Woman by Paul Goble (5-8 years) A young hunter draws his bow against a buffalo cow drinking from a stream. Before he can loose his arrow, there is no buffalo -- instead, there stands a beautiful young woman, whom he knows he must marry. The hunter's people shun the Buffalo Woman, and so she returns, with their son, Calf Boy, to her people. The hunter's heart compels him to follow. But he has been warned: The Buffalo Nation is angry at the Straight-up-People. And if he cannot find his wife and son among the many buffalo, they will be lost to him forever. 5

6 Annie and the Old One By Miska Miles (3-6 years) Annie is a young Navajo girl who refuses to believe that her grandmother, the Old One, will die. Sadly, Annie learns that she cannot change the course of life. If Everyone Did by JoAnn Stover (2 and up) The hilarious and terrible consequences of everyone doing his own thing are portrayed by author/artist Jo Ann Stover in If Everybody Did. Children and adults alike will enjoy this precautionary tale with its concise rhyming text, and amusing illustrations. Only One You by Linda Kranz (4 and up) There's only one you in this great big world. Make it a better place. Adri's mama and papa share some of the wisdom they have gained through the years with their eager son. Their words, simple and powerful, are meant to comfort and guide him as he goes about exploring the world. What Does Peace Feel Like? By Vladimir Radunsky (K-2 nd grade) Peace. What does that word really mean? Ask children from around the world, and this is what they say... A Separate Peace by John Knowles ( 9 th grade and up) An American classic and great bestseller for over thirty years, A Separate Peace is timeless in its description of adolescence during a period when the entire country was losing its innocence to the second world war. Luna by Julie Anne Peters (8 th grade and up) Regan's brother Liam can't stand the person he is during the day. Like the moon from whom Liam has chosen his female namesake, his true self, Luna, only reveals herself at night. In the secrecy of his basement bedroom Liam transforms himself into the beautiful girl he longs to be, with help from his sister's clothes and makeup. Now, everything is about to change-luna is preparing to emerge from her cocoon. But are Liam's family and friends ready to welcome Luna into their lives? Compelling and provocative, this is an unforgettable novel about a transgender teen's struggle for self-identity and acceptance. The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin (10 and up) After her best friend dies in a drowning accident, Suzy is convinced that the true cause of the tragedy was a rare jellyfish sting. Retreating into a silent world of imagination, she crafts a plan to prove her theory--even if it means traveling the globe, alone. Suzy's achingly heartfelt journey explores life, death, the astonishing wonder of the universe...and the potential for love and hope right next door. 6

7 Healing the Heart of Democracy: the Courage to Create a Politics Worthy of the Human Spirit by Parker J. Palmer (for Adults) This 2014 PAPERBACK EDITION includes TWO NEW FEATURES: (1) A chapter-length INTRODUCTION in which Palmer explores his political experience since the book first came out in 2011, including a new way to understand "the great divide" in our political life. (2) A detailed DISCUSSION GUIDE with links to online resources -- including 40 brief video interviews with the author -- to facilitate more dialogue across political lines of the sort the book has inspired since it was published A Hidden Wholeness: the Journey Toward an Undivided Life by Parker J. Palmer (for Adults) Palmer speaks to our yearning to live undivided lives-lives that are congruent with our inner truth-in a world filled with the forces of fragmentation. Mapping an inner journey that we take in solitude and in the company of others, Palmer describes a form of community that fits the limits of our active lives. First Mennonite Church of Denver 430 West 9th Avenue, Denver, CO Phone Fax: fmcdenver@aol.com website: fmcdenver.org Menno Focus is published monthly. Editor and Layout: Karen Martin Contributors: Rob Burdette, Emily Gingerich, Theda Good, Karen Martin, Women Bridging Borders, Carol Rempel Photos: Tory Doerksen, Karen Martin 2015 First Mennonite Church 7