Gospel Evangel. Being global citizens. Caring for our global family. Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference

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1 Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference An area conference of Mennonite Church USA Gospel Evangel OCT / NOV 2009 VOL 90, NO 6 Ordinary Time Being global citizens This year, we ve been seeking to connect the seasons of the church year with stories of how the Spirit is working in the lives of people across our conference. This is the second of two issues occurring during Ordinary Time, which falls between Easter and Advent and between Christmas and Lent. In Latin, Ordinary Time is called Tempus Per Annum, or time throughout the year. The particular focus for this issue within the context of Ordinary Time is being global citizens. What does it mean to be a global citizen at the same time as we are citizens of particular cities, counties, states and countries? How does being a global citizen affect our choices? We bring you stories about how God has used people s global experiences to shape their everyday lives. I hope they inspire you as they have me. Annette Brill Bergstresser, editor by Noël King Caring for our global family Eric and Kim Kurtz Assembly Mennonite, Goshen, Ind. We say in our family that the boys were born in Africa and the girls were born in the U.S., said Eric Kurtz of himself; his wife, Kim; their two sons and their daughter. Eric was born in Kenya and was a missionary kid in Somalia until age five. International experience was something that kind of became instilled in him at a very young age, he said. Meanwhile, Kim grew up on a farm in Kansas, where she spent much time working on tractors and with animals, she said. In this way, she said she became very connected to the earth, and that became a very special part of her growing up. In their married life together since those childhood years, the Kurtzes, who attend Assembly Mennonite in Goshen, Ind., have found meaningful ways to meld their two backgrounds in living as global citizens both abroad and in the U.S. Internationally, the Kurtzes first long-term overseas assignment was with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), which sent them to a very rural community in Mozambique from 1994 to We lived in a tiny little village with no running water or electricity, Kim described, but the community we lived in became very much our family. She added, That was a real pivotal point for me, being away from my family and experiencing another family. While they were in Mozambique, Kim worked with preschool as well as informal health and nutrition programs, and Eric used his background in civil water engineering to help local communities improve their water supplies. Their oldest son, now 12, was born while they were still living in Africa, and his younger sister, now nine, was born in Philadelphia after they returned to the U.S. Three years ago, when they added their now five-year- (continued on p. 4) Assembly Mennonite: Kim and Eric Kurtz and their children. (Photo provided) What s inside the Word among us: Evie Shellenberger of Paoli Mennonite Fellowship...2 IN-MI Mennonite Women s Retreat.. 3 Bethany Christian Schools: Leanne Hochstetler of True Vine Tabernacle.. 5 Eric Sinnott of Paoli Mennonite Fellowship... 6!Explore participant Melanie Ruuska of Burr Oak Mennonite... 7

2 This year, each issue of Gospel Evangel is featuring people sharing about Bible texts that have made a difference in their lives. Evie and Wally Shellenberger of Paoli (Ind.) Mennonite Fellowship served with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Iran from 2001 to In September 2008, they returned to Iran for a nine-month assignment with MCC. The vision for MCC s work in Iran is to promote understanding and friendship between the people of Iran, Canada and the United States, and peace between the governments of the countries. Evie was the speaker for the IN-MI Mennonite Women s Retreat, held Oct at Amigo Centre, Sturgis, Mich. (See sidebar on p. 3.) Michigan Indiana Kentucky Tennessee the Word among us Consider the flowers, O you of little faith by Evie Shellenberger, excerpted from letters written home Qom, Iran: NU RUZ (New Year), March 21, 2009 Dear Friends, As I reflect on the past months that we have lived in Iran, one of the highlights of my experience here has been a weekly Bible study with one of my Muslim friends, Mahnaz. We began our study together on the book of Luke more than five months ago and have only missed one session. Both of us hold this time as sacred. I have experienced a deepening of my faith as I reflect on the biblical Scriptures through the eyes and experience of one to whom the text is new. Two weeks ago, we read from the twelfth chapter of Luke, hearing Jesus warning against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees and the parable of the rich fool. Our time was nearly up, and Mahnaz began to gather her notes and prepare to leave. Wait, I said. Would you have time for just one more section of this chapter? It is so beautiful and a good note to leave on. Why not? she answered, and we read Jesus comforting words about God s care for the birds and flowers, the invitation to put worries aside and to trust in God s loving care, and the commandment to consider the lilies. As she prepared to leave, I commented that these verses have been a great source of strength to me on my spiritual journey. Mahnaz returned yesterday to continue our studies. We always begin by taking five minutes to talk about how we and our families are doing, where we are finding joy and where we are struggling. When it was my turn to share, I commented that I was getting very worried about the visas for the upcoming women s learning tour. (I was arranging for women with theological background from both Iran and the United States to spend a week of travel and dialogue together.) With the Nu Ruz (New Year) holidays here, there remained only a few days when visas could be approved. I went to my desk and got the New Year calendar to show her just how few days remained for the Foreign Ministry here in Iran to approve our visas. Indiana-Michigan Mennonite Conference is a community of 79 congregations in Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee, gathering together for mutual encouragement in kingdom mission and inspiration to joyfully follow Jesus. Office: 212 S. Main St., Goshen, IN Phone: or Web site: im.mennonite.net Editor: Annette Brill Bergstresser (annette@im.mennonite.net) Communication Advisory Committee: Tyler Hartford, chair, Goshen, Ind.; Bill Beck, Hebron, Ind.; Zulma Prieto, Goshen; Heidi King, staff; Charlotte Long, staff; Annette Brill Bergstresser, staff All glory and honor go to God for any way that this issue extends God s kingdom. As I laid the calendar on the table before her, Mahnaz smiled and gently closed the calendar. She began to chuckle, and I looked at her in surprise. Evie, she said gently, let s read again those beautiful words of Jesus about not needing to worry. The visas are now in God s hands, not in yours, and we must now just wait and trust. I was taken back at my own blindness and hypocrisy, words we had talked so much about. Thank you, I said. Your kind Evie Shellenberger showed a strand of Christian prayer beads to listeners at the IN-MI Mennonite Women s Retreat as she introduced this way of praying without ceasing. She shared that Muslim prayer strands have 99 beads, corresponding to the number of names they have to describe God. As they pray, they recite one name for God per bead. During her time in Iran, Evie said she developed a ritual of walking each day with her prayer beads, praying as she walked. She said that she gained a sense of deep peace as she prayed, with each bead, In you alone, O God, I put my trust. (Photo by Annette Brill Bergstresser) words are just the reason I need someone like you to walk with me in my own journey of faith, to lovingly point out my own blindness and hypocrisy. These are not just problems for Pharisees. This was a transforming moment for me, and I Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation (Required by Domestic Mail Manual 300, section ) Title of publication: Gospel Evangel. Publication no Filing date: Nov. 6, Issue frequency: Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/Jun, Jul/Aug, Sep, Oct/Nov, Dec. No. of issues published annually: 7. Annual subscription price: $6. Address of offi ce, headquarters, publisher and editor: IN-MI Mennonite Conference, 212 S. Main St., Goshen, IN Name of editor: Annette B. Bergstresser. Owner: IN-MI Mennonite Conference. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities: None. The purpose, function, and nonprofi t status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes has not changed during the preceding 12 months. Total no. copies actual no. of copies of single issue published nearest to fi ling date: 5,497. Total paid and/or requested circulation mail subscriptions: 8. Free distribution by mail: 5,214. Total distribution: 5,222. Copies not distributed: 275. Percent paid and/or requested circulation: 0.15% I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete: Annette Brill Bergstresser, communications coordinator, IN-MI Conference. Gospel Evangel is printed and mailed by Evangel Press, 2000 Evangel Way, Nappanee, IN Periodical postage is paid at Nappanee, IN (USPS ). Postmaster: Send address changes to IN-MI Mennonite Conference, 212 S. Main St., Goshen, IN Oct / Nov 2009 Gospel Evangel IN-MI Mennonite Conference

3 remembered the many stories of Jesus in which the outsider, other, foreigner or sinner was the one with true faith. Hafez, the great Persian poet, had some words for me to consider as well. Since the gardener s time with the rose Must be for only five days For the thorny problem of separation She must have the patience of the nightingale. O heart, don t moan in distress Over the beauty of the Beloved For the smart bird, who falls in a trap Must wait patiently. O you, to whom the world means little What is the best thing to do? The work of this world is this, Manage, refl ect and wait. To depend on knowledge and piety Is the way of an unbeliever. Even if the traveler of the Way has 100 skills She must rely on God. (Ghazal of Hafez 276, translated by Wally Shellenberger) Finding the treasure unlocked by differences Qom, Iran: March 5, 2009 Dear Friends, Greetings from Qom, where signs of new life abound. We have just completed two Islamic months of lamentation, where black flags and banners lined the streets and mosques. We have a small mosque close to us and often heard mourning ceremonies for past Imams. What a joy it was to walk out into the streets recently to see the black flags replaced with flags of many different colors. Now begins the season of celebration and preparations for the New Year, Nu Ruz. Outside the little shops are fish bowls with goldfish, a part of the new year tradition. Everyone is shopping to buy new clothes for the new year. Women are busy cleaning their houses, another New Year s custom, and Persian carpets are hanging from the rooftops as they are being cleaned. Last weekend we were invited to Kashan to spend the weekend with one of our university professor friends there. Some of the graduate students in Islamic Mysticism had also wanted to meet with us. We had a wonderful weekend there with many opportunities for dialogue and bridge-building. I wrote a story that came out of our visit there, which I ll share: The season of spring is creeping into (l. to r.) At the IN-MI Mennonite Women s Retreat, held Oct at Amigo Centre, Sturgis, Mich., Evie Shellenberger presents Iranian guests Maryam Shams (at right) and Maryam s daughter (center) with two peace shawls, which were knitted by Evie s sister and a woman from Paoli (Ind.) Mennonite Fellowship, Evie s home congregation. The three-sided shawls are knit with three colors of yarn to represent the three Abrahamic faiths: Judaism, Islam and Christianity. (Photo and article by Annette Brill Bergstresser) IN-MI Mennonite Women s Retreat: Singing God s song in Iran Participants gain insights into Iranian faith and culture Through presenter Evie Shellenberger s stories and photos of her experiences as a Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) worker in Iran, participants at this year s annual IN-MI Mennonite Women s Retreat saw the hearts and faith in God of people in a culture very different from their own. As Evie spoke lovingly of the people she had grown to know and value, and shared of the warmth, hospitality and grace that the Iranian Muslim people had extended to her and her husband, Wally, as American Christians, she helped put faces to and dispel misunderstandings of a culture and faith that were unfamiliar to many of her listeners. (See pp. 2 4 for a reprint of two of Evie s stories.) On Saturday, participants also were honored to have two guests present: Maryam Shams and her 12-year-old daughter, Iranian friends of MCC. They are residing in South Bend, Ind., where Maryam s husband, Rasoul Rasoulipour, is spending one year doing research in the Theology Department at the University of Notre Dame on similarities and common grounds between Shi a Islam and Catholicism. Rasoul has served as the director of the Center for Interreligious Dialogue in Iran, a partner with MCC s work in Iran. Evie also introduced her listeners to samples of Persian poetry, which is central in the lives of Iranians and is a key expression of their faith in God. Wally, Evie s husband, has devoted much time to translating the poetry into English and to understanding Iranians faith through it. During the retreat, the participants were invited to call out words from each input session (see background in above photo). Music leaders Lisa Guedea Carreño and Joanne Gallardo used the words to construct a poem in response to the stories and images shared during the retreat. This poem can be read online: Qom, and the many signs of new life give me great joy. On my daily walks to the Islamic seminary where we study, I make it a habit to stop several times just to watch the daily unfolding of new leaves. As I watch nature stir and show new life, I am also aware of new stirrings of life within me, a fresh flowing of energy. Such stirrings are often prompted by conversations with my Muslim friends here. The Iranians engage easily in conversation with others, and we have found that the topic of faith or religion often enters the dialogue within several minutes. Following several years of sustained friendships here, new levels of trust and openness are apparent. I recently met a friend whom I hadn t seen for several months. During our last visit, I had given her the book Faith Club, a story of conversations among three women: Jewish, Christian and Muslim. She was full of energy and questions after reading the book. Evie, she asked, what makes you a Christian? It is very easy to know what makes me a Muslim. I must only say that there is only one God and that Muhammad is His prophet. Tell me now, what must you say or do to be called a Christian? Before I could answer, she said, I know you must believe in Jesus, but I believe in Jesus, too, so am I a Christian/Muslim? (continued on p. 4) IN-MI Mennonite Conference Gospel Evangel Oct / Nov

4 the Word among us... (continued from p. 3) Are you a Christian because you were born to Christian parents? I was born Muslim. She sat at the edge of her chair, totally engaged in her questions and eager for our discussion about what it means to be a Christian and to be a Muslim. After some time of discussing our different beliefs, I said, Khatoon, you are focusing on all our different understandings of faith. What about the many beliefs we share in common? Oh, she replied, it s our differences that make us stretch and grow in our understandings. The differences challenge us to think in new ways and enlarge our faith, not our similarities. Our differences are treasures. Her words and passion produced new stirrings within me that made me think about how one finds a treasure in differing beliefs and understandings. Her response caused me to look at myself and the fact that I feel somewhat uneasy when conversations focus on differences. I hadn t thought of differences being a treasure before. As our conversation came to an end, I Her response caused me to look at myself and the fact that I feel somewhat uneasy when conversations focus on differences. I hadn t thought of differences being a treasure before. realized that there is dignity in differences, value in our differences, a treasure waiting to be unlocked. And, we can be enlarged by differences. I pondered this conversation as I walked about the park today and suddenly realized that God is also one who loves difference as I observed the many varieties of spring flowers and the different phases of the opening buds. My thoughts went to a famous hadith here where God says: I was a hidden treasure and I wanted to be known, so I created the world to be known. I sat down and prayed that God would help me to see differences as opportunities for growth and new understandings. I prayed that here in Iran I would be able to find the treasures hidden in differences and unlocked by wisdom and love. And, I felt a deep gratitude for the many times our Iranian friends and neighbors have prompted new stirrings of life and faith within me. *** Wally continues to find treasures in Persian poetry and to diligently seek them out! I can t believe how many hours he can sit and read through the Farsi, trying to capture the meaning of difficult phrases. Here is one of his translations of Hafez: When you sharpen your eyes by a relationship with the Real You can look into the secret of the universe. Don t be without music and love while under the dome of the heavens, For with these melodies you can send regret out the door. When the rose of your desire opens its face s veil You can easily help; nudge it gently like the morning breeze. Seek at the door of Love for there, is the rare elixir. If you find this you can change dust into gold. If you sincerely seek the taste of Love take a step forward, move! If you take this journey you will know its benefits. (Ghazal of Hafez 144, translated by Wally Shellenberger) Caring for our global family... (continued from p. 1) old son to the family from Ethiopia, his two new siblings were very much a part of the decision to adopt, Kim said. It s really been lovely to see the kids bonding. The older children also have been instrumental in the family s latest decision: to return to Ethiopia in just a few months to adopt their younger son s older brother, about whom they are equally excited, Kim said. Eric added that one of his and Kim s hopes for how the children benefit from the family s diverse experiences is that they will have an appreciation that we are all different and have our different strengths and ways of doing things. Back in the U.S. after various additional trips abroad, the Kurtzes currently live in Goshen, where they have made a number of lifestyle decisions based on the realization that how we live here, although it may not be a direct impact, does impact those in other parts of the world, said Eric. For example, he recently attended a presentation at Goshen College by a Ugandan woman who spoke about the effects of climate change in Uganda, such as increased droughts, floods, malaria and deaths. One of the things she said was that Africa as a continent contributes less than four percent of greenhouse gas emissions but is bearing the brunt of its effects, whereas the U.S. is the largest contributor of greenhouse gases, he explained. So that is the way that we are all connected and how what we do here affects those in other parts of the world. In an effort to simplify and live more sustainably themselves, the family recently moved to a small organic farm still within Goshen s city limits, a move that Kim said has been kind of a culmination of all the places that we ve lived : it s in the city, yet rural, and in the U.S., yet diverse, particularly in the local school system. The Kurtzes also participate in a voluntary gas tax program and have hosted a wide variety of international students in their home over the years. Eric is active in Engineers Without Borders, which encourages engineering students to be globally and socially responsible while assisting in international The Kurtzes have made a number of lifestyle decisions based on the realization that how we live here, although it may not be a direct impact, does impact those in other parts of the world, said Eric. projects. At Assembly Mennonite, one of the things the Kurtzes appreciate is that participants are very intentional about living simply, Kim said. Eric added that the church is a place where they feel challenged and supported and noted that many other families also have adopted children. Ultimately, being a faithbased global citizen means extending care and love to others and to the Earth, and they re connected, I believe, said Eric. It s taking care of something that s been given to us, and not only is it to preserve the Earth, but it s also to preserve people s lives and livelihoods. Kim agreed, For me, my faith boils down to, quite simply, The greatest of these is love. This plays itself out in just caring for a diversity of people. The core of my faith comes down to investing in other people. We can be very globally minded without traveling, she added. That was just our experience and we are very thankful for it, but there are many ways to be global citizens. 4 Oct / Nov 2009 Gospel Evangel IN-MI Mennonite Conference

5 Building cross-cultural connections Leanne Hochstetler True Vine Tabernacle, Elkhart, Ind. Bethany Christian Schools: Being part of multicultural worship and learning to know other young adult Christians from around the world was amazing, said Leanne Hochstetler, a Bethany Christian High School senior who was one of more than 700 young adults who came together for the second Mennonite World Conference Global Youth Summit in Asunción, Paraguay, July Leanne first considered attending the conference when Sarah Thompson ( 02), a member of the Summit planning group, spoke in chapel last year. When the school took up Sarah s challenge to financially assist in sending a participant, Leanne applied for that opportunity. I had never been to a Mennonite convention of any sort before, and since I was going to be in Paraguay for a school language trip, I thought this made a lot of sense, she said. Plus, I enjoy learning to know people from different cultures. That has been the case at home as well. At Bethany, Leanne has interacted daily with friends of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds (25 percent of students have a different ethnicity than she does, and more than one-third of those a different nationality). Additionally, her church, True Vine Tabernacle, has a diverse socio-economic and cultural makeup as well as a non-traditional approach to worship. Though these connections sparked her interest and helped prepare her for the cross-cultural gathering, the Summit still surpassed her expectations. At the Summit, Leanne experienced a rich diversity of worship expressions as each morning and evening different continental groups led worship on the theme: Service Live the Difference! During an afternoon workshop on different kinds of worship, she heard young adults from various cultures share what they find meaningful in worship. After participating in that workshop, I realized how much culture can impact worship styles, she said. Leanne also values the relationships she formed with other young adults as she socialized in free time or in breakout activity groups during the worship sessions. I found it fulfilling to be able to both encourage others in their faith and be encouraged by them, she said. Through and Facebook, she still maintains contact with some of the friends she met there. The Summit also provided a way for Leanne to continue improving her Spanish. After two weeks of traveling as part of Bethany s Spanish-language trip in Brazil and Paraguay, she spent the next two weeks living with her host family in Asunción until Bethany Christian High School senior Leanne Hochstetler (at right) was able to apply her growing proficiency in Spanish as she participated in a worship activity group at the Global Youth Summit in Paraguay in July. (Photo provided) the conference began. She realized how much her Spanish had improved over the previous month when she was able to participate in a worship activity group at the Summit in which everyone spoke Spanish. She said, I am much more confident in speaking Spanish and am deeply thankful to everyone who helped give me these opportunities. Sarah Thompson, who was honored to help plan the Summit, was excited that Bethany took up her challenge and sent Leanne to participate in the Summit. To contemplate what discipleship means in a cross-cultural context necessitates taking into account our interconnectedness on this planet in crisis, she said. The spiritual, financial and mental connection of young people from the Global North and Global South is a crucial aspect for the church to flourish in this century. BCS release Alita Yoder ( 09) also attended the Summit; Luke Hostetter ( 10) and Jared Schwartzentruber ( 10) attended Mennonite World Conference with their families; and Luis López, a Bethany senior from Asunción, served as a volunteer worker, interpreter and musician. Luis learned to know Bethany students during their summer 2007 Spanish-language trip. This connection led to his pursuing coming Bethany as a student himself. He began as a junior in fall IN-MI Mennonite Conference Gospel Evangel Oct / Nov

6 Valuing God s creation Eric Sinnott Paoli (Ind.) Mennonite Fellowship Raised Catholic in a nationalistic, military family, Eric Sinnott had never heard of Mennonites before moving to Paoli, Ind., in the mid-1990s. A few years later he came home from dropping off a donation for Habitat for Humanity and told his wife, I received an invitation to a Fellowship Sunday. I don t know what it is, but I really liked this person, Russ [Leinbach]. His wife said, We ll try it out. So they went, and after a day of playing softball, eating, and meeting Paoli Mennonite Fellowship (PMF) participants, Eric said that 13 years later, it s just been love ever since. As I came to know the hearts, minds and intentions of people at PMF, I became more and more attracted to them and developed a desire to be with them and be a part of them, he said. I love the people at PMF, and I want to bind my heart, mind and soul with them. The same spirit that caused a PMF participant to reach out to a non-mennonite like him lies at the center of what Eric said he has since experienced as the congregation s global perspective. To strive to be Christ to all people, no matter the differences, he declared, is the marrow of PMF. Because God created all of us, he added, it s not my job to justify my relationship with God to other people or to declare who God is against. It s my job to love that person and share Christ with that person to be Christ to that person. When he was young, Eric remembers, his grandfather although jaded and bitter in other ways nevertheless instilled in him a value of creation, God s creation. As a youth in the Catholic Church, Eric said he didn t understand why his church didn t talk about creation. Even though I couldn t verbalize it, I thought, Well, I just don t get it! We live here on Planet Earth, but the church seems absolutely uninterested in that. It s a huge part of the God story, Eric marveled. He created the earth! And then he put humans on the earth. Wally and Evie are a foreign policy that I support because if we build enough loving relationships, some day when somebody comes along and says, Let s go bomb those Americans, they ll say, What are you talking about? I have American friends. At PMF, we don t worship Mother Earth, he added, but we value God s creation. We talk about it, and we try to understand what it is to value God s creation, to be in relationship with God s creation. Eric also holds dear two other aspects of the congregation: their loving nature and their world view, namely, their desire to have a relationship with God as Christians and yet go out into the world among other people who are not Christian and strive for beneficial, thriving, positive relationships. He s been particularly struck by the example of PMF s Wally and Evie Shellenberger, who spent several years in Iran building relationships with Iranian people from many backgrounds and supporting Muslim- Christian dialogue. (See pp. 2 3.) He told about a time when the congregation gathered money to send along with the Shellenbergers, and the couple gave some of it to an Iranian widow and her children. When Evie told her, This is from my people at church, Eric recounted, the Iranian woman said, This is from Christians? Why are you giving this to us why are you Christians giving us this? And Evie said, Because they love you. They want to share with you. They care about you. That s my foreign policy, Eric declared. Wally and Evie are a foreign policy that I support because if we build enough loving relationships, some day when somebody comes along and says, Let s go bomb those Americans, they ll say, What are you talking about? I have American friends. I love those people. I worship with those people. We pray to God together. Likewise, he continued, we don t want our government to bomb Iran, either, because we re building relationships there. We re concerned for the welfare of the people of Iran and don t want their security to be at risk. Therefore, the effort to build positive personal relationships actually holds the potential for building real security security through love and understanding. What Wally and Evie are striving towards is to go out into our world with an Paoli Mennonite Fellowship: Eric Sinnott (Photo provided) unconditional love. That s one thing I love about our church. We feel that that is the true example of Jesus Christ. Although Eric has not been a missionary abroad, his working life as a plumber in Louisville, Ky., very much gives him the opportunity to maximize his own global role when he goes out into the public, he said. I have the opportunity to treat everybody with love and respect, he explained, to show interest in them and to try to do the very best job I can for any and all of them. He also takes every opportunity to share his faith and the Christian resources such as books and radio stations that he has found helpful. In particular, he often shares his thoughts and wisdom about young people, arising out of his experiences with his 14-year-old twin daughters and with several mentees at PMF. He also shares his joy. I acknowledge my faults and foibles, but overall, I m a joyful person, he said. I love my job, and I try to love life, and people have recognized that. They say, Wow, you seem to really be enjoying what you re doing. I think my joy and love for the Lord radiate, Eric concluded with a smile. I think that s true for everybody who has joy in their life. It radiates back out. Noël King is a freelance writer from Scottsville, Va. 6 Oct / Nov 2009 Gospel Evangel IN-MI Mennonite Conference

7 Called to share God s love with the body Melanie Ruuska 2009 participant in AMBS s!explore: A Theological Program for High School Youth; Burr Oak Mennonite, Rensselaer, Ind. The 2009!Explore program a program of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Ind. took ten youth and their pastors to Mennonite World Conference in Asunción, Paraguay. Eight AMBS students and four AMBS faculty accompanied them. They also attended the Global Youth Summit and visited Paraguayan Mennonite communities to learn about both the history and the current challenges of these communities. Melanie participated in the program with her youth pastor, Debbie Voss. The following is excerpted from her report: Paraguay. You want me to go to Paraguay? When Debbie first introduced me to the idea of the!explore Program in 2008 and suggested I go out of the country with her and 30 strangers I was a little unsure, to say the least. I ve been described as shy, awkward, obstinate, overly sarcastic, unfunny, reclusive, home schooled, thin-skinned and just a little bit weird. I was the last person I would have picked if I were Debbie. But, being the good-humored youth I was, I told her, Sure, I ll fill out the forms. Sounds fun. [A year later, in Paraguay] Before I go to sleep every night, I like to imagine myself putting a tape in the VCR and hitting rewind. I watch the day fly by in reverse, and then watch it all again in fast forward. It might have been my second or third night in Paraguay when I was watching my mental tape and noticed something: I was talking. To people. Not just myself. And without a pained expression on my face. In fact, I seemed to be enjoying myself. That s... well, that s just unheard of. The ability to have a cordial, articulate conversation is not quite beyond me, but sometimes the willpower is. But I saw God changing that in me. My 18 days in Paraguay did not consist of me, an individual surrounded by a crowd, but me actually accepting and embracing the group, feeling a sense of belonging and rightness with them. God started to soften me, and at the same time toughen me, helping me to work past my fear of people (or of rejection, problems and humiliation from and caused by them) for the sake of making friends, opening the door for future ministries. I ve always had a fairly small friend group, one that s stayed basically the same my whole life. Interacting with the!explore group definitely broadened the horizons of my tolerance and even enjoyment, as far as people go. I was taught that I can be around people as different from me as my roommate, and get along with her, and hopefully bless her as much as she blessed me. The entire trip, really, was a constant conviction. How do I relate to other people? How do others see Christ in me? Do they even see Him at all? One of the main themes of learning I experienced was loving equally. Mennonites are known for a family attitude and inclusiveness and accepting everyone. Am I living up to the name of Mennonites? Am I living up to the name of Christians? I came into!explore hoping to learn more about the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and how they affected me. While I ve been a Christian my whole life, three years ago I wasn t in a healthy place spiritually. One night, I was on MSN Messenger with someone I d known a relatively short time. He asked how I was doing with God, and I told him that it wasn t going well. He started praying for me, and was given a word for me: Continue praying, seek me, and know that I am with you. I am by your side. I hear your every prayer, and I know your every need. I m quite capable of handling this, and am. Hold fast, and know that I am faithful. Those words gave me a jolt of energy, and I started praying more, and found myself inching closer to God. Despite that, I still had times when I doubted what I heard. During one of our group worship times in Paraguay, we studied the passages about the Road to Emmaus. They spoke to me so profoundly touching me where I hurt, revealing to me flaws in my thinking that needed fixing. God knows where I m at, and He wants to meet me there. He speaks to me through music, visions and dreams, nature and the beauty of His creation. Burr Oak Mennonite: Melanie Ruuska and Debbie Voss in Paraguay. (Photo provided) When I talked with Loren [Johns, an AMBS professor and my Theological Exploration Group leader] about the gifts of the Spirit, he taught me that they are physical embodiments of God s grace. That in order to have a functioning body of Christ you need a hand, a foot, an eye, an ear, a liver. That if everyone performed the same function, the body would die. I thought about what it meant to be, for example, an eye. What use is an eye if it s closed? If the eye sees, but none of the information is given to the rest of the body? What use is the love of Jesus Christ if not shared? I believe we are called to share God s love with the body. I ve always been secretly nervous sharing things I felt were from God with others, but this is something I need to work on. An organ that is separate from the rest of the body will just wither and die, and the body can t function correctly without it. While thinking about the body of Christ, I was more attentive than usual to the bodies that I witnessed in Paraguay. I saw a lot of joy, a lot of the accepting and welcoming that I feel sometimes churches here in America lack. We tend to neglect what s happening in our own back yards. After all, we are a part of the global church. Every person who is saved is someone who can contribute to the body of Christ as a whole. And every person who is ignored? Think of how many people they could touch, and the people those people could touch, and so on. Every person who goes unsaved is dozens more who are stolen from God, in essence. One-on-one ministry was one of the skills I chose to focus on during the program. I ve always wanted to be able to touch people (continued on p. 8) IN-MI Mennonite Conference Gospel Evangel Oct / Nov

8 Called to share... (continued from p. 7) however I can. I learned that it s not just about Jesus Christ is your Savior and Turn from your wicked ways! It s also about relationships. It s about making people a part of the body of Christ. It s about sharing the gifts I ve been given. The problem was that I was unsure as to what I was good at. I kept my eyes and ears open. I asked different people what they felt my best one-on-one ministry skill was. The consensus? Walking with people, mothering, they told me. Something I m still learning to do. I just have to remember that we re a family in Christ and to focus on staying loyal to people during their walk. I feel blessed to be able to bless others. During my time in the church this summer, I was able to practice this through helping Debbie lead the youth group as one of my ministry skills. Our focus for June was prayer, which coincidentally was the spiritual discipline I had chosen to work on. Our youth group is a very scattered one, and at times disconnected and divided. We practiced different ways of praying together. At first there was a lot of resistance. But eventually, to our surprise, people warmed up to it. They even enjoyed it. They started praying for one another and got in the habit of praying by themselves. A few of the ones who were the most hesitant initially were the most excited at the end of the month. Another experiment Debbie and I tried, when we got back from Paraguay, was to start a young adult group, run by and for seniors in high school and college-age kids. I showed up early to our first meeting, hoping that four or five people might come. A whopping nine showed up, Bible in hand, ready to go. to go. So far we ve continued to meet, and people seem to love it. I d like to continue helping out at these meetings and with the youth group. It s a great chance to walk with people. While I know that prayer is an important part of my walk with God, I ve struggled to make time to pray consistently. On our second or third night at the Golondrina, I was tired, overwhelmed and looking for some quiet before bed. I went up to the roof and leaned on the wall, watching and listening to the city. I began to sing Call Unto Me and pray. It was so calming to pray by myself and feel like it was just me and God. That was the first of many nights spent on the roof in prayer, and that song became the I showed up early to our first meeting, hoping that four or five people might come. A whopping nine showed up, Bible in hand, ready theme for my trip. I also started meeting with Debbie nightly for prayer in her room. It made a big difference to have someone to pray with who needed it just as much as I did. Regularly scheduled prayer time is still hard for me, but it s getting easier. It s shown me a little more of His face and His will. I ve also come across a strong desire to pray for others something I never really had before which has been exciting for me. The last ministry skill I chose was music ministry. I love singing and worship. Since coming home from Paraguay, I ve started a youth worship band. We play every fifth Sunday at church and at every youth group. We also decided that the last Wednesday of the month will be a large bring-your-friends worship service with a central message. Seeing our band grow really excites me. I d been disappointed when the youth worship bands that came together in the past few years failed, so it was important to me that this one succeed. My experience with the youth band has been one of the most rewarding parts of my work within the congregation. When one woman in our church heard there would be a youth band, she stood up, threw her hands in the air, and whooped. She s been a constant supporter. Another time that I really felt affirmed was shortly after I returned, when I was baptized. We filled a huge tub and set it out in front of the church, and everyone gathered to watch. Afterwards, people lined up and hugged me, welcoming me into the body of Christ. It was really amazing to hear the things they said to me. I was incredibly blessed by all who spoke to me. The most wonderful moment was when an elderly woman took my hand and said, You are doing something lovely, and God uses you. You re going to take what you learned when you were gone and do His work. Bless you. She gave my hand a quick squeeze, and I thanked her. The next week, after I spoke about our trip, several people prayed with and for me, encouraging me to keep walking with God and learning. It was so awesome to hear those words of affirmation.!explore opened my eyes, ears, and mind. It s given me many new ideas and options for the future, and has encouraged me to take greater measures in my ministry, wherever I may go. I pray that God would help me keep myself open, and take what I learned and carry it with me for the rest of my life. Merry Christmas! The office staff members of IN-MI Conference wish you God s blessings as you anticipate celebrating the arrival of Emmanuel, the Prince of Peace! Dan Miller, Heidi King, Doug Kaufman, Diana Hershberger, Charlotte Long, Annette Brill Bergstresser ministry transitions Beginnings Kelly Carson was installed Oct. 25 as pastor at Mennonite Fellowship of Bloomington (Ind.) by Doug Kaufman, interim conference minister for leadership transitions. She began Aug. 9. Mary Jo Bowman was ordained Oct. 25 at Harlan (Ky.) Mennonite Fellowship by Doug Kaufman for her work as a chaplain. Endings Arthur Paul Boers ended July 5 as overseer for Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship, Goshen, Ind. conference finances Four months into the fiscal year, the numbers are about on par with last year s, and the year-to-date balance is $14,141. Some encouraging developments as we monitor the financial picture are that the Missional Seeds Giving Club is growing and that while some congregations have needed to cut back, others have been able to give more. We are grateful to individuals and congregations who are able to give additional support for our ministry of connecting and resourcing congregations. Thank you! The Oct. 31 year-to-date figures: Estimated income* $158,900 $183,501 Actual income 145, ,435 Estimated expenses** 167, ,252 Actual expenses 131, ,355 *calculated according to historical giving patterns **four-twelfths of total spending plan 8 Oct / Nov 2009 Gospel Evangel IN-MI Mennonite Conference