Mennonite Education Publications Mennonite Education Agency now offers free subscriptions to a number of electronic MEA publications that will help you to stay connected to the work of MEA and to the broader issues and events of Mennonite education. To learn what’s available and how to subscribe visit www.MennoniteEducation.org/Subscribe. Questions may be directed to subscribe@MennoniteEducation.org, or call 866-866-2872.
Emma Alderfer Landis, the founding director and manager of food services for Christopher Dock Mennonite High School for 35 years, died on Saturday, November 21 at the age of 90. A memorial service will be held at the Salford Mennonite Church on Sunday, December 6 at 3:30 p.m. The family will receive friends at the Salford Church from 1:00-3:00 p.m.
All are invited to Bally Mennonite Church for a Pancake Breakfast on Saturday, December 5, 7:00 – 11:30 a.m. in the Church Fellowship hall. Pancakes, French toast, sausage, scrapple, orange juice, tea and coffee will be served at the breakfast. The cost is a donation. All proceeds will provide funds for a children’s orphanage in Nepal.
Everyone is invited to Franconia Mennonite Church for their Christmas Song Service on Sunday, December 6, 6:30 p.m. in the church fellowship hall. Come and enjoy an evening of singing traditional acapella Christmas favorites. Refreshments will be served following the service.
Plan to shop at Care & Share Thrift Shoppes in Souderton, between Monday, November 30 and Saturday, December 5. During this week only, 25% of sales will directly benefit AIDS programs thru Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). Visit careandshareshoppes.org for more information!
The Mennonite Education Agency thanks you for your prayer support of Mennonite education! The December “Prayers for Faith and Learning” document has bee posted at www.MennoniteEducation.org/PRAYERS. You will find these specific requests helpful in guiding your prayers for the Mennonite educational institutions and programs of Mennonite Church USA.
Glenn Edward Witmer, director of Mennojerusalem Bible Land Tours and Deep Run East Mennonite Church are working together to form a tour group to travel to the Holy Lands in October 2010. This is a study tour especially designed for pastors, teachers and leadership, but certainly open to all interested persons. The approximate dates of the tour are October 17 – 31, 2010. For more information contact Bob Moyer at bobpax70@verizon.net, 215-766-0827 or Sue Hackman at hackmantravel@verizon.net, 610-584-1747. For a tour description and itinerary, visit www.mennojerusalem.org. This is a wonderful opportunity for anyone who has wanted to take a tour of the Holy Lands.
Christmas Peace Pilgrimage, Saturday, December 12. For 50 years, during the Christmas season, people who believe in the importance of Peace have been gathering in Nazareth to walk the ten miles to Bethlehem, PA. The pilgrimage recalls the journey of Mary and Joseph. Participants meet in Bethlehem at 11 a.m., and buses transport pilgrims to Nazareth Moravian Church on Center Square where the Pilgrimage begins. Pilgrims may join at any point along the way. There are frequent rest stops and some relief transportation. The pilgrimage concludes at Christ United Church of Christ in Bethlehem, around 5:30 for a light meal and rally. The evening speaker will be the Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr, pastor emeritus of the Riverside Church. Visit www.peacewalk.org or call 610-433-6421 for more information.
This Christmas, choose a gift for family and friends that helps one more child sleep in a safe shelter, one more family add to its herd or flock or one more community have safe drinking water from a nearby source. Even a small donation to Mennonite Central Committee can make a big difference. Visit mcc.org/christmas for gift giving options.
Karen’s Place, the coffee shop ministry of Doylestown Mennonite Church, will be open on Saturday, December 5 featuring the alternative-rock band The No Longer. The show will be taped for a future TV broadcast on WBPH. Donations are still being collected for the hurricane victims of Gulf Area. Monies will be forwarded to Mennonite Disaster Service which is helping people rebuild their homes. Karen’s Place donates a percentage of their proceeds to the New Britain Baptist Food Larder which assists more than 600 families each month in this area with food and personal needs. Also if you bring a canned fruit, vegetable, or soup {no baked beans or tomato soup please} to donate to the Food Larder you’ll get a free coffee or hot tea. A great time of Christian fellowship, music, coffee, cappuccino, cold drinks and snacks, all in a laid-back coffee shop setting. For information please call the church office at 215-345-6377 or visit www.karensplace.org.
You are invited to a Young Adult Christmas Banquet Saturday, December 12, 7 p.m. at Towamencin Mennonite Church. Come out and join other young adults for a fun evening together! Formal attire is welcome. The cost is $15 per person. Please RSVP to www.christiangathering.net by December 5th.
Zion Mennonite Church will be having a Thanksgiving Eve Service on Wednesday, November 25, at 7 p.m. Come and give thanks and reflect on our blessings that God has given us.
The Ted & Company Advent show, Just Give ‘Em the News: A Christmas Story, will be presented at Neffsville Mennonite Church on Saturday, November 28, 7 p.m. The two person show of Ted Swartz and Jeff Raught, is a fresh approach to the Advent story sprinkled with humor and is appropriate for all ages. The event is free and open to the public, no tickets needed. An offering will be taken to benefit Kairos: School of Spiritual Formation. For more information visit www.on-the-journey.org.
All are invited to attend the Franconia – Lancaster Choral Singers and Sounding Brass presentation of Choir Favorites Sunday, December 13, 3 p.m. The concert will feature conductor Ralph Alderfer, organist Marian Archibald, pianist Cheryl Eshleman and special guest soloist Amy Yovanovich. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Tickets may be purchased from Choir Members or by sending a check payable to “Franconia Foundation” to P.O. Box 165, Salford, PA 18957.
The Bel Canto Children’s Chorus will be performing their Annual Winter Concert at Zion Mennonite Church on Sunday December 6 at 4p.m. This is a great time to see children perform a variety of seasonal music. For additional information, please visit www.belcantochildren.com or call 215-541-4242.
Zion Mennonite Church’s Table of Plenty will host a community Thanksgiving Day meal on Thursday, November 26 at 12 noon. The meal will be held in the Fellowship Hall of the church. Anyone in the area who does not have someone with whom to share the day, or who wishes to spend the afternoon in fellowship, may join the group for appetizers at 11:30 a.m. and the full-course meal at 12 noon. The meal is free to all attendees, however, for better planning, reservations are requested. Call the church at 215-723-3592 or Hartzell at 215-723-7476. Use the church office number to arrange for take-out meals or transportation to the meal.
Please note that effective Thursday, November 19 the Mennonite Conference Center offices will be relocating to 569 Yoder Road, Harleysville, PA 19438. The new phone number is 267-932-6050.
Creation Care Retreat Creation Care: Stewards of the Earth, February 12 - 14 at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center, offers a wealth of resources for leading your church toward environmentally responsible practice. Join others who are passionate about caring for the Earth in an interactive, inspiring weekend sponsored by Mennonite Mutual Aid, Church of the Brethren, and Laurelville Mennonite Church Center. To register, or for more information, visit www.laurelville.org or call 800-839-1021.
Afghanistan Resource
Mennonite Church USA has prepared a new handout which explains why Mennonites believe troops do not bring security. President Obama is taking counsel on whether to increase the number of troops in Afghanistan. Our Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective says, “Led by the Spirit, and beginning in the church, we witness to all people that violence is not the will of God. We witness against all forms of violence, including war among nations, hostility among races and classes, abuse of children and women, violence between men and women, abortion, and capital punishment.” As a leader, you can use this new resource to begin in the church to witness that violence, including this conflict, is not the will of God. You might distribute this brochure in mailboxes in your congregations, bulletins or place on your literature table. Please encourage prayers as mentioned on the handout, as well as letters to elected officials. Visit http://peace.mennolink.org/resources/afghanistan_bin_11_09.pdf for a printable version of this document or visit peace.mennolink.org for a complete listing of peace related resources.
All men who enjoy singing to God’s glory are invited to participate in the third Sarasota Mennonite Male Voice Festival, with Lloyd Kauffman as director. Practices will held from 7 – 9 p.m. on January 28, February 4, and February 11, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday, February 13 and 2 – 4 p.m. on Sunday, February 14. The final program will be on Sunday evening, February 14, 6:00 p.m. at Bahia Vista Mennonite Church, Sarasota, FL. Any questions may be addressed to Paul Wenger, pwenger4@comcast.net or 941-870-3737.
There will be a choral presentation of Handel’s Messiah by the Blooming Glen Mennonite Church Adult Choir on Sunday, December 13, at 6:30 p.m. at the church. The choir under the direction of Michael Bishop, will be accompanied by instrumentalists Stan Yoder, Jonas Yoder, Ken Lasky, Cheryl Keifer, Forrest Moyer, Curry Moyer, and Gary Wieder. Vocal soloists include Julie Bishop, Adrienne Bishop, Daniel Moyer and John McCarthy. There is no charge for admission; a free-will offering will be received; a fellowship tea will follow. For more information, call 215-257-3431.
The Mennonite Heritage Center announces a Theorem Painting Workshop scheduled for Saturday, December 12, 9 a.m. - to 3 p.m. Theorem artist Sandra Coldren will teach participants the painting techniques for the 19th century form of stenciling known as theorem painting and how to paint the theorem design “Gift Basket of Fruit”. All skill levels will enjoy using pre-cut stencils and artist oil paints on cotton velveteen, while learning the history of this traditional American art. Class size is limited and pre-registration is required. Class fee is $55 ($50 member) plus a materials fee of $45. To register, contact the Mennonite Heritage Center at info@mhep.org, or call 215-256-3020 or visit www.mhep.org.
Creation Care: Stewards of the Earth, February 12 -14 at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center, offers a wealth of resources for environmentally responsible practices. Join others who are passionate about caring for the earth in an interactive, inspiring weekend sponsored by Mennonite Mutual Aid, Church of the Brethren, and Laurelville Mennonite Church Center. Visit laurelville.org or call 800-839-1021 to register or for more information.
All are invited to attend Penn View Christian School’s annual Christmas Benefit Concert on Friday, December 4, at 7:30 p.m. at Franconia Mennonite Church. The concert will feature kindergarten students reciting Luke 2, Third Grade Choir, General Choir, Select Choir, Middle School Band, Jazz Band, Middle School Strings, Select Strings, and Handbells. The offering at the Christmas Benefit Concert will be matched dollar for dollar up to $10,000! For more information, please call 215-723-1196.
Spruce Lake Retreat announces the appointment of Eric Kauffman for the role of Wilderness Camp Director, effective November 16, 2009. Kauffman will move from his current role as Operations Manager for Spruce Lake’s retreat center. As the Wilderness Camp Director, he replaces Kent Kauffman who is moving to Virginia to become the Executive Director of Highland Retreat. For the full release about Kauffman’s appointment, visit the News tab at www.sprucelake.org.
Volunteer Opportunities
On Saturday, December 5 the Souderton - Telford Holiday Parade will be held. Volunteers are needed from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. to assist Care & Share Thrift Shoppes with their presentation in the parade. If you or your youth group would be interested in volunteering for this please contact Sarah Bergin, Executive Director at 215-723-0315 ext 112.
Mennonite Disaster Service has an urgent need for short-term volunteer groups that would be able to serve in Ramona, CA during November and December. The work will include foundations and framing. Volunteers are also needed in Fresno, CA to help with food distribution to those impacted by drought in Fresno County and neighboring areas. The Community Food Bank in Fresno is in desperate need of volunteers at their distribution center to pre-box food as well as to pre-box holiday meal boxes that will be distributed to partner pantries through the holidays. To volunteer or for more information call Sarah Yoder at 800-241-8111.
Mennonite Central Committee Resource
Curtis Book, MCC East Coast Peace and Justice Coordinator is available for seminars, sermons and workshops at your church on any of the following MCC related topics:
-Connecting with MCC at home and abroad
-A biblical sermon on a peace and justice issue relevant to your congregation
-Exploring peace roots in the Kingdom of God and Anabaptistism
-Conflict Transformation: How to Talk When we Disagree
-The Biblical Mandate to Welcome the Stranger and Illegal Immigration
-Challenging Youth to Live Faithfully in the Midst Three Allegiances, The Cross, The Flag and The Globe
Curtis may be reached at cbook@mcc.org or by calling 215-423-4194.
Breakfast at Doylestown Mennonite Church
The November Pastors’ and Leaders’ Breakfast scheduled for Thursday, November 19 will be held at Doylestown Mennonite Church, 8 – 10 a.m. The topic is “Human Sexuality and Communities in Conflict”. Please register by Friday, November 13 to Jessica Walter at jwalter@franconiaconference.org or call 215-723-5513, Ext. 114.
Come see Cinderella! Christopher Dock Mennonite High School Theater presents the magical musical, Cinderella, with performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, November 12 - 14 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for students and $8 for adults. Call 215-362-2675 or visit dockhs.org for more information.
Free workshops are being offered at the Franconia Mennonite Conference Assembly, Cultivating Healthy and Growing LEADers, on Saturday, November 14 at Souderton Mennonite Church. A broad variety of workshops will be held from 12 - 3 p.m. Workshops are designed to equip leaders in various areas of congregational ministry and are open to anyone with interest (whether or not you are a Conference Assembly delegate). A two-hour track is planned for worship leaders as well as workshops to equip and appeal to a wide array of congregational needs and interests. For more details, visit www.franconiaconference.org.
What’s the best way to get a feel for whether a new school might be a good fit? Attend classes for a day. That’s exactly what prospective students have an opportunity to do on Christopher Dock Mennonite High School’s Visitation Day, scheduled for Friday, November 20. Prospective students will be hosted on campus by a Christopher Dock student, who will accompany them through a typical day of classes, chapel and lunch (free of charge). To schedule a visit for a prospective student, please call the admissions office at 215-362-2675 or e-mail Lois Boaman, Director of Admissions at laboaman@dockhs.org. For more information about Christopher Dock, visit dockhs.org. Additional Visitation Days scheduled for the 2009-10 school year include: December 14, 2009, January 29, 2010, February 8, 2010, March 5, 2010 and April 19, 2010.
The Delaware Valley MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Association) will be hosting a dinner program on Thursday, November 19 featuring the Sanford Alderfer Companies. The title of the presentation will be “Two Brothers & a Good Box to Stand On.” The dinner will be held at the Fischer Auditorium at the Dock Woods Community. The reception will begin at 6:00 p.m. with dinner to follow at 6:30 p.m. The cost for the meal is $18 and it is payable at the event. RSVP by Monday, November 9 by calling 215-721-3030 or 215-723-5513 or email delvalmeda@yahoo.com.
You are warmly invited to a silent auction to benefit the work of Germantown Mennonite Historic Trust, the organization that preserves the oldest Mennonite Meetinghouse in America, on Friday, November 20 at 7 p.m. Feast on delicious hors d’oeuvres, desserts and gourmet coffees and teas from the Green Line Cafe while bidding on a wide variety of items and services. All proceeds benefit the historic 1770 Germantown Mennonite Meetinghouse and Burial Ground, the first Mennonite community in North America. The auction will be held at Germantown Mennonite Church. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Please contact Christopher Friesen at programs@meetinghouse.info or by calling 267-297-6124 to purchase tickets or for further inquiries.
Karen’s Place the coffee shop ministry of Doylestown Mennonite Church will be open on Saturday, November 21 featuring Dave Pettigrew (rock). Donations for the hurricane victims of Gulf Area are still being collected. Monies will be forwarded to Mennonite Disaster Service which is helping people rebuild their homes. Karen’s Place continues to donate a percentage their proceeds to the New Britain Baptist Food Larder which assists more than 600 families each month with food and personal needs. If you bring a canned fruit, vegetable, or soup {no baked beans or tomato soup please} we will deliver them to the Food Larder and you’ll get a free coffee or hot tea. A great time of Christian fellowship, music, coffee, cappuccino, cold drinks and snacks all in a laid-back coffee shop setting. Karen’s Place is located at Doylestown Mennonite Church. For information please call the church office at 215-345-6377 or visit karensplace.org.
All are invited to “Recalling Our Landscape: A Memoir in Pictures”, presented by John L. Ruth, on Saturday, November 28, 7:30 p.m. at Franconia Mennonite Church. This 90-minute presentation is a visual celebration of rural life in the triangle defined by the Schuylkill, Delaware and Lehigh Rivers. For a quarter-millennium we have lived on, from and by this land. Although that era is over for most of us, the old agricultural and village setting is there to see in the photographic record begun in the nineteenth century. Slides especially, from local homes, preserve a sense of affection for the understated beauty of our now swiftly changing landscape. While no admission will be charged, a freewill offering, matched by the Curtis and Mildred Moyer Family Foundation, will be taken for supporting the work of the Mennonite Heritage Center. For more information and to register, visit mhep.org, email info@mhep.org or call 215-256-3020.
Make plans to attend the Music and Worship Leaders’ Retreat, January 8-10. Gather together with those who are passionate about leading others in worship at Laurelville Mennonite Church Center. During the weekend you will enjoy quality workshops, resource sharing, fellowship with like-spirited individuals, and opportunities to create worshipful music. Visit www.laurelville.org or call 800-839-1021 to register.
On Saturday, November 21, renowned Celtic singer Charlie Zahm, with fiddle player Tad Marks, and opening act “Unsafe at Any Speed” will perform folk music at the Perkasie Patchwork Coffeehouse in the Perkasie Mennonite Church hall. Come for an evening of Celtic, Early American and Maritime songs and tunes led by a “once in a generation” baritone paired with unmatched fiddling. Doors open at 7 p.m. with performances at 7:30 p.m. Adults $9, Adults 65 & over $7, Students 13 and up $4, 12 & under free. Tasty refreshments are for sale. Visit perkmenno.org or call 215-723-2010 for directions or more information.
Support Christopher Dock Mennonite High School by shopping at Ten Thousand Villages. Stop by Ten Thousand Villages, Souderton, on Wednesday, November 18 between 5 and 9 p.m. for a special Shopping Night. 20% of your purchase will be donated to Christopher Dock Mennonite High School.
Men of all ages are invited to a MEN’S RETREAT, January 14 – 15 at Spruce Lake Retreat. The featured speaker will be John Fischer with praise and worship artists, Next 2 Nothing. Fischer, a Senior Writer for PurposeDrivenLife.com, has a distinctive ministry career spanning over 35 years. The retreat begins late afternoon / early evening Thursday, January 14, and ends Friday afternoon, January 15. A short but powerful event that could easily be life-changing! The all-inclusive retreat package is $109 / person. Bring your church or community men’s group with you! Call 800-822-7505 or visit sprucelake.org for retreat information.
Effective immediately, there are new hour of operation for the Mennonite Heritage Center and the Mennonite Historical Library. They will be open Tuesday - Friday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Closed major holidays. Be sure to visit both at 565 Yoder Road, Harleysville, PA.
Join the board of Bridge of Hope Buxmont in a time of prayer for homeless single parent families at Plains Mennonite Church, Wednesday, November 11, 6 - 6:30 p.m. Contact Pastor Dawn Ranck, 215-362-7640 for more information.
Job Opportunities
Peaceful Living is seeking a part-time Controller to serve on team with Bookkeeper and Administrative Services Director. Responsibilities include: a) preparing reports: monthly, cash flow, projections b) budget monitoring system, including interim monitoring and analysis c) general ledger analysis and reconciliation for GAAP reporting. An accounting degree is required. Proficiency with QuickBooks; Enterprise Solutions #7 and familiarity with state and local government funding mechanisms and contract requirements are also needed. For more information call Joe Landis at 610-287-1200. To apply on-line visit peacefulliving.org, careers. Resumes may be sent to Peaceful Living, 2210 Shelly Road, Suite 2, Harleysville, PA 19438.
Peaceful Living is seeking a part-time Campaign Coordinator to support the staff and campaign volunteers and care for the logistics of the major donor prospect management process. Responsibilities are the administrative and management aspects of behind the scenes activities of the campaign. This person needs to have a good relationship with our local community, have a pleasant telephone manor and be proficient in Word and Excel. For more information call Joe Landis at 610-287-1200. To apply on-line visit peacefulliving.org, careers. Resumes may be sent to Peaceful Living, 2210 Shelly Road, Suite 2, Harleysville, PA 19438.
Spruce Lake Retreat, a dynamic, year-round retreat ministry for families and adults, has two full-time positions open, effective immediately: OPERATIONS MANAGER, responsible for ensuring a positive guest/camper experience by overseeing custodial and housekeeping staff, and retreat center recreational facilities. A bachelor’s degree or equivalent life experience, 3-5 years of management experience, knowledge of OSHA, EPA and DEP requirements, strong organizational and communications skills, and basic computer skills in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook are need to fill this position. A full job description is posted at sprucelake.org. Send resume with application to Mark Swartley, Executive Director, Spruce Lake Retreat, RR 1, Box 605, Canadensis, PA 18325; phone 800-822-7505. x 118; fax 570-595-0328; email jobs1109@sprucelake.org. GUEST GROUP COODINATOR, responsible for organizing, scheduling and implementing guest group reservations, with a focus on extending Christian hospitality. A bachelor’s degree or equivalent life experience, strong organizational, interpersonal and communications skills are needed for this position. Computer literacy in the MS Office Suite is a must. A full job description is posted at sprucelake.org. Send resume with application to Mark Swartley, Executive Director, Spruce Lake Retreat, RR 1, Box 605, Canadensis, PA 18325; phone 800-822-7505. x 118; fax 570-595-0328; email jobs1109@sprucelake.org.
This summer, we at Lakeview decided to do something we had never done in our 50 year history as a congregation. We decided not to meet together. For one Sunday in June we decided not meet at our meetinghouse. While there have been times when snow made this decision for us, this time we made the decision not to meet. Therefore, on Sunday morning, June 28th, I posted a note on our front door that read: “We are ‘not in the house’ today.”
Where the inspiration to do a “Church Day Out” came from we are not entirely sure.
Gilberto Flores (former Mennonite Church USA denominational minister) may have had something to do with it. At our 2007 Franconia Conference Assembly Gilberto told us the chairs in our meetinghouses ought to face the doors because that is where the church “goes.” He told us that when he showed up to church on his first Sunday at first assignment as a pastor no one was there to hear him preach. Church members were in the streets and he had to go there to find his congregation. I think Gilberto is an undercover agent of the Holy Spirit.
Jeff Wright is another culprit. Hired by Franconia Conference as a consultant for the Vision and Finance Plan Team meetings, he kept pulling his devotional material from the book of Acts. In the book of Acts the church is constantly on the move…and it began to seem as though we were not moving much. I think Jeff may be an instigator of the Holy Spirit.
And then there is Krista Ehst who kept sending us these Post-Christendom reports from her internship in East London. In her blog she wrote that her church took one Sunday a month, one Sunday every month, to be “helping about” and “connecting with” the neighborhood. I think of Krista as a Holy Spirit spy. So let the record show that on June 28, 2009 Lakeview Mennonite Church did not meet.
However a group did gather at the gazebo in the center of New Milford. From there they dispersed in “twos” walking about, praying silently with their eyes open.
Another group traveled to our local skilled nursing facility in Susquehanna to sing and pray and visit. One resident excused his usual Sunday ride with his family and stayed for worship with our visiting group. Another resident wondered if the group will come again.
A young mother with a theory decided to take her family, with three small children, to visit Harford Village Apartments. She was correct, seniors “perk up” when the energy of small children arrives.
After discovering that a local woman who is losing the use of her hands needed some firewood cut into very small pieces, a group of four men went to the woods with chainsaws and donuts. They piled two pick-up truck-sized loads of small pieces next to her door.
A woman prepared a meal and took it to her reclusive neighbor. In our area there are people who simply will not come out. Whether it be fear, hurt, poverty or the accumulation of loneliness and sadness, hermit-types seldom come out of their houses. This woman took a meal to the hard-of-hearing John and yelled conversation with him for two hours.
Another family escorted an elderly woman to her church.
Another woman, who admitted to being pushed far outside of her comfort zone, asked the most challenging woman she knew out to lunch.
A group of Lakeview people decided to fast for the entire day and send off the money they saved on meals to the Worm Project. One man, who fasted from Saturday evening through Monday morning said, “I still have the choice of when to begin and break my fast…but those going hungry are denied even that choice…so with my choices, I am well off.”
These are the stories, the report, from our “Church Day Out” at Lakeview.
We admit these are baby steps in our understanding of mission in the kingdom. Jesus once said the kingdom of God is like yeast in a loaf of bread. I think what we have learned so far is that you do have to add the yeast!
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This summer, we at Lakeview decided to do something we had never done in our 50 year history as a congregation. We decided not to meet together. For one Sunday in June we decided not meet at our meetinghouse. While there have been times when snow made this decision for us, this time we made the decision not to meet. Therefore, on Sunday morning, June 28th, I posted a note on our front door that read: “We are ‘not in the house’ today.”
And then there is Krista Ehst who kept sending us these Post-Christendom reports from her internship in East London. In her blog she wrote that her church took one Sunday a month, one Sunday every month, to be “helping about” and “connecting with” the neighborhood. I think of Krista as a Holy Spirit spy. So let the record show that on June 28, 2009 Lakeview Mennonite Church did not meet. 
Another woman, who admitted to being pushed far outside of her comfort zone, asked the most challenging woman she knew out to lunch.