“Pastoral Care for People with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” will be the topic of the next Pastors’ and Leaders’ Breakfast on Friday, February 12, 8 – 10 a.m., at the Mennonite Conference Center. Special guest speaker, Carolyn Heggen will lead in a conversation on examining some of the common spiritual issues and core questions for victims of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Carolyn, a psychotherapist specializing in trauma recovery, is an international trauma consultant and trainer. She is affiliated with the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University as director of the Healing the Wounds of War project and authored the book Sexual Abuse in Christian and Home and Churches.Please register by February 8 to Jessica Walter at jwalter@franconiaconference.org, or 267-932-6050 x 114. A $5 donation will be requested to cover the cost of the meal.
Luncheon with Dr. Conrad Kanagy
Biblical Seminary and Franconia Mennonite Conference’s School for Leadership Formation invite area Mennonite pastors to join Dr. Conrad Kanagy for lunch and conversation, Wednesday, February 17, 12:30 – 2:00 p.m. at Biblical Seminary, Hatfield. Dr. Kanagy is a professor at Elizabethtown College and author of Road Signs for the Journey: A Profile of Mennonite Church USA. Dr. Kanagy will be leading a course through Biblical Seminary, February 15 – 18, entitled Entering the Missional Conversation. Please register for this luncheon by February 3 to Jessica Walter at jwalter@franconiaconference.org or 267-932-6050 x 114.
Urgent Message to Pastors:
Pastors, if you know of people in your congregation who might be open to the following opportunity, please forward the information to them as soon as possible. If possible, it would also be appreciated if you could share this information with your congregation as a verbal or bulletin announcement, as appropriate in your context. Thank you!
Gay Brunt Miller, Franconia Conference Partner in Mission coordinator for Haiti.
Franconia Mennonite Conference has been contacted by Janet Panning (Plains Mennonite Church) who works for Lutheran Children and Family Service. They were contacted by the state refugee coordinator with a request for emergency housing for Haitian medical refugees.
Haitian trauma victims and their escorts will be coming to PA, about 50 per
day. Of the 50, half will be trauma victims and go directly to the
hospital. Half will be escorts who will need housing and resettlement services.
Victims will be of all ages. Some will be coming in under temporary tourist
visas and others will be coming in under humanitarian parole (which means that they are eligible for refugee benefits).
We have very few details but are trying assess interest in helping to provide emergency housing and food for escorts. It is possible that people could begin arriving as early as next week. Those wishing to assist should expect to offer this hospitality for a time period of 90 days (although this number could vary widely either way).
There are many questions to be answered. Indicating your interest does not
obligate you in any way. If you do have an interest in housing Haitian
trauma victim’s escorts, please email your name, contact information
(email and phone), and physical address to Julia Menzo, Lutheran Disaster Response Coordinator, Liberty Lutheran Services, jmenzo@libertylutheran.org,
215-430-1299 (cell). If you would like more information, feel free to contact Janet Panning at 215-747-7500, Ext. 209.
Deep Run Mennonite Church East is hosting a Men’s Banquet, Tuesday, February 9, 6:15 p.m. Intentional Influences — the importance of good adult role models for our youth — is the focus of this year’s program with guest speaker, Tom Nuneviller. Tom is a 1987 graduate of Pennridge High School and was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the fifth round of the June 1990 draft. He remained with the Phillies farm system for 7 years, making it to Triple A ball and played with the Scranton Red Barons. Tom is currently a Pennridge High School Health & Physical Education teacher and the Varsity Boys Baseball coach. Enjoy an all you can eat buffet. Adults - $15, Children 4 – 10 - $7.50, 3 & under – Free. Register by February 1. Registration forms and more information available by visiting www.deepruneast.org.
You are invited to a reunion of the original Philadelphia sanctuary congregations and leaders of the 1980s, Thursday, February 11, 7 – 9 p.m. at Tabernacle United Church. Tabernacle United Church was the first Philadelphia congregation to declare sanctuary status in the 1980s and is located at Chestnut and 37th Street. Come and hear stories about experiences of solidarity and accompaniment, as well as, stories about what’s going on with the NEW sanctuary movement and immigration issues in Philadelphia today. Refreshments will be served. All are welcome. For more information contact New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia, Peter Pedemonti and Jen Rock 646-226-0848 or 267-275-7810, email nsmphiladelphia@gmail.com or visit www.nsmphilly.blogspot.com.
All are invited to the Lenten House of Prayer at Souderton Mennonite Church. The House of Prayer will be open from Friday, February 12 through Monday, February 22, 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Come use the many prayer stations for both familiar and new ways to encounter God. To schedule a time for a group to come, please contact Sandy Drescher-Lehman at 215-723-3088 x17 or sdlehman@soudertonmennonite.org.
All are invited to Bally Mennonite Church, Saturday, February 13 for a Pancake Breakfast. Breakfast will be served 7 – 11 a.m., and will include pancakes, French toast, sausage, scrapple, O.J., tea and coffee. The cost is a donation. Proceeds will provide funds for the Bally Community Center.
A Photo Club is being held at Wellspring Church of Skippack. The club will meet in the Fellowship Hall, Thursday, February 18, 6:30 p.m. Come for mutual support, do monthly photography projects and receive constructive critique of each other’s work. There will even be an occasional field trip.
All are welcome.
All are warmly invited to a worship service in song with the Goshen College Men’s Chorus on Monday, February 22, 7 p.m. at Salford Mennonite Church. The 45-student ensemble, directed by Dr. Scott Hochstetler, will present a sacred music journey through time and culture with the theme of “Healing the World, Song by Song.” Please visit www.salfordmc.org or contact the church office at 215-256-0778 for more information.
Celebrate! Women, come for a time of relaxation, refreshment and rejoicing. On Saturday, April 17, women from throughout our region will join together to celebrate life, community and the love of Jesus. SAVE THE DATE!
A new ministry of Franconia Mennonite Conference, Living Hope Farm begins its relational farming this year through Community Supported Agriculture. Members receive a weekly basket of what is ready to harvest from May to October. A full share costs $725; partial shares cost $365. Contact farmer Jill Landes at 267-625-4525 or info@livinghopefarm.org to purchase a share or make a donation to help jump-start this first phase of the farm ministry.
Speaker and pantomime artist Cary Trivanovich teams up with worship leader Monte Leister for a lively Spring Family Weekend at Spruce Lake Retreat, April 30 – May 2. Come with your trout license for fishing in the annual Trout Fishing Derby! Package, $369 for family of four (adjustable for family size). Call for reservations at 800-822-7505 or visit www.sprucelake.org.
Thank you for your prayer support of Mennonite education. The Mennonite Education Agency has posted new Prayers for Faith and Learning for the month of February at go to www.MennoniteEducation.org/PRAYERS. Subscriptions are available online by visiting www.MennoniteEducation.org/Subscribe.
MMA’s offices have moved to a new location in Souderton. This is part of a planned expansion of MMA services that will include the addition of credit union services through Mennonite Financial Federal Credit Union later in 2010. Our new offices are located at 121 N. Main St., Souderton, in the Village Centre Office Suites building. You may reach any of the MMA team (Trish Sneddon, Randy Delp, Jeff Godshall, Randy Nyce, Arlin Lapp, Bill Hartman, Patti Freed and Ruth Ann Kulp) at 215-703-0111 or toll free at 877-420-9789. Come see us in our new location!
A 2-bedroom apartment on the campus of the Historic Mennonite Meetinghouse in the Germantown section of Philadelphia is available for rental in February. The landlord is the Germantown Mennonite Historic Trust, a small nonprofit. We seek community-minded tenants. As a Mennonite organization, we understand that the peaceful presence of our residential community is a witness in our neighborhood. Rent is $800/month. Tenant pays utilities. If interested, please contact Liz Einsig Wise, Executive Director, at (267) 240-7966 or gmht@meetinghouse.info.
Please note:During the week of February 1, Bulletin Announcements will be sent on Wednesday, February 3 instead of Tuesday, February 2. Thank you for your understanding.
The Corinthian Plan, the new health insurance plan of Mennonite Church USA, went into effect Jan. 1. A total of 453 congregations and conferences, including 503 credentialed employees and 75 non-credentialed employees, are participating. Also included are employees of MMA, Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership and Mission Network.
“The dream of delegates at the Mennonite Church USA Delegate Assembly in San Jose has become reality,” says Keith Harder. He has given leadership to creating, on behalf of the denomination’s Executive Board, a health plan that makes coverage available to all pastors and church workers. Congregations that cannot afford the full cost of providing coverage are assisted through a mutual aid component that all participating congregations support. It’s called the Fair Balance Fund.
Congregations have pledged approximately $480,000 for the Fair Balance Fund, and so far $414,203 has been committed to assist 57 congregations with the cost of providing health coverage for their pastors.
“We are grateful to the participating Mennonite Church USA congregations and for the way they care for their employees. We are grateful that they also care for those in congregations that cannot afford the full cost of providing health coverage for their pastors,” Harder says.
The new Benefits Board, which will oversee The Corinthian Plan, will meet in Goshen in mid-February. Board members are chair Hal Loewen of Phoenix, Ariz., Steve Garboden of Goshen, Ind., Marlin Groff of Lancaster, Pa., Marco Guete of Tampa, Fla., Larry Miller of Goshen, Ind., Ron Piper of Harrisonburg, Va., Yvonne Sieber of Hesston, Kan., and Dave Weaver of Goshen, Ind.
Harder will continue to serve as director of The Corinthian Plan for Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership.
For more information, contact Keith Harder at 866-866-2872 Ext 34255 (toll-free) or keithh@mennoniteusa.org.
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) sent three structural engineers to Haiti on Saturday Jan. 23, for one to four weeks.
The engineers will examine houses and other buildings to determine if they are in danger of collapse or if they are safe for occupation. Currently many Haitians are sleeping on the streets or in open areas because they don’t feel safe in their homes.
“People are scared to go back in their buildings without someone looking at them to be sure they are sound,” said Ron Flaming, director of international programs for MCC.
Leading the engineering team for MCC is Johann Zimmermann, a licensed structural engineer from Harrisonburg, Va., who served with MCC in Burkina Faso, Mozambique and Nicaragua. He attends Community Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg.
He will be joined by Peter Pereverzoff of Rochester, N.Y., and Marcus Schiere, from the Netherlands.
Zimmermann, who is self employed and a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, said he was motivated to go to Haiti as he thought about the safety of the people. From his personal experience of living through an earthquake in Central America, he understands the uncertainty that survivors feel.
“You’re afraid. Am I safe or not?” said Zimmermann, explaining the uncertainty. “It’s really anxiety producing. If you have children, you are worried about them more than you are about yourself.”
In Haiti, Zimmermann hopes to work alongside Haitian builders because they are the ones most familiar with the local building techniques. He would like to teach them how to assess the structural soundness of buildings, so the work can continue after he and the other engineers are gone.
The engineers’ task involves a significant element of judgment and probability, Zimmermann said. They will look at the way cracks in houses were formed to determine if they are only aesthetic or if the house is in danger of falling down.
In anticipation of sending a second crew of structural engineers, MCC is inviting people who would be willing to volunteer for two to four weeks to send an e-mail to Jan Siemens in human resources, jds@mcc.org.
Along with regular updates from various MCC workers currently in Haiti, on January 18th, MCC began posting podcast updates from Haiti. Click here to hear a recent interview of MCC worker Margot de Greef who describes her impressions of life in Haiti after the earthquake.
MCC has also posted a special page called “On site” which features first-person reflections, thoughts and observations from people who are responding to the Haiti earthquake. The page is updated regularly. Click here to read the current updates.
For more information on MCC’s ongoing relief effort in Haiti visit www.mcc.org.
At West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship (WPMF), worshippers considered how personal choices such as shopping, career paths, debt and education affect God’s global community during an October service.
Earlier in the year, the congregation focused a worship service on health care and then took action on the issue. Now, WPMF is preparing to address the issue of housing.
WPMF is one of several dozen Mennonite congregations that have dedicated a Sunday worship service to learning and acting on issues of poverty and economic justice.
These congregations are participating in Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) U.S. Washington Office’s Abundant Life: Economic Justice for All campaign, meant to raise awareness and encourage action on U.S. public policy. They used a variety of easily accessible resources from the Washington Office to help in planning for worship, discussion and action.
The campaign centers around four U.S. policy issues that have the potential to create greater economic justice across the globe: health care, international debt relief, housing and trade. Dates of specific Sundays are suggested as days to concentrate on each topic.
Two more Sundays for prayer and action are coming up, focused on housing (Jan. 31) and trade (April 25). Congregations are invited and encouraged to participate.
At WPMF, 70 to 80 people participated in the worship service with the health care theme on July 19. The service led to a response time during which congregants shared their own stories as health care professionals struggling with the current health care system. Afterward, the congregation sent 40 letters to government representatives, expressing their concerns and desires for future policy.
At College Mennonite Church in Goshen, Ind., the July health care service drew more than 100 participants for a discussion with Anne Krabill Hershberger, retired associate professor of nursing at Goshen College, and Don Yost, of Maple City Health Care Center in Goshen.
“The Abundant Life campaign provides an opportunity for congregations to learn about current economic justice issues and then to respond by making their perspective known to policymakers,” said Rachelle Lyndaker Schlabach, director of the Washington Office.
For more information on the campaign and to sign up for resources, visit the Washington Office website at washington.mcc.org/life.
In addition, the “Washington Memo,” published quarterly by the Washington Office, includes articles and analysis about U.S. policies from an Anabaptist perspective.
Campaign resources in the Washington Memo include worship resources, reflections and prayer, as well as a sample letter to representatives. Featured articles are from both Washington Office staff and other MCC workers who see the direct effect public policies have on MCC partners and their work.
Christina Warner is the legislative assistant for Domestic Affairs at the MCC U.S. Washington Office.
Franconia Conference has established a fund to assist the Grace Assembly Network congregations in the rebuilding and reconstruction sure to follow the Haiti earthquake. While communication with key Grace Assembly Network leader, Pastor Lesly Bertrand, has been limited, phone calls and a visit form Mennonite Central Committee staff assure us of his and his family’s well-being. They are sleeping out doors at a church compound just outside of the city and have a generator that provides water from a well on the church grounds. Pastors from the Hopewell Network of Churches are setting out for Port-au-Prince today to learn more.
Initially, the Conference is sending a satellite phone, to be delivered this week to Pastor Bertrand to help establish more regular contact. Mennonite Central Committee has also opened conversation with Grace Assembly about the possibilities of working together to bring healing and hope to Haiti. The phone is intended to empower Pastor Lesly in his work and ministry by opening doors for conversation that will allow movement of goods and lifting of spirits as the recovery continues in Port-au-Prince.
In the meantime, the work team from Souderton Mennonite Church has returned to Pennsylvania safely on January 18, after an only a few days extension of what was intended to be a week-long project of service near Haiti’s southern coast.
Franconia Conference is actively soliciting contributions toward the ministry of Grace Assembly Network in this critical time for our brothers and sisters in Haiti.
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Steve Kriss, skriss@franconiaconference.org