Mennonite World Conference met last summer in Asunción, Paraguay for its every-sixth-year general assembly. While the central purpose of the assembly was to strengthen bonds of communion between Mennonites from around the globe, the assembly also welcomed guests from other Christian traditions, including the Anglican Church, the Baptist World Alliance, the Catholic Church, the Lutheran World Federation, the Methodist Churches, African Initiated Churches, the Salvation Army, the World Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, the World Council of Churches and the World Evangelical Alliance. Here are a couple of items gleaned from MWC news releases that will be of particular interest to Bridgefolk:
Workshop on Mennonite Catholic dialogue
Asunción, Paraguay–Catholics and Mennonites are in dialogue in various places around the globe, according to a July 17 workshop.
Neal Blough of France reported on a dialogue between Mennonite World Conference and the Roman Catholic Church’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity (PCPCU) between 1998 and 2003. A report from that dialogue, “Called Together to Be Peacemakers,” came out in 2003.
César Garcia of Colombia and Fernando Enns of Germany talked about how their churches used that report in their countries. Garcia offered a history of Catholics’ harsh treatment of Protestants in Colombia. This report, he said, helped change that and led to further dialogue that has been productive.
Garcia and Enns both noted that “peace requires dialogue.” Enns described some differences that came out of a meeting of Catholics and Mennonites in Rome. These related primarily to two areas: apostolic succession and baptism.
In answer to a question from participants, Gregory Fairbanks of the PCPCU explained the meaning of the Eucharist to Catholics. It means more than the real presence of Jesus Christ. It also assumes the unity of the church. Fairbanks also said that this dialogue is important because “the division of the church is a sin.”
Garcia and Enns both emphasized the need to contextualize the report.
– Gordon Houser, The Mennonite.
Paraguayan choir a preview of heaven
Asunción, Paraguay–Eleven Paraguayan ethnic groups “Came together in the way of Jesus Christ” forming a 160-voice choir to serve God in unity with songs of praise.
When the Program Planning Committee first mentioned an inter-ethnic Paraguayan mass choir for Mennonite World Conference’s Assembly 15 the idea hardly seemed feasible. Sometime later Alfred Neufeld invited me to form a choir of German, Spanish and Indigenous Mennonites from the eight hosting conferences. At first I hesitated, yet I also saw a tremendous challenge, a symbolic gesture of service and unity. Neufeld suggested a repertoire of traditional Spanish and German songs as well as two movements from a Catholic Mass, “Misa Criolla” by Ariel Ramirez.
The greatest task was recruiting singers scattered all over Paraguay. However, long connections to the German Mennonite churches in west and east Paraguay through numerous song festivals and frequent music workshops over many years at different Indigenous reserves made balanced recruitment easier. Distances between settlements made rehearsals difficult, but many prayers and the help of local consultants made the project possible.
After our first joint rehearsal in the Chaco, one Indigenous woman who was overwhelmed by the sound of the choir said, “Now I can imagine how it might sound on resurrection day, when all ethnic groups will sing the same repertoire and the same language in unity.”
In a relatively short time, the 160 singers from German, Spanish and Indigenous Mennonite, Mennonite Brethren and Evangelical Mennonite churches were set to go. A final joint rehearsal was possible only on the day of the actual performance, Saturday July 18 during the noon hour.
For my wife Wilma, the pianist, and myself it was a unique opportunity and challenge. The symbolism of the inter-ethnic unity in this choir joining in a Catholic Mass, traditional Spanish songs, a German Chorus, “Das Kreuz von Golgatha” which has deep roots with many 1930s German immigrants to Paraguay, and finally in the Kyrie Eleison in eight languages was immense, powerful and awesome.
– Ed Toews, Choir director