Goshen College, a Mennonite school in northern Indiana, has been in the news lately following the decision of its board to reverse an earlier decision and stop playing the U.S. national anthem before athletic events. In a blog post for CNN today, Mennonite pastor Mark Schloneger does an exceptionally good job of explaining Mennonite beliefs succinctly for a general audience. Bridgefolk participants may be interested. Click here to read.
Category: Commentary
Article explores hospitality in worship
Bridgefolk participant Heather Grennan Gary explored hospitality and worship in a recently published article in U.S. Catholic. Heather shares with the following introduction for the article:
The hospitality I’ve encountered within a Mennonite context has been a special and surprising gift. I wrote the following article in part to uphold it as an example worth emulating especially within Catholic parishes, where there’s frequently a need to step up the level of hospitality toward visitors, newcomers, regular attendees, and longtime members alike.
While this article necessarily focuses on the inhospitable feeling I experienced at a specific parish, it’s certainly not just about this parish—nearly every parish community I’ve visited or attended over the years has room for improvement. And while I chose not to mention the denomination of the hospitable church for the purposes of this article, I hope Bridgefolk recognize it as Mennonite.
Read the article here.
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“The Road to Nonviolence:” America magazine assesses ecumenical peace efforts
Two special designations were proclaimed for this millennium’s first decade, which comes to an end this year: the Decade to Overcome Violence, sponsored by the World Council of Churches; and the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World, sponsored by the United Nations. The core objective of the World Council of Churches’ decade was to move the concern for peace from the periphery of the churches to their very center.
To view the rest of the article, click here.
America magazine article charts steps toward “Our Ecumenical Future;” cites Bridgefolk
A recent article in the Catholic weekly magazine America assesses by Christopher Ruddy, “Our Ecumenical Future” suggested ways for Catholic bishops to promote Christian unity. The article makes positive mention of Bridgefolk and is available online at http://www.americamagazine.org/content/article.cfm?article_id=12544.
Here is an excerpt, in which Ruddy makes four suggestions Continue reading “America magazine article charts steps toward “Our Ecumenical Future;” cites Bridgefolk”
Reflections on Catholic-Mennonite peace witness
Click here to read a recent commentary on Mennonite-Catholic peace witness. The reflection is written by Andre Gingerich Stoner, Director of Interchurch Relations (Mennonite Church USA) and longtime friend of Bridgefolk.
Footwashing: one congregation’s story
Bridgefolk participant Pat Shaver from Seattle Mennonite Church offers these reflections on the challenges her congregation encountered while planning a footwashing service:
Hygiene and hospitality
Seattle Mennonite is an urban congregation with a growing homeless ministry. MRSA (virulent type of infection) is frequent among the homeless. The congregation needed a way to protect the health of the participants while being open and welcoming. To meet this challenge, the congregation provided an individual towel for each person and someone at each station to insure people used hand sanitizer after washing someone’s feet.
A local homeless chaplain said that to allow homeless persons to participate without feeling ashamed, the congregation should Continue reading “Footwashing: one congregation’s story”
Why footwashing – a testimony
I read with interest your announcement of the Foot Washing Conference to be held this summer. I am a retired Mennonite Minister in Des Allemands, LA. I would love to attend your conference. But that is not possible. Instead I will share this testimony: Continue reading “Why footwashing – a testimony”
Recommended reading: “As Different as We Think: Catholics and Protestants”
Protestants and Catholics may use much the same vocabulary to express their respective beliefs and practices, but behind this common language lie different ways of thinking. Becoming aware of and paying attention to these differences is essential for fruitful ecumenical dialogue.
Bridgefolk board member Darrin Snyder Belousek calls our attention to a recent article in Books & Culture that explores those background assumptions in an especially succinct and helpful way. The full article is not available online, except to the magazine’s subscribers, but Darrin shares his summary below: Continue reading “Recommended reading: “As Different as We Think: Catholics and Protestants””
“Forgiving Lutherans could be a temptation for self-righteousness,” says Mennonite theologian
The request of our historic persecutors for forgiveness presents us Mennonites with a temptation and an opportunity, warns Jeremy Bergen, assistant professor of Religious Studies at Conrad Grebel University College, Waterloo, Ont. In response to a previous article in Canadian Mennonite, Bergen publsihed the following commentary on the magazine’s website. Continue reading ““Forgiving Lutherans could be a temptation for self-righteousness,” says Mennonite theologian”