Tag: Mennonite news

Mennonite Church USA names new director of
interchurch relations

Mennonite Church USA
News Release:

Mennonite pastor helps Mennonite Church USA
to work with other denominations

by Laurie L. Oswald

NEWTON, Kan. (MC USA) — Believing that Christ wants the church to be one is
one thing. But it’s quite another to believe that working for the common
cause of Christ with other faith traditions is good for Mennonite Church
USA.

Andre  Gingerich Stoner, pastor of missions at Kern Road Mennonite Church in
South Bend, Ind., knows the difference — and he’s made the leap. What’s
more, he’s inviting his Anabaptist faith family to work with other faith
traditions to build up Christ’s body and to sharpen their own expression of
God’s reign in the world.

In his new role as director of interchurch relations for Mennonite Church
USA, Andre  coordinates efforts on behalf of Executive Leadership. In a
one-eighth time-position, he helps Mennonite Church USA to enter into
relationship and conversation with other Christian denominations. Continue reading “Mennonite Church USA names new director of
interchurch relations” →

MWC offers condolences upon the death of Pope John Paul II

NEWS RELEASE: Mennonite World Conference, April 13, 2005

MWC officials offer condolences to Catholic colleagues

Strasbourg, France — Mennonite World Conference officials, President Nancy R. Heisey and Executive Secretary Larry Miller, have sent a letter of condolence on the death of Pope John Paul II to the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.

Over more than five years, Mennonite World Conference and the Pontifical Council have joined in an International Dialogue. The letter was addressed specifically to the leaders of the Council: Cardinal Walter Kasper, President; Bishop Brian Farrell, Secretary; and Monsignor John Radano, Head of the Western Section. Continue reading “MWC offers condolences upon the death of Pope John Paul II” →

MWC magazine on Mennonite-Catholic dialogue

The fourth quarter issue of the Mennonite World Conference Courier is now available online.  The issue includes a major feature “Toward the Healing of Memories” that interviews delegates to the international dialogue between Mennonites and Catholics, along with an eloquent and historic sermon by MWC Executive Secretary Larry Miller on the importance of relating to other Christian communions.

English: http://www.mwc-cmm.org/Courier/2004/2004Courier4.pdf
Spanish: http://www.mwc-cmm.org/Correo/2004/2004Correo4.pdf
French: http://www.mwc-cmm.org/Courrier/2004/2004Courrier4.pdf

 

Mennonites receive award from Catholic voluntary service organization

Network accepts on behalf of Mennonites in world service

(Editor’s note: This a joint release by Mennonite Mission Network and Mennonite Central Committee.)

TAKOMA PARK, Md. — On Nov. 13, Catholic Network of Volunteer Service

(CNVS) presented its Father George Mader Award to a group outside of the Catholic tradition for the first time in its 15-year history. Mennonite Mission Network accepted the award at the CNVS National Conference on behalf of Mennonites in mission across the world, including Mennonite Central Committee (MCC).

The Mission Network and MCC serve the church in more than 60 countries through direct relief, peacemaking and community development with resources of around $73 million U.S., engaging close to 2,000 personnel committed to terms of one year or more.

Del Hershberger, Mission Network director of Christian Service, accepted the award, which honors organizations and individuals that encourage Christian men and women to serve others in the U.S. and abroad. CNVS representatives singled out Mennonite Voluntary Service, a Mission Network program, for special acclaim.

“For six decades, Mennonite Voluntary Service of the Mennonite Mission Network has been a powerful influence serving the poor and marginalized in hundreds of communities throughout North America,” said Jim Lindsay, CNVS executive director. “MVS has been a powerful influence on the church.

Thousands of Mennonites (and increasingly people from other denominations) have served the marginalized people of North America in the past six decades. In the process, they themselves were served and transformed by the oppressed and hurting people among whom they lived and worked.”

Hershberger agreed that MVS, and service in general, has transformed the church over the last century. “We have become engaged with the needs and brokenness of the world. We have gone from being a rural people in close-knit communities, to being more urban and integrated into mainstream society. We have also become engaged in more ecumenical conversations and have built bridges to other Christian groups who are seeking to follow Jesus daily in life, and to be vessels of healing and hope in this broken world,” Hershberger said.

CNVS created the Father George Mader Award in 1989 to honor organizations and individuals that encourage lay men and women to serve others in the United States and abroad. The award is named after Father George Mader, of the Archdiocese of Newark, N.J., who, together with his sister, Patricia Mader Stalker, in 1963 founded the Catholic Network of Volunteer Service, a non-profit association of more than 200 domestic and international volunteer and lay mission programs which currently has more than 12,000 volunteers and lay missioners serving in its member programs throughout the U.S. and in 115 countries worldwide.

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Reprinting this article is encouraged.
Please send clippings to
MCC Communications
P.O. Box 500
Akron, PA  17501-0500

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Mennonite Mission Network receives prestigious Mader Award on behalf of all Mennonites in service

TAKOMA PARK, Md. (Mennonite Mission Network/Mennonite Central Committee/CNVS) — On Nov. 13, Catholic Network of Volunteer Service (CNVS) presented its Father George Mader Award to a group outside of the Catholic tradition for the first time in its 15-year history. Mennonite Mission Network accepted the award at the CNVS National Conference on behalf of Mennonites in mission across the world, including Mennonite Central Committee.

Full story

Mennonite ecumenical conference

The following conference announcement may be of interest to some Bridgefolk participants.

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Collaborative Ministries
April 18-21, 2005 – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan – Sheraton Cavalier Hotel

The Prairie Centre for Ecumenism in Saskatoon is planning the conference, with a team consisting of Mennonite, United Church, Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic members. We are building on the strength of two highly successful national shared ministry events (Winnipeg 1993 and Edmonton 2002) and also on annual “ecumenical institutes”, the most recent one held in May 2004 in Winnipeg, which have been held across the prairies for the past several years, attracting participants from a wider number of denominations who are interested in learning about and promoting ecumenical sharing in their congregations and regions. Continue reading “Mennonite ecumenical conference” →

More coverage of Bridgefolk

In the last “Bridgefolk Brief” we promised to share a link to a article in the Mennonite Weekly Review on our recent gathering at Saint John’s Abbey, once it became available.  In fact, MWR editor Robert Rhodes has three articles in the new issue (or at least the on-line edition) plus a collection of photographs on the abbey.  Here are the links:

“Dialogue mirrors desire to seek more liturgical forms”
http://www.mennoweekly.org/AUGUST/08-23-04/LITURGY08-23.html

“Encounter with Mennonites changed abbot’s outlook on peace”
http://www.mennoweekly.org/AUGUST/08-23-04/TRAPPIST08-23.html

“Mennonites answer the call to become Benedictine oblates”
http://www.mennoweekly.org/AUGUST/08-23-04/OBLATES08-23.html

Photo gallery:”
A place apart: St. John’s Abbey offers help in building a bridge between traditions”
http://www.mennoweekly.org/AUGUST/08-23-04/SJUphotosA08-23.html

Confession and Forgiveness Mark Anabaptist-Reformed Conference

NEWS RELEASE
Mennonite World Conference

For Immediate Release
July 9, 2004

Zurich, Switzerland – Christians from the Zwinglian Reform tradition and the Anabaptist global church confessed sins that separated them 500 years ago and extended forgiveness to each other at an event called “remarkable and memorable.” Settings for the Reformed-Anabaptist Reconciliation Conference were the Grossmunster and nearby Limmat River in the city of Zurich on June 26.

Throughout the day, some 400 people, representing four continents and the two traditions, took steps toward new understanding of what drove them apart and new relationships as brothers and sisters with a common vision.

Full story

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