Prayers of gratitude and intercession

Each step is a prayer.

Each step is a supplication to the God who knows what it means to wander for months or years on end, searching for a land of promise.

Each step is a sacred protest, calling out to God for mercy and justice.

Thus millions of prayers were raised, as friends flew west from nations such as Cameroon and Senegal, as friends walked north from the barrios of Honduras and El Salvador, seeking an answer to their requests to God.

Earlier this year, I spent time with a delegation of fellow Mennonites at the USA/Mexico border with New York-based New Sanctuary Coalition (NSC). NSC suggested we used the “friends” as a way to reshape the narrative of how we name those who seek abundant life and our relationships with them.

In their journeys toward the southern U.S. border, our friends embodied a desire to experience lives free from abuse. Lives free from war. Lives spent with one’s children or parents. Most of all, these Friends sought life itself.

At the San Diego/Tijuana border, though the pace of the journeys slowed, the prayers did not falter. If anything, the prayers grew more fervent as our friends now faced a barrier they had dreamed of reaching, the entrance to the “Promised Land.” The real and numerous barriers for entry were often more significant than they had imagined – they were more significant than I had imagined, a U.S. citizen with some awareness of immigration law. Many friends, having walked for months already, now found themselves at the border for additional months, waiting their turn until their number was called (an illegal system that deliberately slowed migrants’ entries into the USA immigration system.)

While still in Mexico, many who sought asylum were prepared by sympathetic USA immigration lawyers for their “credible fear interview” with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement. The entirety of friends’ asylum cases rested on this interview. With their fate hanging in the balance in proving their “credible fear,” how do our siblings from the Majority World hear Paul’s invitation to the Philippians in 4:6? When Paul urges the believers to “not worry about anything, but…let your requests be made known to God,” what does that mean for those who face long stays in deplorable detention centers? Or those who are required to await their court hearings “al otro lado” – on the other side in Mexico?

The hope that Paul encourages here is not to be found in the human-made immigration system’s ability to mete out true justice. Rather, Paul reminds the believers of the God-who-suffers with them, whose profound empathy cannot be kept out of hieleras (“icebox” detention cells), who knows the pain of the refugee fleeing violence, and who knows the complete heartbreak of a child separated from their parent.

Paul’s words echo in believers’ hearts in the USA, too, as he reminds us of the God-who-dissolves boundaries. Faith communities here rally to pray and act in hope that God’s love will break down the barriers that divide us from one another. There’s a fire in the step of those who provide sanctuary, who march for change, who accompany friends to court for hearings.

Together, we do not worry that the USA immigration system will be just: it won’t be. In all that we do, we open our hearts and minds and bodies to pour out our hopes to God. Whether from the north or south, east or west, each step we take is a prayer. A prayer that the hard border between us will crack under the weight of God’s love. A prayer toward melting calloused hearts and unjust systems. A prayer toward setting the captives free. A prayer for the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding and draws us into deeper community with one another and God.

Each step is a prayer.

—A Mennonite World Conference release by Valerie Showalter

This testimony is part of the Peace Sunday worship resource for 2019. Click here to see more: www.mwc-cmm.org/peacesunday

In this issue, we have examples of how members of the Anabaptist Mennonite family are making a place for children in their local churches around the world.

We are Iglesia Cristiana Menonita el Perú (Mennonite church of Peru). We are a faith community located in Iquitos, a mid-sized city in the middle of the Peruvian jungle, along the banks of the Amazon River. There, in the midst of the tropical heat and humidity, we have worked for the past 10 years with boys and girls living in poverty and neglect.

It all began in the hearts of David and Cecy Moreno, missionaries from Iglesia Cristiana Menonita de Colombia (Mennonite church of Colombia). They began a children’s ministry with girls and boys on the street. Meetings were held on Saturdays to share the Word of God and something to eat. The children began to invite their friends, and soon there were also teenagers and youth attending.

Through Bible study and discipleship, God’s love began to work in their hearts to such an extent that they began to change their bad habits and become a testimony to their families. Some adults drew near as a result, looking for counselling, and this was how we began family groups in small houses. The children’s families viewed David and Cecy as their pastors.

Later, we began to meet together in one place and our faith community was established in February 2012 with the accompaniment of the Mennonite church of Colombia.

As churches, we often forget the important role that boys and girls play in evangelism in our communities. We believe that all we have to do is meet on Sundays and entertain them with some activity.

However, in spite of all the difficult circumstances that they are going through, children have the ability to understand Christ’s message without prejudice and with a pure heart. They are agents of forgiveness and reconciliation in the midst of violence in their homes. This is a transforming act that reveals the love of God. “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1).

Our work at Iquitos Mennonite church is strongly focused on the boys and girls. Our faith community has come to understand that it is not just the pastor’s responsibility, but something in which we are all involved.

Our Lord Jesus has called us to make disciples, and what better than to do that among those who have their whole life ahead of them? Some of the members of our church take an active role as teachers and leaders while others help with the food so that 350 children can continue to receive lunch each week.

As the youth grow up, we teach them and start integrating them into the leadership team. They lead worship, songs and sacred dance. Some participate in music classes, others help serve the food, and still others have started to teach the smaller children. Their own testimonies are of great help to the younger boys and girls who can relate to them and feel encouraged through them.

From our experience, we have come to understand that adolescents are very important in the ministry of the church. They are at a difficult age because they no longer identify with children, but they are not yet youth either. They often stray from God for this reason.

It is important that the church provide spaces in which teenagers can serve. They are going to make mistakes. Some days they behave like children, and they constantly struggle against laziness. Even so, we should accompany them and have faith that God has a purpose for them right now, in spite of their inexperience. That will build their faith and allow them to grow “like trees planted by streams of water, which yield their fruit in its season, and their leaves do not whither. In all that they do, they prosper” (Psalm 1:3).

The boys and girls are the future of our churches, but they are the present too. Just like adults, they need quality time in which we listen to them, encourage them, worship the Lord together, teach them to pray and give them the significance that they deserve as citizens of the kingdom of God. “Children are like wet cement, whatever falls on them makes an impression,” Haim Ginott (clinical psychologist and parent educator).

—Submitted by Juan Carlos Moreno, youth pastor at Iglesia Cristiana Menonita del Perú.

Click here to see photos and a video in Spanish

This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier April 2019.

The International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) is made up of 21 national churches in 19 countries with approximately 450,000 members. ICOMB exists to facilitate relationships and ministries to enhance the witness and discipleship of its member national churches – connecting, strengthening and expanding.

ICOMB is gathering at the Matthew Training Center outside of Guadalajara, Mexico. We are hosted by the Mexican Mennonite Brethren conference, Iglesia Cristiana de Paz en México (ICPM). Mennonite Brethren brothers and sisters from around the world are in Mexico, praying, seeking God, lifting one another up, building relationships, making plans to follow where God is leading the church next.

Summit theme

The annual Summit is like a large family gathering – even when you are meeting someone for the first time, you feel a strong sense of connection and shared background in the Mennonite Brethren family. Though there is great joy and fellowship in being together, we are also there to work! This year we are digging deep into ICOMB’s central vision and mission for the next 5-10 years. We are taking a big picture look at where each conference and continental region is right now, and where ICOMB should concentrate our resources for the future

67 people are a part of this year’s Summit, including official national conference representatives, guests, Matthew Training Center staff and volunteers, and students from the Hadime discipleship program.

ICOMB representatives

ICOMB representatives are coming this year from Germany, Austria, Lithuania, Portugal, Khmu Mission (South East Asia), Japan, Canada, USA, Angola, DR Congo, Malawi (emerging conference), Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Panama, and of course Mexico.

—Rudi Plett, executive director, ICOMB

Have you ever made a decision when you were for the idea and the other person was against it? Or, been on a board when a vote went five in favour and four against? It’s not fun to move ahead that way, is it? Which of us, if we think of relationships rather than about winning, is OK with “majority rules” decision making? I hope not many.

There must be a better way.

Well, perhaps there is.

In April 2018, I joined Steve Berg and David Wiebe as representatives of the Canadian Mennonite Brethren family at the Mennonite World Conference (MWC) General Council meetings in Kenya. There, we encountered another way to make decisions.*

Building consensus

Previously, I was not sure how to do consensus decision making with a board, a congregation, or a delegation.

Here is how it works for MWC.

There are three steps.

First, is the information stage, which has two parts.

Initially, the focus is on presenting background information on the proposal, the range of possible perspectives, and a course of action. Next, delegates ask questions, seek further explanation, and request additional information.

The second stage involves deliberation as delegates share viewpoints and discuss differing opinions.

As the conversation moves forward, the facilitator can ask delegates to show their level of agreement by raising one of three coloured cards. Orange represents full agreement. Yellow indicates some agreement with some hesitation. Blue shows disagreement or opposition.

The chairperson can call for raised cards to check whether the body is nearing consensus when making summary statements or when minor modifications to the proposal are offered. If needed, the chair encourages more discussion of the proposal.

The third step is the decision stage. But it isn’t a quick yea or nay vote. The delegates can speak to the benefits or disadvantages. They are encouraged to indicate with their cards their level of agreement.

In my experience at MWC, those who had not raised orange cards were afforded opportunities to share lingering concerns, objections, or additional perspectives. This gave assurances that each person and their view was important, and that the decision was being made by the group.

When the chair believes a consensus has been reached, he or she asks for a show of cards. If the colours are all affirmative, consensus can be declared, and the proposal is accepted.

However, if consensus is not reached, further discussion can continue to address concerns or answer questions. More questions can determine the level of support, including “Who doesn’t support the proposal as their first option, but is prepared to accept it?” and “Who is not prepared to accept the proposal?”

Agreement without unanimity

Those who oppose the proposal are invited to share their misgivings. If consensus still cannot be reached, they are asked if they feel they have been heard. The larger body is asked if they feel those who dissent have heard the other side.

As I reflect on my time in these meetings, it was these acts of ensuring mutual listening and understanding that allowed us to move ahead as a group, instead of being divided into factions.

In this way, a group can reach agreement even without unanimity.

Or, the group may postpone the final outcome to the next meeting.

Or, if a decision must be made at once, a conventional vote decided by formal majority would be taken.

We likely can’t redo votes of the past. But as we face decisions, let’s consider this model to help maintain the unity of the Spirit among us. It will help us learn from each other and even deep our relationships. We’ll find that it feels good to move forward together!

—Mennonite World Conference release by Laurence Hiebert, pastor at Mountainview Grace Church, Calgary, part of MWC member Canadian Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches. This article first appeared in the MB Herald.

*Reference: “Making Decisions by Consensus Guidelines” (MWC Reference Notebook)

In this issue, we have examples of how members of the Anabaptist Mennonite family are making a place for children in their local churches around the world.

The Peace, Integrity and Lifeskills Clubs (PILLS) are values education-based clubs for the Brethren in Christ Church that help learners in 13 pilot junior and high schools with developing mindfulness. They have taken root and developed as an extracurricular, non-formal activity (ENA) in three provinces of Zimbabwe including Bulawayo, Matabeleland South and Matabeleland North.

The Peace, Integrity and Lifeskills (PILLS) program objective is to create a peaceful school climate by addressing teachers, school management and a pilot group of learners.

The opportunity of learner’s time spent at school and the relevance of values education have continued to be mutually leveraged to benefit both curricular and extra-curricular life through moral, cultural, social and spirit-developing education.

In Brethren In Christ Church schools, the 10 core values of the Brethren In Christ Church form the entry-level module.

The most common outcome of peace education has been a reduction in overt bullying. The second outcome is that of increased cooperation and the desire to work together.

The most popular product of this cooperation is a peace club garden.

At a Peace Tree-a-thon for Zimbabwe’s National Tree Planting Day, PILLS practiced creation care, children’s education and peace work together.

This year, the International Day of Peace commemoration was merged with Zimbabwe’s National Tree Planting Day through a Peace Tree-athon planting under the sub-theme “Feed your tree, feed your peace.”

This tag line was crafted to encourage the schools to make it everyone’s concern to see that all trees thrive as their commitment to peace with one another.

The Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe declares national trees for each year. This year, jackalberry tree, also known as the African ebony tree, was chosen. Jackalberry trees provide an important source of food for people, wildlife and birds, while also offering a beautiful wood used for household goods and medicine.

Tree planting is set to be a BIC church-wide phenomenon as part of elevating creation care driven by the compassionate ministry’s strategy for 2019–2023.

The BICC in Zimbabwe has an estimate 50?000 members. The annual planting of a tree per capita will be significant in time as some communities will need to do more due to deforestation.

—submitted by Sibonokuhle Ncube, national coordinator, Brethren In Christ Compassionate & Development Services Sustainable Peace & Development, Zimbabwe.

This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier April 2019.

“Reformed and Anabaptist are branches from the same tree,” said Hanspeter Jecker, a Mennonite theologian from Switzerland. “Anabaptist convictions that once were controversial – such as the voluntary nature of church membership and rejection of capital punishment – are now accepted by many Christian groups. Centuries of opposition have turned to reconciliation.”

Five centuries after Swiss reformer Ulrich Zwigli suggested Anabaptists be “cast to the ravens,” Anabaptists from Mennonite World Conference are joining spiritual descendants of Zwingli from the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) for a series of formal conversations culminating in 2025. These will review what divided the two groups in the 16th century and identify ways the churches can reconcile and collaborate today.

The Reformed movement includes Presbyterian, Congregational and other denominations who trace lineage to 16th-century Zurich. Leaders of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, meeting in Switzerland, hosted a delegation from Mennonite World Conference during their annual gathering in May 2019. Jecker and MWC Faith and Life Commission members John D. Roth (USA), and Thomas Yoder Neufeld (Canada) joined general secretary César García and president J. Nelson Kraybill to meet with WCRC representatives.

“With this dialogue, a 500-year-old Bible study, in which both of our communions once found their beginnings, is being reconvened,” says Yoder Neufeld. (A Bible study conducted by Zwingli inspired Felix Manz, Conrad Grebel, George Blaurock and others to part ways with Zwingli and found the Anabaptist movement.)

Participants from WCRC and MWC are beginning several years of periodic conversations under the rubric of “Seeking a Common Witness: Restoring Our Family to Wholeness.”

Tension between Zwingli and his radical disciples brought persecution and martyrdom to Anabaptists. Reflecting on this painful history, Roth confessed that Mennonites became comfortable with thinking of themselves as victims. But that does not fit well with the subsequent and current reality, Roth said.

Mennonite and Reformed people have had meaningful interaction for years, but have not formally reviewed the shared history or named common ground for the future globally. “Mennonites must not remain anchored in the past,” Roth said. “We are truly sisters and brothers with Reformed people.”

Chris Ferguson, General Secretary of the World Communion of Reformed Churches, said his people have a “tragic and broken past” with Mennonites. “It is time for right remembering and reconciliation. Both groups started in a united movement that broke into disagreement.”

The Reformed communion “is badly in need of the peace message of the Mennonite church,” he said.

In Zurich, Reformed and Mennonite participants walked together to sites related to shared beginnings of the two churches. At the place on the Limmat River where Felix Manz and other Anabaptists were drowned, Swiss Reformed pastor Peter Detwiller recounted that a 1952 attempt to put up a memorial plaque at the site for the Anabaptists, was denied permission, but in 2004, city officials granted permission. Anabaptist groups from around the world now visit the martyrdom site.

In a closing statement, participants in the World Communion of Reformed Churches gathering in Switzerland said, “We recognize how theology and spirituality can be abused to foster hostility and violence. We commit to the dismantling of such theologies and spiritualities and to the advancement of theologies that seek the dignity and respect of all life. It is from this stance that we take up a dialogue with Mennonite World Conference.”

—J. Nelson Kraybill is president of MWC (2015–2021). He lives in Indiana, USA.

“Do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord,” said Mennonite World Conference (MWC) President J. Nelson Kraybill. At the Executive Committee meetings, eight pastors and leaders from Asociación Iglesias Cristianas Menonitas de Costa Rica shared about how their congregations are growing together and start new ministries.

The MWC Executive Committee (EC) met 8–12 April, 2019 in Heredia, Costa Rica, home of the first Mennonite congregation planted by Rosedale Mission in 1965. From that first local church, there are now 23 Mennonite congregations who joined with MWC’s Renewal 2027 celebration, a one-day Anabaptist anniversary event that preceded the EC’s annual meeting.

Appointed by the General Council, Executive Committee members meet annually to carry out the work of MWC. These two representatives from each region manage the finances, authorize programs, approve task forces, articulate the vision and mission and develop long-range plans.

Discussion and agreement

The EC discussed and approved guidelines on appointment of specialists to Commissions and application to the Jubilee account of the Global Church Sharing Fund.

Overall in finances, unrestricted contributions are positive position, but net assets saw a significant drawdown due to spending for the General Council meetings in Kenya in 2018. Fundraising for these meetings is more challenging than for Assembly, the worldwide gathering every six years. “Efforts are on the way to help resolve this situation,” said MWC treasurer Sunoko Lin.

—Mennonite World Conference release 

How can we be salt and light in the world? Young Anabaptists are exploring this question together through the YABs Fellowship Week worship resources.

Pray with young people about the Anabaptist church around the world:

Kenya (Wycliff Ochieng):

1. Currently, we are experiencing drought in some parts of the country and people starving.
2. Peace for our country and good leadership.
3. Peace and good leadership in our churches.
4. Youths are planning for regional conferences end of this year.

DR Congo (Felo Gracia):

1. Pray for the newly elected leadership team of Communauté des Églises Frères Mennonite en Congo (CEFMC): That the Lord will grant them wisdom, intelligence and strength to lead the community for the next six years.
2. Let us pray for our country, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) – That the Lord will grant peace and that we might experience the rule of law in our nation.
3. That the Lord will grant strength to young Christians in the DRC to continue to fear God inspite of the uncertain economic situation of the country.
4. Many of the young people of our country do not yet know the Lord Jesus Christ. They engage in all kinds of abuses: sex before marriage, drugs, banditry, robbery, rape and other evils. Let us pray that the Lord Jesus will accompany the church in the work of evangelization so that these young people will come to a knowledge of the truth – Jesus Christ – and that they will transform their lives.

Zimbabwe (Sineculo Ncube):

1. Currently we are experiencing a serious economic recession. Fuel prices are rising everyday and so is everything else in the stores. May God touch our leaders that their minds may be renewed and come up with new ideas. That our leaders may stop turning deaf ears to the pleas of people.
2. Let’s pray for the young people. This situation is very conducive for crime, alcohol and drug abuse. May God be with all young people and give them comfort and show that it’s not the end of the world.
3. Pray that we may always learn to depend on God through all good and bad times.

A Special Prayer for the devastation caused by Cyclone Idai which affected Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe: (Maka Ngulube and Sineculo Ncube)

Recently there was a cyclone that came all the way from Mozambique and affected some areas in Zimbabwe. A lot of people lost their loved ones and some lost all their property. May God use his people to show the affected families that his love is sufficient for all of them.

Tanzania (Elisante Daniel Lulu):

1. Our country’s peace especially in political matters.
2. Economic stability.

Philippines (Ebenezer Mondez):

Pray for the current government transitions after the recent elections.

India (Chris Abishek):

1. Young Anabaptists are becoming driven away toward churches which are more appealing to them and losing out on our core values and being unaware of Anabaptists distinctives. There is a need for revival in most churches.
2. Most of the Anabaptists are confined to their own churches and lack the awareness of the bigger church (fellowship as Anabaptists) around us. Pray for the unity.
3. Pray for our leadership in church, so that we could have less of politics and more of God’s work.
4. Many Christians in general are being persecuted which is making a lot of young people apprehensive to share God’s Word. Yet with God with us, nobody can be against us. The harvest is plenty.

Netherlands (Jantine Huisman):

1. Compassion from governments for refugees
2. Empowering more youth to make sensible choices in regards to the environment.
3. For young people in the church not to be discouraged by the dwindling members in church.

Mexico (Crisol Gonzalez):

1. Pray for equity in the distribution of resources in our country, for peace in our families and communities, and that our hunger to follow Christ and share His message may be sustained.
2. For the economic, social and political crisis in Venezuela. For all the families that have migrated to Colombia and other South American countries.
3. For the countries in Central America, in particular Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala, who live every day with the reality of migratory exodus towards North America.
4. For the peace process in Colombia.

Costa Rica (Paula Marchena):

1. Pray that leaders with a desire to serve, filled with passion and dedication to our Lord, may be raised up among youth with firm convictions.
2. At a national level, that youth ministries may blossom in the churches and that they may be a support to their congregations.
3. Pray that we may stand firm against any religious current that does not come from God.

United States (Larissa Swartz):

1. Pray for peacebuilding and reconciliation across the growing political divide.
2. Pray for the church to maintain a relevant witness without compromising on truth.

—Mennonite World Conference release

Our 4th annual YABs Fellowship Week is on the theme of “Salt & Light: Exploring our identity then and now”, based on Matthew 5:13–16. Materials on MWC’s website (mwc-cmm.org/yabs) will provide ideas and content to young adults groups around the world as they plan their time of celebration.

Join young Anabaptists around the world in discussing these topics and more during YABs Fellowship Week, 16-23 June 2019. We look forward to hearing your perspectives and sharing in worship, reflection, stories and prayer this coming June.

Get creative! Through our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/younganabaptists/) or email (yabs@mwc-cmm.org), send us pictures of your YABs Fellowship Week celebration to let us know what you enjoyed and learned!

“Is it actually necessary to think about those topics (abuse, neglect)? I mean, we are part of a Christian church!” This is a common reaction I get while educating people about the topic of “Safe Church.”*

Sadly, though, it is a fact that churches are not safe just because they are churches. A safe atmosphere does not create itself. It has to be worked for and actively developed.

Safety and security are basic human needs. Insecurity starts when personal boundaries are violated. Often this does not happen on purpose. The problem starts when those boundaries are not respected because not taking each others’ boundaries seriously or even purposely violating them.

Over the course of the last year, we specifically addressed the topic of prevention and protection. We asked ourselves what we can do to prevent boundary crossing, shaming or violent behaviour.

Who are we and what do we do?

As the “Jugendwerk” (youth ministry) of the southern Mennonite churches, we offer regional camps for children, teenagers and young adults. We want to create the opportunity to meet and get to know God, experience God’s love and think about being a Christian in our daily lives. It is important for us to have a safe atmosphere at our camps, so everybody is feeling comfortable at our camps.

Who are the participants at our camps?

Participants are from different southern German Mennonite churches. We encourage them to invite their friends from school and their neighbourhoods. Some of them have known God for a long time, others do not know too much about God.

Within our programs, we do not only want to strengthen participants’ faith. We also want to strengthen their self-esteem and self-reliance. They are encouraged to learn to say “yes” or “no” appropriate to the situation they are in. It is important for us to get them to perceive their feelings and take them seriously. We want to make the youths aware of their own boundaries, to define and actively speak out about them.

Who are our camp leaders?

Camp leaders are mostly young adults who have been participants and are now slowly growing into leadership. Having an active relationship with God and Jesus to talk about his love for us is a very important part for us. As leaders, they allow transparency and provide security.

What is important to us?

For us it is very important to provide our camp leaders with education so that they are respectful, loving and mindful toward our camp participants.

We offer weekend seminars for our camp leaders, some of which are mandatory to attend to become a leader.

We expect leaders to establish a good relationship with the entrusted children, teenagers and young adults. This is the reason why we have a code of conduct. By signing it, every camp leader is obligated to act this way toward our camp participants.

The following are examples from our code of conduct:

• I want to protect the children and youths who are entrusted to me from all harm and dangers, abuse and violence.
• I acknowledge the individual boundaries and take them seriously.
• I actively act out against sexist, racist, discriminating and violent verbal and nonverbal behaviour.
• I renounce derogatory behaviour and try to ensure everybody else to act that way.

I think our Bible quote for the year is quite fitting. “Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.” (Psalm 34:14)

—Gerda Landes is a children and youth ministry worker in South Germany for Mennonitengemeinden e.V., Karlsruhe-Thomashof.

*Safe church is a system of policies and training to prevent abuse of minors, to respond appropriately to signs a child or youth may have been abused, and to strengthen awareness of healthy interaction to build up rather than harm vulnerable persons.

This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier April 2019.

“Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs” (Mathew 19:14). The Gospels record Jesus saying these words to those who want to remove the children from his presence.

Jesus is saying something we know to be true today: children have their own ways to participate in churches, differently from adults, but with attention to their special capacity to learn and share.

Churches must be sensitive to the need to protect children. National churches and partner agencies may have a well developed set of policies or templates that are locally adaptable. On a local level, churches can develop policies and train those who work with children to keep them safe from those who would exploit their vulnerability.

In this issue, we have examples of how members of the Anabaptist Mennonite family are making a place for children in their local churches around the world.

Gerda Landes of Mennonitengemeinden e.V., Karlsruhe-Thomashof in Germany explains how safe church policies strengthen healthy interaction. They not only teach volunteers to avoid abuse, they raise conversations about positive behaviour for an environment that nurtures and empowers children.

Elsie Rempel of Canada offers a sample children’s story that teaches solid biblical content in an interactive way appropriate to the learning level of children.

Jessica Mondal from a Bharatiya Jukta Christa Prachar Mandali church in India writes how her congregation is attentive to training their teachers. In a rapidly changing world, they recognize the need to constantly adapt to the needs of the children they are serving.

But children are ready to receive and act on the gospel message as well. Juan Carlos Moreno tells how children’s ministry leaders in Peru learned that the children were not only receiving the gospel message, but sharing it with others.

In Zimbabwe, Peace Clubs combine Christian education with training children in peace skills and creation care.

At a global level, MWC was a one of 13 co-organizers of Faith Action on Children on the Move: A Global Partners Forum 16–19 October 2018 in Rome, Italy. The purpose of the forum was to learn, exchange, inform and plan. People of faith are a powerful force in the world who can catalyze shifts in both attitudes and behaviour. The organizers are continuing to draft an action plan.

In this issue, you will also find the MWC world map, which can be pulled out and posted on your wall. Also, follow the included link to find more maps and demographic information.

You’ll find the Assembly News included here, with the first information about the upcoming gathering in Indonesia in 2021.

And MWC events continue in between: a gathering for Renewal 2027 in Costa Rica, and the “scattered” events of World Fellowship Sunday, Peace Sunday, and YABs Fellowship Week: times to celebrate the global Anabaptist family in our local congregations.

—Karla Braun is editor of Courier and writer for Mennonite World Conference. She lives in Winnipeg, Canada.

This article first appeared in Courier/Correo/Courrier April 2019.