{"id":113573,"date":"2025-05-30T22:08:51","date_gmt":"2025-05-30T22:08:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/?p=113573"},"modified":"2025-06-27T17:50:56","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T17:50:56","slug":"reminder-presence-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/en\/stories\/reminder-presence-world\/","title":{"rendered":"A reminder of our presence in the world"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>\u201cWe are stewards of creation; this tree reminds us that every step we take as Commissions, as Officers, and Networks has repercussions for creation,\u201d says Henk Stenvers, MWC president. It also symbolizes our presence in the world, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Executive Committee, Commissions, staff and Creation Care Task Force planted a linden tree (<em>tilia cordata<\/em>) at Sch\u00f6nblick, Schw\u00e4bisch Gm\u00fcnd, Germany, 23 May 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since 1999, Mennonite World Conference has planted a tree as a marker of the meeting of the Executive Committee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The linden tree was selected by the gardener Gottfried Gladis. Besides being a local species, the linden tree has symbolic meaning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tradition holds that a linden tree was planted on the burial site of Menno Simons. The grave was otherwise unmarked to avoid trouble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, the linden tree has historically been planted in German village centres. Old folk songs speak of gathering around the linden for community celebrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe park is a huge part of Sch\u00f6nblick,\u201d said Luis Fress, Sch\u00f6nblick hotel manager, who granted the request to plant. Many volunteers are eager to work on the site and the local kindergarten makes excursions to play among the trees and flowers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, a vast vegetable garden provides food for the kitchens. \u201cThe garden is a part of our daily life here,\u201d he said. Planting a tree on the grounds creates a permanent connection between the Protestant centre and the Mennonites who are spending over a week on site, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Calling the tree \u201ca symbol of life, hope and faithfulness,\u201d Lisa Carr-Pries, MWC vice-president, prayed a blessing and confession. \u201cRemind us, Lord, that creation care is not a one-time act but a way of living \u2013 in what we eat, how we travel, what we consume and how we pray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe remember, too, those places today where creation groans \u2013 where forests burn and rivers flood, where climate extremes bring hunger, displacement and loss,\u201d she prayed. \u201cBe near to those who suffer. Awaken the hearts of the powerful. And inspire all of us to action rooted in love.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div style=\"font-style:normal;font-weight:200\" class=\"taxonomy-post_tag has-link-color wp-elements-c156640d9bee56933ae7a5b97a71238b wp-block-post-terms has-text-color has-gray-color\"><a href=\"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/en\/stories\/tag\/creation-care\/\" rel=\"tag\">creation care<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/en\/stories\/tag\/executive-committee\/\" rel=\"tag\">Executive Committee<\/a><span class=\"wp-block-post-terms__separator\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/mwc-cmm.org\/en\/stories\/tag\/tree-planting\/\" rel=\"tag\">tree planting<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cWe are stewards of creation; this tree reminds us that every step we take as Commissions, as Officers, and Networks has repercussions for creation,\u201d says Henk Stenvers, MWC president. It also symbolizes our presence in the world, he said. The Executive Committee, Commissions, staff and Creation Care Task Force planted a linden tree (tilia cordata) [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":113655,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[203,217,857],"network":[360,352],"eventcategory":[150],"class_list":["post-113573","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-creation-care","tag-executive-committee","tag-tree-planting","network-commissions","network-general-council","eventcategory-renewal-2028"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A reminder of our presence in the world - Mennonite World Conference<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Executive Committee, Commissions, staff and 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