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Nelson Kraybill chosen as President-elect of Mennonite World Conference
After the General Council selected J. Nelson Kraybill (second from left) as MWC President-elect, the MWC officers—President Danisa Ndlovu (left) and Vice-president Janet Plenert (right), along with representatives from North American MWC churches such as Ervin Stutzman (second from right), offered prayers of blessing. – Photo by Merle Good Bettingen, Switzerland—On May 25, delegates to…
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Straddling Lao PDR and Zimbabwe
Vientiane, Lao PDR — Godswill Muzarabani grew up straddling two cultures in Zimbabwe. His father was from the majority ethnic group, Shona, and his mother was Ndebele, the minority ethnic group – classifications that have led to violence between the groups at worst and a recognized distinction at best. “I became a person who can…
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Warmth, Honesty Mark Mennonite-Adventist Dialogue
Liestal, Switzerland—Representatives of Mennonite World Conference and the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists met in dialogue May 28-31 at the Bienenberg Study and Conference Center in Liestal, Switzerland. The four days of conversation were characterized by both Christian warmth and frank exchange of perspectives. This was the second round of dialogue based on the theme,…
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Kenyan Mennonites make history by writing it
Nairobi, Kenya – Nine Kenyan delegates and three editors gathered together at the Mennonite Guest House in Nairobi the last week in January. Their task: to proof the manuscript of a history of the Kenya Mennonite Church (KMC), a Mennonite World Conference member church. The idea for this book, chronicling KMC’s 50-year history, was birthed…
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Aid to residents of temporary housing a focus of relief assistance in Japan
Japan—Assistance to residents of temporary housing is one way that Japan Mennonite Fellowship is focusing its ongoing work of relief assistance following the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. By the end of December, many shelters had closed and affected people had to move into temporary housing as the first step to independence, which meant that…
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Anne Zernike Fund marks centenary of first ordination of female pastor in the Netherlands
Netherlands—On November 6, 2011, the Anne Zernike Fund was established in honour of the first Mennonite female pastor in the Netherlands to mark the centenary of her ordination on November 5, 1911. She was also the first female pastor ordained in any church in the Netherlands. The fund aims at two goals. The first is…
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Colombian Anabaptist churches request prayer for victims, perpetrators and peacemakers
Bogotá, Colombia—On Sunday, April 15, some Colombian Anabaptist churches ask congregations in their own country and beyond to worship, pray and reflect for the victims, perpetrators and peacemakers related to conflict in their country. The Internally Displaced Monitoring Center, according to an article released recently by Mennonite Central Committee, reports that just over 5 million…
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Seminars encourage spiritual renewal – and much more – in Burkina Faso
Orodara, Burkina Faso – During the second week of February, more than 100 Mennonite women had the time of their lives in Orodara, Burkina Faso. The Eglise Evangélique Mennonite du Burkina Faso annual women’s seminar combines adult continuing education, business training, spiritual renewal, and just plain time-away-from-work fun. Burkina Mennonite Church, a member church of…
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Well attended women’s conference in Zimbabwe spawns a wider network
Mtshabezi, Zimbabwe—A women’s conference held here in April 2011 attracted more than 1,300 women and resulted in the formation of an “interlink” committee to carry forward the vision of the organizers. The purpose of the gathering was to “link and network on worship matters” among Brethren in Christ and Mennonite women, to learn about income…
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Bert Lobe to retire in December; will assist with MWC transitions
St. Jacobs, Ont., Canada—Bert Lobe of St. Jacobs, Ontario has announced that he will retire from his work with Mennonite World Conference (MWC) at the end of 2012. He has served with MWC since 2008. During this year he will assist the new General Secretary, César García, with the many transitions that come with a…
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Operations Team appointed in new MWC structure
Bogotá, Colombia—In January, Mennonite World Conference (MWC) General Secretary César García unveiled a new staff structure developed with the assistance of consultants James and Karen Klassen Harder of Bluffton, Ohio. The growth and maturity of MWC, commented the Harders, means that the office of the General Secretary will need to delegate more responsibility to management…
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No longer foolish and small
Sukodono, Indonesia–In 2008 I went to Cairo, Egypt, under YAMEN! to work at the Anaphora Retreat Centre of the Coptic Orthodox church. I used my limited English language as a basis for learning Arabic. After a month and a half, however, just as I was getting the feel of Egypt, a friend drove me to…
