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October 2009
Come & See! Learning Tours of the Holy Land
In response to the 2007 “An Open Letter to Mennonite Church USA Congregations Becoming Peacemakers in Israel/Palestine.”
The enclosed brochure, in the Equipping mailing, was created to help you and your congregation grapple with current issues of peace, justice and reconciliation when considering visiting Israel/Palestine.
When you read the brochure, you are also responding to the delegate Listening Committee at Convention 2009, which encourages us all to “give renewed attention to these recommendations in the areas of education, economic engagement and peace-building activities of advocacy, public witness and accompaniment.”
You’ll hear more in the future as we continue to follow through on the Listening Committee’s recommendation.
Racism HARMS the body of Christ
Mennonite Church USA is committed to being an anti-racist denomination. The enclosed brochure was created to help youth understand white privilege and racism, and is recommended by the Convention 2009 delegate Listening Committee. You might choose to accompany the brochure with the popular activity from Convention 2009, making bracelets. You’ll find information here.
Did you know about the e-mail resources offered by Mennonite Mission Network?
Check out our “subscribe” page, where you can sign up to receive youth worker resources, the latest MMN news, media and peace newsletters and more. www.MennoniteMission.net/subscribe
Looking for a different kind of gift this Christmas?
Watch for the Mennonite Mission Network Gift Catalog! You can give a gift that shares the love of Jesus all year through. You’ll find the gift catalog in your issue of Beyond Ourselves, The Mennonite, Mennonite Weekly Review, and Sojourners. Copies are available for distribution to your congregation; contact Carol Honderich at 574-523-3081 or carolh@mennonitemission.net.
International recipes to try at home
Did you miss out on the international cooking shows in Columbus? You can now download recipes from Mennonite Mission Network’s website. Delicious examples include Mongolian Meat Pies, Steak Fajitas, Sweetened Sticky Rice and more!
New mission bank teaching tools
Watch your mailboxes for the newest addition to the mission bank family, Spain: Serving alongside the church in Burgos. This resource, for use in worship, Sunday school, and by families at home, tells stories from Burgos Mennonite Church and mission workers Connie and Dennis Byler and Brian and Noelia Fox. These mission bank tools tell the stories of four different members of the congregation who have used their gifts in service to others. The giving project gives children a chance to support ongoing ministries and work in Spain.
These mission bank tools have been redesigned to include more stories and pictures. Also, be sure to visit www.mennonitemission.net/MissionBank to download a PowerPoint presentation, music clips and additional materials.
To order, visit www.MennoniteMission.net or e-mail Hannah Heinzekehr at MissionBank@MennoniteMission.net today. You can also call toll-free at 1-866-866-2872.
For a complete listing of available Mission Bank Teaching Tools resources:
www.mennonitemission.net/MissionBank.
Peace Sunday and Mission Sunday
September 20 and November 8 are designated as Peace Sunday and Mission Sunday, respectively, across Mennonite Church USA. Although we hope that congregations integrate mission and peace with worship on a regular basis, these special Sundays are set aside to intentionally explore the topics.
New tools to help your congregation think about peace and mission as you plan worship on these special Sundays, and throughout the year, are available online at http://mennonitemission.net/resources/missionsunday/.
The resources include:
- Prayers and litanies from Mission Network’s partners, workers, staff members and service participants.
- Sermon prompts by pastors, for pastors.
- Hymn and children’s story suggestions.
- Ideas for activities that put peace in action.
- Downloadable video shorts for “moments in mission” or Sunday school.
- Global music clips.
- Stories of congregations integrating mission and peace into worship and church life.
- Sample worship outlines.
If your congregation cannot participate on these Sundays, please choose another date to celebrate ongoing commitments to missional activity and peace. For questions or more information, contact Mennonite Mission Network at
Resources@MennoniteMission.net or call toll-free 1-866-866-2872.
International Day of Prayer for Peace
2009 is the first year that Mennonite Church USA joins Mennonite World Conference and many other denominations in observing the International Day of Prayer for Peace, September 21. This year’s Peace Sunday was September 20. However, your congregation may choose any Sunday to remember Jesus’ call to follow him as peacemakers. Some congregations celebrate Peace Sunday the Sunday closest to Veterans Day (November 11) or closest to July 4.
You’ll find Peace Sunday worship resources focusing on James 3-4 here: http://www.mennonitemission.net/resources/peacesunday/ and resources from past years here http://peace.mennolink.org/congregations_a_worship_ideas.html .
Questions? Contact Susan Mark Landis, Denominational Minister for Peace and Justice,
SusanML@MennoniteUSA.org or 330-683-6844.