Mennonites gather to consider relationships with other Christians
From left, Al Meyer and George R. Brunk III participate in a small group discussion reflecting on input from multiple guest presenters at an interchurch relations consultation hosted by Mennonite Church USA July 19 through 21 in Donaldson, Ind. Photo by Richard Kauffman.
DONALDSON, Ind. (Mennonite Church USA)Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership hosted a consultation with church leaders July 19 through 21 at Lindenwood Retreat Center in Donaldson, Ind. The event was conducted in an effort for the group to seek counsel and engage in discernment about priorities for how Mennonite Church USA relates to Christians of other traditions.
About 30 Mennonite leaders gathered for the three-day consultation on interchurch relations, and representatives from Disciples Peace Fellowship, Pentecostal Charismatic Peace Fellowship and Catholic Peace Fellowship, among others, participated in a panel discussion on how Mennonite Church USA might relate to denominational peace fellowships in a mutually beneficial way.
“This was a very important time to gather in order to pray, listen and discern what God is doing and how God wants us to relate to other Christians,” said André Gingerich Stoner, director of Interchurch Relations for Mennonite Church USA Executive Leadership. “Mennonite Church USA is one small, but important, part of the broader body of Christ, with important gifts to give and gifts to receive from other Christians.”
Pentecostal minister and professor Paul Alexander participated in the panel discussion and is an example of how beneficial interchurch relationships can be for individuals.
“I am so very grateful for the way the Mennonite church has blessed my life,” Alexander said in the opening remarks of his presentation to the group. He shared about how discovering the gospel of peace changed his life. After researching the pacifist origins of his Pentecostal denomination and learning that his own grandfather was a conscientious objector in World War II, Alexander founded the Pentecostal Charismatic Peace Fellowship, which now has more than 500 members in seven states.
During the first day-and-a-half of the consultation, attention was given to four priority areas that had been identified two years ago: exploring membership in Christian Churches Together, dialogue with Pentecostals, strengthening relationships with denominational peace fellowships, and learning from and supporting local congregations in relating to Christians of other traditions.
Christian Churches Together is a broad forum of Christian churches – ranging from evangelical to Orthodox and Catholic traditions – that gathers on a regular basis to discuss issues, build relationships and learn from each other.
Professor of church and society at Eastern Mennonite Seminary Gerald Shenk attended the event and said he left reminded to take time to make ties with other Christians in his community. He said it’s also important for Mennonites and other Christians to avoid the trap of competing with other churches. It’s a trap he says Mennonites avoid well while working overseas, but often fail to acknowledge when at home in North America.
“If we can get outside of a competitive market mode in our church participation and recognize that the body of Christ is not about competing with each other but about collaborating, we will be able to turn a new corner as Christians,” Shenk said.
Outside speakers and a panel of congregational leaders provided input that stimulated questions and discussion. The last day of the consultation involved discernment about future direction. The group affirmed continuing to work in these four areas as well as appointing volunteer representatives who can serve as channels of communication and relationship with individuals and congregations from other traditions. Photo available.
Sidebar:
Cheryl Bridges Johns, Professor of Discipleship and Christian Formation at the Church of God Theological Seminary in Cleveland, Tenn., addressed the Interchurch Relations Consultation on the “Promises and Perils of Mennonite-Pentecostal Dialogue.” Dr. Johns will be one of 10 members of the Church of God who will participate in a consultation with ten representatives of Mennonite Church USA at Reba Place Church in Evanston, Illinois, Sept. 8 through 10. The consultation will explore the call to engage in mission empowered by the Holy Spirit that forms alternative communities that are in the world but not of it. This consultation follows an initial meeting between executive director for Mennonite Church USA Jim Schrag, Gilberto Flores, Tom Finger and Dr. Johns and several other Church of God representatives in Cleveland, Tenn., in spring 2005. This will be the first time Mennonite Church USA has initiated this kind of church-to-church relationship, and possibly the first time any U.S. Pentecostal denomination has participated in such an encounter.
Editor’s note: We intentionally use the term “interchurch” instead of “ecumenical” because of the baggage linked to that term. We request that your headlines do the same.
Goshen students study business leaders and healthcare access
by Victor Koop
GOSHEN, Ind. (Mennonite Church USA)During the 2006 spring semester a small group of Goshen College students enrolled in the Industrial-Organizational Psychology course took on the task of studying the issue of healthcare in organizations with Mennonite/Anabaptist connections.
This eye-opening experience came at the invitation of Glen Miller, M.D., program manager of Mennonite Church USA’s healthcare access initiative. Goshen College is one of Mennonite Church USA’s five colleges and universities. The students interviewed five executives from organizations with between 90 and 540 employees. Two of the organizations were church-related (not for profit), and three were commercial businesses. The students’ findings provided valuable insight to the dilemmas Anabaptist/Mennonite business leaders are facing when it comes to financing healthcare for employees.
It became apparent that the business leaders who are rooted in Mennonite Church USA see the need to put faith into action when it comes to healthcare. Making this happen, however, is another matter. In one voice they all talk about dramatic cost increases over the past decade or so. They see a conflict between the obligation to be good stewards of the business which “feeds many mouths” and the obligation to make sure that healthcare is available to all. In every case, it was clear that healthcare was not a “back burner” issue. To the extent that this small sample is representative of the broader Mennonite business community, there is a readiness to find a solution that would be a direct expression of faith in action, which likely will be difficult.
Despite a willingness to struggle with solving the healthcare riddle none of the executives interviewed expressed satisfaction with current trends. Remaining competitive in the business world allows for little financial “wiggle room,” they said. Although providing healthcare is a virtual requirement if one wants to remain competitive in attracting good employees, rising costs do not permit doing much more than what the rest of the industry does. Business realities seem to preclude “going the second mile.” In every case, finances have forced employers to downgrade coverage from previous levels. Despite this, these business leaders seemed to accept the historical quirks that have saddled them with the obligation of accepting a major responsibility for healthcare coverage.
With one exception, there seemed to be little enthusiasm for a government-run universal healthcare system. Several talked about seeing “red flags” when it comes to handing over more responsibility to the government.
Business leaders talked about the importance of putting less stress on the healthcare dollar by educating the user. Although none of the interviewees talked of having implemented an extensive wellness program, they all talked about how changes in life style could have a significant impact on reducing the demand on the healthcare system, thus reducing cost. Secondly, the executives expressed frustration at the misunderstanding users have about who pays for healthcare. Users seem not to realize that indiscriminate use of the healthcare system is problematic. Users need to understand that eventually the costs rise for everyone. A clear recommendation is that users be taught to access the healthcare system only when there is legitimate need. The user must take more responsibility and might do so if education clearly included a wellness and stewardship emphasis. Certainly the church could play a role in this. A third “soft” recommendation suggested that health providers within Mennonite Church USA could make a difference by demanding less and taking steps to avoid duplication of services.
At the level of general conceptualization the discussion seems to clearly be driven by both business and faith issues. It is at the level of implementation that difficulties arise. Business leaders talk of the moral obligation to “feed the hungry and cloth the naked.” They see healthcare as being a clear expression of this mandate. At present however, their hands seem to be tied. It is at this point that a broader discussion with the church can be helpful.
Several things seemed clear to the students. Mennonite Church USA and the broader Church can benefit from listening to business leaders who have a sophisticated, first-hand knowledge of healthcare. Without exception, they have shopped the insurance marketplace, often changing from provider to provider in an attempt to find the best viable option for their employees. The business leaders within Mennonite Church USA are ready to find better ways to provide more affordable healthcare coverage. They are not idling on the sidelines waiting for others to make things happen. Business cannot afford to wait. The most encouraging thing is that business leaders are ready to move forward in a manner that, while making good business sense, also respects the moral imperative to care for the least among us.
Victor Koop is professor of psychology at Goshen College. This is a summary article of interviews of Anabaptist business leaders by students in Koop’s Industrial-Organizational Psychology class.
