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News archive
Contact: Laurie L. Oswald (316) 283-5100, E-mail: LaurieO@MennoniteUSA.org
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Dr. Howard Keim named the next president of Hesston
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by Phil Richard
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Howard Keim |
HESSTON, Kan. (MEA) -- The Mennonite Education Agency Board
of Directors, on
recommendation of the Hesston College Board of Overseers,
has appointed Dr. Howard Keim as the next president of Hesston
College.
Arlan Yoder, chair of the Hesston College Board of Overseers,
made the announcement to the campus community early Sept.
25, then to about 350 people assembled for an alumni banquet
Saturday evening during Hesston College's Homecoming Weekend.
"Dr. Keim has outstanding presidential qualifications,"
Yoder said. "He is an excellent, seasoned leader with
a significant personal understanding of Hesston College and
its mission."
Keim said he is honored to be appointed as Hesston College
president. "I have strong loyalty to Hesston College
and Mennonite Church USA, and am eager for this new opportunity
to serve. Hesston's strong academic and student life programs,
the geographic diversity of its students, and its unique mission
as a two-year college make it a wonderful place for students,
faculty and staff."
Keim begins his service at Hesston College January 1, 2005,
with a preparation time of approximately six months. He will
assume the presidency from Interim President Peter Wiebe sometime
after the academic year ends in early May.
Keim, 52, has served as a professor and administrator at Tabor
College since 1996, except for one year as field services
director for Communities in Schools of Kansas. He currently
is vice president of academics and student development, and
associate professor of communications.
"Howard has served with distinction both as a faculty
member and as an administrator," said Larry Nikkel, president
of Tabor College. "His knowledge of organizations, understanding
of leadership, collaborative style and personal integrity
have all contributed to his successful service here. We are
pleased to have been a part of his personal and professional
pilgrimage, and wish him God's blessing and every success
as he answers the call to lead and serve in a new place."
A 1972 graduate of Hesston College, Keim taught at Hesston
from 1987 to 1996, including directing its Pastoral Ministries
program. He holds a Ph.D. in communication studies from the
University of Kansas, a master's degree in interpersonal and
public communication from Central Michigan University, and
a bachelor's degree in speech and dramatic arts from the same
institution. He has also studied at the University of Iowa.
"I believe Hesston College is fortunate to have a person
of Dr. Keim's experience and expertise serve as Hesston's
next president," said Norm Yoder, Henderson, Neb., chair
of the Hesston College presidential search committee. "I
have confidence that he will give excellent leadership for
the future of Hesston College. His background both as an academician
and pastor will help set the framework to move Hesston to
the next level."
Yoder noted that Keim will be the first Hesston College alumnus
to serve as president.
Keim was pastor of Kalona (Iowa) Mennonite Church from 1979
to 1987, and youth minister at Fairview (Mich.) Mennonite
Church prior to that. He has served his congregation, Whitestone
Mennonite Church, Hesston, as an elder. Keim is a former moderator
of South Central Conference of Mennonite Church USA and now
serves on the conference ministerial commission.
Keim was announced as the presidential search committee's
"candidate of choice" Friday, September 3. He then
met with various groups and individuals on campus September
7-8. The search committee reviewed input from the visit, and
then recommended him to the Hesston College Board of Overseers.
With a recommendation from the Hesston Board, Mennonite Education
Agency Board appointed Keim.
"Howard Keim is a devoted follower of Christ in service
to both church and school," said Carlos Romero, Mennonite
Education Agency executive director. "We anticipate great
things from the collaboration of his gifts with the people
of Hesston College -- administrators, faculty, staff, students
and alumni across the church."
"The MEA Board is thankful for the dedication and diligent
work of the search committee," said MEA Board Chair Rosalind
Andreas of Essex Junction, Vt. "We voted unanimously
to approve the recommendation from the Hesston College Board
to appoint Dr. Keim as Hesston College president.
"We are deeply grateful to Dr. Keim for answering God's
call to service at Hesston College," Andreas said. "And
we reiterate our appreciation to Interim President Peter Wiebe
for his passionate leading of the campus community during
this time of transition."
Wiebe has served as interim president since July 2003. He
followed Dr. Loren Swartzentruber, who served as Hesston College
president for 10 years, then resigned to become president
of Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Va.
Keim lives in Hesston with his wife, Tami, who is also a 1972
graduate of Hesston College. She has directed its Early Childhood
Education Program since 1987. They have two daughters: Talashia
Yoder is a 2002 Hesston graduate and Tonya Bartel directed
the college's theatre program for one year. Photo available.
Phil Richard, director of communications
for Hesston (Kan.) College, wrote this story.
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Editorial: Responding to the needs of our brothers and
sisters in Florida
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This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid
down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives
for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and
sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can
the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love
with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. (I John
4:16-18)
The writer of I John tells us that Jesus loved us so much
that he laid down his life for us. As Christians we are
called to follow Christ's example by laying down our lives
for each other. If we see our brothers and sisters in need
we are to respond to their need and help them. We are called
to be people of action.
We know that our brothers and sisters in Florida are in
great need. In the past month they have been hit by four
hurricanes. We can't even imagine what that would be like!
The reports of the damage and loss are staggering. The question
facing us is how we will respond to the needs of our brothers
and sisters.
As the Mennonite Church USA representative on the Mennonite
Disaster Service (MDS) board, I would like to encourage
Mennonites to respond in three ways -
Praying. We need to pray for our brothers and sisters in
Florida. Pray for healing and strength for rebuilding. Pray
for encouragement and comfort in this difficult time.
Helping with the clean-up. Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS)
is working with those who are uninsured and less able to
help themselves, including persons with disabilities, widows,
single mothers, migrant workers and others who, without
a helping hand, will not be able to put their lives back
in order quickly. Check out MDS' work sites at www.mds.mennonite.net
and consider giving a helping hand.
Providing financial assistance. The need is great and the
resources are scarce, according to workers in Florida. MDS
is an excellent avenue to channel money to those who are
most in need. Send your contribution to MDS, 1018 Main St.,
Akron PA 17501.
My prayer is that members of Mennonite Church USA congregations
will give generously to the needs of our brothers and sisters
in Florida.
Ross Miller is the pastor
of Walnut Creek (Ohio) Mennonite Church and Mennonite Church
USA's representative on the board of Mennonite Disaster
Service.
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Quietly viewing a DVD on "Can't Keep Quiet"
for Charlotte 2005
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (MC USA) -- Members of the youth planning
committee for Charlotte 2005 view a new promotional DVD for
the biennial gathering to be held next July 4-9 in Charlotte
with Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada. From
left, some youth planners are Anna Rehan of Saskatoon, Sask.;
Andrea Ressler of Apple Creek, Ohio; Todd Lehman of Hillsboro,
Kan; Miles Musselman of Harleysville, Pa.; and Moises Angustia
of Brooklyn, N.Y.
The youth planning committee met in Charlotte in late summer
with adult planners and staff from Mennonite Church USA convention
planning to further develop the theme, "Can't Keep Quiet."
Charlotte 2005 will include adult delegate assemblies, conventions
for youth, junior high and children, as well as activities
for young adults.
The planning committees -- in conjunction with youth and adult
worship planning committees -- are shaping an assembly that
provides joint worship and recreational opportunities for
adults and youth, seminars, servant projects, late-night activities
including drama, music and comedy and theme-related events.
Registration for Charlotte
2005 will begin online Dec. 6, 2004. Paper registration will
begin Jan.1, 2005. The deadline for registration without a
late fee will be April 29, 2005. For more information contact:
Andrew Kauffman at Mennonite Church USA Convention Planning,
P.O. Box 1245, Elkhart, IN 46515-1245; T: 574-523-3045; or
email: CharlotteInfo@MennoniteUSA.org.
-- Laurie L. Oswald
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Abortion or war: Must U.S. Mennonites simply choose
their poison?
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by Karl S. Shelly
I polled the students in my Goshen (Ind.) College Transforming
Conflict and Violence class on who they plan to support in
the U.S. presidential election. Those leaning John Kerry's
direction uniformly cited President Bush's invasion and occupation
of Iraq as their motivating issue. Those supporting President
Bush pointed toward Sen. Kerry's support of legal abortion.
Both sides felt justified that their reasoning squarely aligned
them with Anabaptist values of peace and nonviolence.
For this group of undergraduates, the choice was clear. They
could either vote for someone who supports the daily killing
of unborn children or someone who preemptively and under false
pretenses waged war against Iraq.
A Hobson choice of this sort is perhaps best avoided all together.
In fact, I did have a few students who said, in essence, "A
pox on both their houses -- I'm not voting for either one!"
Their viewpoint is echoed by some learned Mennonites who urge
nonparticipation in presidential politics as symbolic conscientious
objection to choosing the country's commander-in-chief.
However, unlike a conscientious objector's refusal to participate
in the military or pay war taxes, those who opt out of electoral
democracy actually benefit the powerful interests who have
little concern for innocent life. What could assist the merchants
of death more than for Christ's people of peace to stand aside
as competing causes quest for power?
Ted Grimsrud, in his article "Anabaptist Faith and American
Democracy" (Mennonite Quarterly Review, July 2004), furthers
the case for Mennonite full participation in our country's
political processes. Grimsrud, a professor of theology at
Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Va., suggests
that the U.S. Mennonite legacy of separating from the world
is misplaced if it results in withdrawal from civic engagement.
On the contrary, we are called to nonconformity with the world's
ways of building empires and exploitation because we are then
better suited to point the world toward the ways that make
for peace.
Still, given the two bad choices spelled out by my students,
what is a politically engaged U.S. Anabaptist to do on November
2? Vote by lot*?
Perhaps first, it would be helpful to realize that the portraits
drawn of each candidate are not as one-dimensional as some
partisans would have us believe. Although George Bush is the
"pro-life" candidate, John Kerry's position on abortion
is actually not that far from the Mennonite resolution on
abortion. Sen. Kerry has stated his personal opposition to
abortion but also opposes legislating his beliefs on others
who don't share his faith. Similarly, the resolution passed
by Mennonite delegates in 2003 opposes abortion but stops
short of calling for its criminalization.
On the issue of war-making, President Bush clearly has a record
out of step with Mennonite teaching. However, anyone who believes
that Sen. Kerry or the Democratic Party are harbingers of
peace and nonviolent intervention has ignored the degree to
which both candidates' rhetoric on Iraq and militarism is
similar.
Secondly, politically mindful Mennonites would be wise to
remember that casting a ballot on November 2 is only one step
-- and a very small one at that -- toward seeking the shalom
of the nation. Those serious about tithing their influence
will look further for avenues to witness for justice and peace.
Finally, we can gather with fellow believers -- as is done
in my congregation, Assembly Mennonite in Goshen -- to discuss
the real differences in the candidates' positions, discern
how to vote, and act together in a variety of ways to effect
change. Then we can worship and bring praise to our God who
has not disengaged from the world, but who loves the world
(John 3:16).
* Historically, some Mennonite congregations choose their
pastor "by lot," a method in which the eligible
men of the congregation each pick one Bible from a stack,
not knowing which one contains a slip of paper. The one who
chooses that Bible -- or "draws the lot" -- becomes
the pastor.
Excerpted from September 21,
2004 PeaceSigns, a monthly e-zine looking at the news through
a Mennonite lens. A service of Mennonite Church USA Peace
and Justice Support Network. For a free subscription, see
http://peace.mennolink.org/peacesigns/index.html
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