Ecuador, a call to prayer
As the peace accords and the other negotiations in Colombia have advanced, there have been many people in favor of the steps forward and also people who feel like not enough has been done to forge a lasting peace. There are also people who have felt betrayed that injustices have occurred and true justice has […]
SOOP unit celebrates 25 years of service in Phoenix
NEWTON, Kansas (Mennonite Mission Network) – From Feb. 23-25, the Menno Guest House in Phoenix opened its doors to dozens of veteran SOOP volunteers, returning for the 25th anniversary celebration of the Phoenix SOOP location. The weekend celebration was marked with volunteer opportunities at partner organizations, sightseeing tours, as well as ample time for storytelling […]
Service Adventure partners with Mennonite Disaster Service in South Texas
NEWTON, Kansas (Mennonite Mission Network) – On March 25, participants, leaders, and their director joined Mennonite Disaster Service’s (MDS) work in South Texas. The project marked the first time in the history of the Service Adventure program that participants from all units across the country were able to meet in one place to work and […]
Growing relationships between urban and rural communities
NEWTON, Kansas (Mennonite Mission Network) – Akiko Aratani and Raymond Epp had decided to give five years to Menno Village. Five years to help start a Christian community in rural Hokkaido, Japan, on land purchased by nearby urban churches. Five years to use the land to start a farm rooted in the idea of community […]
Easter in San Antonio, a SOOP reflection
Will you let me be your servant,let me be as Christ to you?Pray that I may have the graceto let you be my servant, too. We are pilgrims on a journey,we are trav’lers on the road.We are here to help each otherwalk the mile and bear the load. I will hold the Christ-light for youin […]
Holy moments
The Assembly for the Colombian Mennonite Church, similar to the MCUSA convention, often includes a lot of tense conversations. Fellow brothers and sisters disagree; we unintentionally hurt each other. The assembly had much to talk about this year and had many tense conversations. We observed some of this with the youth. While the adults were […]
Sharing Anabaptism throughout Latin America – a life of study and service
Elkhart, Indiana (Mennonite Mission Network) – Laverne Rutschman, son of David and Lizzie (Elise) Zuercher Rutschman, born Mar. 31, 1919, in Newton, Kansas, passed away Mar. 21, 2018. Brought up on a farm three miles southeast of Elbing, he attended Elbing Elementary School and Whitewater High School, graduating in 1936. On May 31, 1937, two […]
Long-term mission worker in Algeria provided framework for short-term volunteers
ELKHART, Indiana (Mennonite Mission Network) – Robert Milton Stetter, 86, died of pneumonia on Jan. 4 in Plant City, Florida. Stetter and his wife, Lila Rae, served in Algeria from 1958-1971 with Mennonite Board of Missions, a predecessor agency of Mennonite Mission Network. Mission personnel served alongside Pax volunteers and, after 1961, with Mennonite Central […]
Called to serve
I remember hearing about Service Adventure all throughout high school in chapels at Dock Mennonite Academy, and presentations from past participants at my church. I thought it was a cool idea, but for the longest time, I thought I had to go straight to college after high school or I would be considered a failure. […]
Trading comfort for the unknown
I spent most my senior year of high school thinking of excuses to avoid service. Growing up, taking a year of service before college seemed like the norm. My church commissioned at least one or two young people for service each year, most of my cousins had taken a year of service, and my dad […]
The Olympic dream of a unified Korea
NAMYANGJU, SOUTH KOREA (Korea Peacebuilding Institute) – If you watched the 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony, you witnessed athletes from both Koreas walking together under the Korean Unification Flag. The people of Korea, and the international community, melted the tension and fear that had just peaked a month before. In that moment, it was hard […]
Contemplative prayer in the chaos
One of the best parts of living in a home owned by our local Mennonite church is being at the center of church activities through the week. It means that our home is often filled with different faces doing different activities. One of those activities that started recently and will continue over the next few […]